30.09

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Doctor Archibald McGuffin III spoke to his patient.

"I'm sorry, Harry," said Dr. Archie, as he took the placed the stethoscope into his jacket pocket.

A small popping sound heralded the absence of the scope.

"What do you mean, Doc?" asked Archie. "I only came in here to ask about my sensitivity to moonlight."

Pregnant pauses filled the air as Dr. Archie popped the floating pauses; the air cooled audibly.

"I believe you may not have realized it, but you have it exactly backwards," said Dr. Archie.

Turning toward the doctor, Harry said, "Um ... what?"

Smiling, Dr. Archie picked up several of the collapsed pauses and placed them back into the holes littered across the wall.

"Yes," said Dr. Archie. "You actually have been desensitized to moonlight because you have an extreme reaction to sunlight."

Confused, Harry looked at the holes and back at Dr. Archie.

"Um, no," said Harry as he shook his head. "I have a sensitivity to moonlight."

"Okay, Harry," said Dr. Archie as he looked at Harry. "You believe you have a sensitivity to moonlight because you feel most odd at night."

Sitting down on the couch, Harry nodded. "Yes, that's right."

"And we've gone through a battery of tests," said Dr. Archie. "And we found all of tests results were consistent."

"Yup," said Harry, as he crossed his legs. "And then we performed the same battery at night, in particular a night with a full moon."

The pregnant pauses began to stir up softly; Dr. Archie cooed softly as he nudged them each back into their pockets.

"Correct!" said Dr. Archie, "And what we found was most interesting. All of the results of those tests were consistent; but none of them matched the earlier battery."

Harry wrinkled his forehead.

"But that's my point!" said Harry. "Why would moonlight mean anything different?"

Smiling calmly, Dr. Archie turned toward Harry.

"Because, Harry," said Dr. Archie. "During the day you are literally not yourself."

"How good are your memories during the day," asked Dr. Archie. "When was the last clear memory you had of any day. Or really, any time the sun was out?"

Looking up, Harry said, "Well, I guess maybe last year."

Quietly, Dr. Archie said, "Harry - you are only Harry when the moon is full and there are no clouds."

"What do you mean?" said Harry. "I am confused; what do you mean by that?"

"Well," said Dr. Archie. "How long do you think you've been here?"

"I don't remember the exact date," said Harry, "but I know the battery take several days to complete."

Holding his clipboard to his chest, Dr. Archie said, "Yes, and do you know how long it actually took to complete those tests?"

Shaking his head gently, Harry said, "No, how long?"

"It took four months," said Dr. Archie. "We had to wait for full moons and travel to ensure we had no cloud cover."

"But why," said Harry, "so I'm wrong about moonlight sensitivity. Did your tests tell you anything else?"

"Oh yes," said Dr. Archie. "You have an exceptionally rare case of anthro-therianthropy."

"Which means ..." said Harry.

"In your case," said Dr. Archie, "this means that you become someone else by the light of the full moon."

"But ... who do I become," said Harry.

"You become you," said Dr. Archie. "You are the other. You are the shadow. The unnamed itch that will not satisfy."
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