The Fledge Effect by R.J. Henry

signs of
life.
He reached into his coat pocket,
thumbing for his latest item swiped from Marcel’s lab. “I have something of the sorts. I got it
from a lab in Connecticut.” Despite Marcel’s
messy lab, he knew it would be noticed if missing.
“What is it?”
He rubbed his knee, and then brought
his hand to his mouth, trying to find the right
words. “Eh, well, it’s an experimental drug. It is
new, and I believe it may help.”
Her eyes lit up, giving her enough
strength to sit up with excitement. “Is it a cure?”
He wanted to tell her that it probably
will not cure her, but the light in her eyes made
him hopeful that it could possibly be the answers to their prayers. So, he nodded, hoping it
wasn’t a complete lie. “Yeah, maybe.”
Christine came up behind him, placing
her hand on his shoulder. “Jack, are you sure
about this?”
He turned, giving his wife a stern look
as if she were doubting his efforts. He lowered
his voice, matching his icy stare. “Have faith.
Because, I do.”
She knelt down beside him, reaching
for his shaking hand. She smiled, knowing the
number of times they have had their hopes
crash to the ground after numerous doctors
promised them something that, simply, did not
happen. “I know how badly you want this to
work… Sweetie, just please do not get mad if it
doesn’t. I mean, what do we know about this
drug? Has it even been tested?”
“My partner was vague about what it
does. She just said that it enhances the body, or
something.”
She watched as he rolled the syringe between his fingers. “Jack.”
“I’m doing this. Anything to help my little angel not be an actual angel yet.”
“How safe is it?”
“Well, the person it was used on seemed
just fine when my partner and I visited the lab.
She seemed, almost, too healthy.”
“Are you sure he used it then?”
“Yes. If he hadn’t, my partner would
have said something.”
She sighed, nodding at him as he placed
the cool steel to Katie’s skin. She didn’t even
wince at the time of injection. He noticed her
pulse was not apparent. “Katie? Katie!”
He stood, hearing his heart thud loudly
against his rib cage. He grabbed her shoulders,
shaking her violently. “Katie!”
He stepped back, shaking, fearing the
worse happened. He hoped he wasn’t too late.
Jack covered his eyes, covering his tears. A
piercing wail came from Katie, making him
jump out of his skin in shock as he saw her flop
around like a fish out of water. He pointed to the
other side of Katie. “Christine, grab her! I’ll get
this side! Hurry, before she flops off the bed.”
Christine rushed to her Daughter’s side,
holding down her arm and leg. “What is happening?”
“I don’t know,” he said.
The flopping stopped, and Katie ceased
her screams. They backed away, hesitant to the
transformation that happened before their eyes.
Katie had hair again, flowing like a chestnut waterfall from her scalp. Her eyes were shut, but
the glow of natural skin color covered her face
and then lingered down her ashy skin. Her face
became fuller and thick with life. Jack grinned,
approaching her side once more as her chest expanded and compressed with each breath she
took.
Christine covered her agape mouth.
The ecstatic rush she endured from such a sight
left her near speechless. “She looks—”
Jack cut her off, and finished her sentence, crying, “—beautiful.”
He joined her on the bed, gently gripping her hand. Nothing could compare to this
moment he was feeling now, as the warmth of
her glow reached to every inch of her. Though,
as strange as it seems, she felt cool to the touch.
He kissed her hand, and whispered, “ Katie,
baby girl. Wake up. ”
Her eyes fluttered open. A breeze of relief sided with him as her gray eyes filled with
color. It’s been so long; he had forgotten what
color they once were. He didn’t care, however,
because now they illuminated his heart with
hope. He hugged her expressionless face, laughing. “You’re better! Oh,