Thought and feeling escaped me for a while.

I dozed.
The old shadows floated to and fro.
When I awoke Steele and Diane had just come in.

As he bent over me I looked up into his keen gray eyes and there was no mask on my own as I looked up to him.
"Son, the thing that was needed was a change of nurses," he said gently.
"I intend to make up some sleep now and leave you in better care." From that hour I improved.

I slept, I lay quietly awake, I partook of nourishing food.

I listened and watched, and all the time I gained.