EXCERPT:

"Jerry, this is serious. I've never encountered anyone who has experienced anything near similar. Twice now you have seen the Taker, Claude Hopper, go to the side of people. They die when he reaches into their faces! He may be killing them? If true, he tried to kill you and would have if he hadn't slipped on a sheet."

Jerry set his half empty drink down hard to protest. Some splashed some on the table. "That's the most ridiculous part of this whole damn thing, Doctor. Surely you can see everything I've told you is a delusion. A damn real one, but just my wild hallucinating! Hopper appears to kill them when he swipes their Sparks of Life. Is there such a thing, as a Spark of life? Whoever heard a new-born lives because he was given a Spark of Life? Where does it dwell? In the brain or does it peek out at the world from behind the eyeballs. Is it timid or brave or maybe it hides in the gut and creates that panic feeling when something scary threatens. The conception that we are endowed with Sparks of Life to live is." Jerry started to say, insane. "Asinine," he euphemizes. "I'm in desperate need of a drug to terminate these delusions. Or. Do you think I'm in danger of a stroke?"

Doctor Lowe shakes his head. "No, not an aneurysm." He resists shocking Jerry that he is in danger of losing his Spark of Life. The Taker, Claude Hopper, may be allowing Jerry to live until hes satisfied that Jerry is an invading anomaly in his dimension he should destroy. He tells Jerry, Lets review what we have.

Jerry grimaces. "Youve got it recorded. Ill never shuck these hallucinations if you keep me recalling them. I want them out of my memory. Then Im cured, right?

"Humor me, Jerry. Besides a surgeon, I am a psychiatrist."

Jerry thinks jokes about psychiatrists must have basis. His doctor wants to keep his delusions going; for his book, no doubt. "All right." Jerry agrees. "Hopper was reaching for my throat. But stopped when I saw him and told him to back off. Next time was on the bed beside mine in Intensive Care. We talked, then he ran down and took what he called the Spark of Life from your dying patient. Next I see Hopper up on the golf course and I imagine he has another Taker with him. Finny. A foursome comes up to the green and one, Paul Warner, has a stroke. Hopper reaches into his face and gets this mythical, Spark of Line. Paul is dead. That part is real!

"Hopper told you there are billions of Takers?"

"Yes, for people, animals and insects on all the planets."

"That's interesting. What kind of life exists on other planets?"

"I imagined there is life similar to ours."

"The next time you converse with Hopper, question him about life on other planets. Get details, like which planet or universe. And, are they advanced or behind us?"

Jerry groans. Thats idiotic. I'd be asking myself.

"The more you talk about it the better chance we have to determine a cure. Now, review for me what was said about Takers. Billions of them? More than people?"

"Yeah, an uncountable number in the microcosm for insects and bacteria. Anything living that dies gets its Spark of Life taken."

"That makes sense, Jerry. Every living thing eventually dies. Even our sun is dying. Now review about the Givers."

"I cant see where this is helping me?"

"It is. It's relieving your tension. I can see it."

"More likely caused by my drinks. Okay, my libido gets into my dreams. Hopper said Takers mate with Givers to transfers the Sparks of Life they have swallowed. Takers and Givers are not progenitive; none bear offspring. Which Hopper said is fortunate as Takers and Givers never die and would otherwise flood their dimension. I haven't seen a Giver and hope I never do, but Hopper said one named Lois Broadway wishes to meet me. Here comes our lunch."

Doctor Lowe turns off the recorder while they eat. He snaps it back on after the waiter fills their coffee cups. He informs, "I think you'll meet the Giver, Lois Broadway.

"Not if I can help it. Isnt there a pill I should take?"

"Not yet. Cooperate with Hopper."

"I been thinking to give him a kick in his skinny butt. Might knock him out of my imagination?

"No, no! Don't risk that, Jerry. You wish to come out of this whole, I think it is mandatory for you to play along at present. Talk with them whenever they appear. We'll eventually solve your problem."

Doctor Lowe smiles his encouragement. He hopes Jerry Masters will be told some secret no human could possible know. If, or when such a thing occurs, Jerry will know he isnt hallucinating. Jerry will see hes in danger of Hopper suddenly taking his Spark of Life. There is no apparent protection against it. Jerry best chance to keep living is to humor the Takers from...God's other dimension?

"When you played golf, did you beat them. Win?"

"No, I had a terrible round and they were both good. I...imagined they had a two handicap like me. They play early in the morning before the course opens. I'm not going back. I was afraid they'd get in my car and ride to work with me. I mean, I'd imagine they were there and I wouldn't be able to get rid of them. Couldnt concentrate at work."

"No, go play golf with them. Converse with them as much as you can. We have to," Doctor Lowe floundered to change thought. "Have to, uh, have you, run out every cranny in your imagination. Don't fight it."