Chapter Twenty-Nine: Mystery

Sam walked thoughtfully around Manzanita Lake. Small groups of ducks were scattered across the water. Geese were meandering across the lawn, digging into to grass with their black beaks looking for food. The geese would occasionally hiss at joggers and students as they went by. There were a few large, white swans drifting in the water near the fountain in the middle of the lake. The arboretum here had become one of her favorite places to think and meditate, which was a good thing because she often found herself here while Chris was inside the university going through tests that had now started to become regular. She stopped briefly to read a small bronze plaque:

JIMMIE'S GARDEN
Dedicated April 29, 1994
This garden made possible by gifts from
"Jimmie's" family, a grant from the
"America the Beautiful Program,"
and contributions from the friends
of the Arboretum.

Who's Jimmie? Why does the Arboretum have friends? Where's the "garden" referred to on the plaque?

Thoughts rushed through her mind, but it was all very trivial stuff. She knew it was nothing compared to what Chris must be going though.

Inside the University, doctors stood behind a tall window observing the latest round of tests. Against his better judgment, Chris told Dr. Spencer about the recent unexplained occurrences with his arm. The decision to tell Dr. Spencer came at the encouragement of Sam. He had been on the brink of cutting the living plastic clean off before Sam yelled at him to stop. What had started off as a humorous tirade quickly deteriorated to an all-out rage. Sam thought that the doctors might be able to help with the emotional and mental problems that had begun to envelope Chris.

Dr. Spencer's first reaction when Chris talked to him was one of incredulity, but that quickly changed when he remembered why he was in Reno to begin with. He still hadn't decided whether the whole thing was a massively interesting scientific phenomenon or some creepy supernatural display of witchcraft. He continued with his tests in case it was the former.

The tests being performed ranged from simple blood and reflex tests to complex analysis of the composition of the prosthetic limb. The arm seemed to be made of the typical plastic/foam composition that most prosthetic devices are made of. No nerves or veins were readily detectable, but Chris felt pain and sensation in the arm as though it was normal flesh and blood. Perhaps the most baffling thing to Dr. Spencer was the regeneration of material by the arm. When they first performed a biopsy on the arm they were amazed that the removed “tissue” replaced itself. It just wasn't possible, though. Being non-organic, it couldn't possibly create new matter to replaced that which was removed.

The tests continued and more questions arose. Answers and theories were quickly abandoned with each new test result. Dr. Judd was not ready to abandon the search yet – if only he could get help from the one person who really could help. He had to be able to help.