Dog Days

Chapter 59

The next day, I wake up in the silence of my house. The linen is softer than I could have ever remembered, and the sound of purring is ringing in my ears. I open my eyes to find that both of the little boys have curled up in front of me.

With a soft smile, I roll out of bed and walk out into the kitchen to look through my pantry. After I pour myself a bowl of cereal, I go take a seat on the couch. I kick my legs up on the coffee table and get comfortable in my boxers and bath robe.

I turn on the television and click through the channels until I stumble across the game channel.

I sit there watching family feud and munching on cocoa pebbles. After a few hours, I get bored of watching television and walk back to the kitchen to start cooking lunch. I decided I wanted curry, so I started rice in the rice cooker and toss lentils into the pressure cooker. The next thirty minutes, I stew together tomatoes, chilies, ginger, and spices.

I combine that with the lentils and pour it over some rice, only to return to the couch with the bowl and continue to watch the same show I was bored of, thirty minutes earlier.

As I eat my food, Hela texts me. I pick up my phone to find her text reads "Pasta night. Everyone is meeting at the pit. You coming?"

I respond to her by simply texting "Let me know when we're about to sit down."

I sit my phone aside and continue to eat my lunch in the silence of the house. The boys have come and curled up in an armchair. Correction, Modi made himself comfortable, and Magni screamed at him until he started screaming back. He eventually found his brother and blindly clawed his way up the side of the armchair.

I gave them a can of cat food and they've been grazing on it for the past hour.

Even though everything is fine, something just feels wrong. My chest burns and I just can't seem to catch my breath or get comfortable.

Finally, I give up and go take my diazepam. For the next hour, I sit with the two kittens in my lap, trying to calm down.

Even as they purr and look up at me, adorably, I can't seem to relax myself.

My gut is telling me that something is seriously wrong. I can't stop my mind from racing and my brain starts to remember all the other times I've felt this way.

Finally, I just pick up the phone and call Banner's receptionist. She picks up immediately and asks "Harrisonburg Psychology Clinic, how may I help you?"

I take in a deep breath, before I ask "Is Doctor Banner available?"

She's silent for a moment, before declaring "Please hold for Doctor Banner."

I'm put on hold, and within five seconds, Banner picks up "You've reached Doctor Bruce Banner."

I sigh, before I apologize "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting, but I need your help."

He speaks softly "Hey, Thor. You're not interrupting. I'm in between sessions, right now. How can I help?"

I take in a deep breath and explain "I have a really bad feeling that something is going to happen."

He's about to stay something when I declare "I can't tell if something is actually going to happen, or if I'm just having an anxiety attack but this has been all morning. My mind is just starting to freak out, and the diazepam isn't working. What can I do to calm myself down?"

Banner speaks softly "When did you take your diazepam?"

I clear my throat and declare "About an hour ago."

He reassures me "It shouldn't be much longer until it helps out, but why don't you tell me three things you can see?"

I sit there in confusion for a moment, before I ask "What?"