Free Eve: A Novel by Wm. Paul Young

pulls up images of doctors or nurses, and that’s not what we have here.” He paused and nodded at someone she couldn’t see. “The Thinker is in agreement. To see our Menders and Healers could shock you into a relapse.”
    “You’re freaking me out a little. My imagination is probably worse than your reality.”
    “Uh . . . in this case, I don’t think so. You will have to trust my position on this, please.” He paused, looked again around the room, and turned back to her. “We’re unanimous. Perhaps we’ll change our minds at some point, after your strength has more fully returned.”
    This did not sit well with her, but John quickly added, “But I can do something else for you that will help your perspective. We’re ready to move you into the big room and tilt you up so you can see more of this place. Now, when I tell you, I want you to try to move your fingers and toes.”
    She tried and nothing happened.
    “Wait, not before I tell you. It won’t begin to work until we are ready on our part. We need to connect only a couple of small things and I will let you know when. Okay?”
    She nodded, partly because she was afraid that if she began to speak, all she would do was cry. She felt like a prisoner who heard a pardon was on its way but feared it was just rumor or for someone else.
    A few minutes later, John said, “All right! Try now.”
    Her fingers on both hands moved, as well as her toes on both feet. A muted hurrah seemed to rise in the room. She imagined small high-fives along with whispers of glee and celebration. Lilly even thought she heard the pop of a cork and smelled the fragrance of strawberries. She laughed.
    They moved her bed out of the room without a sound. She glided as if on water. As the scene shifted, she saw that what she had thought was a ceiling above her bed was in fact a huge canopy. Behind it was a complex array of miniature ladders and bridges, like the latticework of catwalks high inside an arena. They passed under a massive rock archway and then into a large space, open and wide.
    A breeze, the first she could remember in this world, swept across her covered body and played with her face. Scents of sea wind and brine teased her nose. Her ears filled with the crashing of distant surf and haunting cries of gulls and terns. The relaxing effect reminded her of John’s visitor.
    “John?”
    “I’m here.” His voice came from her left.
    “Who were you talking to the other night?”
    “I’ve spoken to many people while you’ve slept.”
    “The one who sang.”
    With the bed positioned at a precisely chosen spot, again John’s face appeared above hers.
    “I suspect you heard me talking to Han-el,” he said. At the mention of the name, Lilly felt warmth pass through her, energy that stirred her fatigued muscles and bones.
    “Han-el? ”
    He ignored her question.
    “Now, we’re going to slowly tilt you upward. Your bed, with the touch of a few buttons, can transition into a wheeled chair. We won’t do that today, but when you get stronger.”
    John disappeared from sight.
    “Why does he sing instead of talk?”
    “Han-el’s language is more ancient and advanced than ours.” He reappeared on the opposite side of the bed. “Hopefully when we elevate you, your head won’t roll off your shoulders.”
    She furrowed her eyebrows, concerned.
    “That was a joke, Lilly.” John chuckled. “I couldn’t resist, you looking so serious. There is absolutely no possibility that your head will fall off your shoulders.”
    “Not funny.” She tried to feign anger but couldn’t help the grin. “Why couldn’t I understand what Han-el was singing?”
    John vanished again. “All right, here we go, like I told you, this will be very tedious, something in the range of one degree every fifteen minutes. The goal for today is thirty degrees. So, seven hours. Ready?”
    “Bring it on!” she said. And nothing happened.
    At least it seemed that way.
    “John?”
    “Over here,