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plight, but what could he do? The welfare of the nation and world depended on these few people to keep the secret. "Doctor; Ann," he looked at each in turn. "We are depending on you to carry on. The people here need you. I need you to keep yourselves together. We need normalcy here, which means you have to continue on and do your duties as doctor and nurse. We have to keep the lid on this, and too many people are involved already." He didn't have to tell them there was more room at the Inn in Atlanta, should problems arise.

Doc looked at Ann. "Normalcy." Looking down at the floor, he addressed Doctor Benson, a man he had come to admire. "We know the score. You can depend on us."

Benson was relieved and grateful to hear those words as Ann nodded her head in agreement. "Thanks Doctor." Putting his hand on Ann's shoulder as arose to leave, he thanked her also.

"You're welcome, Doctor. You will keep working on this?"

"Count on it," he answered, and, with that, he stepped outside the back door of the small clinic and got in the back seat of the waiting car. As his driver steered the big auto out of the parking lot, he realized those were the only words that Doc's nurse ever spoke to him.

It was the last time Doc or Ann would see him.

Epilogue

In the months and years that followed, Doc and Ann never saw the Beaumonts again, either. Doc knew it would be useless to find out about them. Probably they were being kept in a nice place somewhere, isolated from the outside world. No doubt they were under constant medical care and surveillance. They were prisoners with VIP treatment and status, but still prisoners. He hoped they were well enough to understand why they were subject to this treatment.

Doc and Ann carried on many more years after this experience. At one time, shortly before the Beaumonts became ill, she planned to quit and move to the City. This shared nightmare drew the Doc and Ann close together, and they eventually married. Not surprisingly, both knew there would be no comfort in living with anyone else. Their horrible shared secret bonded them together as few couples have been.

The first couple of years after Dr. Benson's last visit; they lived in constant fear of the mystery ailment striking again. It never did, but that did not ease the fear. Over time, they learned to live with it, but certainly never got used to it. Patients complaining of numbness always brought high levels of panic and anxiety. Doc and Ann had a relationship and marriage based on a living, ongoing nightmare.

How would you like to live in constant fear of your neck going numb and losing your head in a couple days, but not being able to share your fears with your friends and neighbors, who someday may need to know?

Doc also bore the burden of keeping his eye on Joe and Peggy. He didn't want them to wind up as Dr. Bensons "guests" in Atlanta. Fortunately, they adjusted very well and were never a problem (meaning that they kept their mouths shut).

Most of us will never know what it is like to watch a living man disintegrate into pieces. If you are a Christian, then you probably believe you will never be called on to bear more than you are able. Though only a lukewarm believer at best, Doc found himself praying much more after Hadley's death than he ever had before.

It is said that one has to "walk in the other man's shoes" to fully understand him. One supposes that there are not too many people around who will ever understand the silent terror lived by Dr. and Ms. Richard Roberts, of Butler, Oklahoma.

Learn more about this author, Tom Fowler.
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