Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune

“He does,” Hugo said. He looked exhausted. “Even though he flunked out
of the service dog training, he still knows. It was worse for me, after …
well. After everything. I didn’t know how to stop them. I didn’t know how to
fight them. I couldn’t even find the words to explain what they felt like.
Chaotic is pretty close, I think. Anxiety is … a betrayal, my brain and body
working against me.” He smiled weakly. “Apollo’s a good boy. He knows
just what to do.”
“I can go back inside,” Wallace said. “If you want to be left alone. Some
do, but Naomi liked having me near. Not touching her, but near so she knew
she wasn’t alone. I’d tap against the wall or the floor, just to let her know I
was still there without speaking. It seemed to help her, so I took a chance it’d
be the same with you.”
“I appreciate that.” Hugo closed his eyes again. “It’s hard.”
“What?”
Hugo shrugged. “This. Everything.”
“That’s…”
“Vague?”
“I was going to say all-encompassing.”
Hugo snorted. “I suppose.”
“I didn’t know that it affected you this much,” Wallace admitted.
“It’s death, Wallace. Of course it does.”
“No, I know. I didn’t mean it like that.” He paused, considering. “I guess I
thought you were used to it.”
Hugo opened his eyes again. They were clearer than they’d been before.
“I don’t know that I ever will be.” He grunted as he shifted to a more
comfortable position. “I don’t want it to affect me as it does, but I can’t
always stop it. I know what I’m supposed to be doing, I know my job is
important. But what I want and what my body does are sometimes two
different things.”
“You’re human,” Wallace whispered.
“I am,” Hugo agreed. “And everything that comes with it. Just because I’m
a ferryman doesn’t mean all the other parts of me won’t still be there, warts
and all.” Then, “What do you want?”
Wallace blinked. “To make sure you’re—”
Hugo shook his head. “Not that. What do you want, Wallace? Out of your
time here. Out of me. This place.”