I stepped into the room and watched as Thomas sprayed down the TV with anti-inflammatory foam. The whole room seemed to be a wonderland of snow as patients walked in and viewed what was left of their main source of entertainment. The whole screen was blown out. It almost looked as if it had exploded. But how often do TV’s really explode? I thought that was just something that happened in the movies. I walked toward the TV…somehow entranced with the destruction. Curiosity overwhelmed me. Was this yet another illusion? Or did this accident happen for real? Or would I ever be able to tell without Darcy there to help me figure things out?
“Kevin, stay away…,” Thomas said.
“Kevin, stay away…,” Thomas said.
Get away.
I drifted backwards, still staring at the foam-bathed machinery. There was something about this whole incident that made my brain turn inside-out. The fire…the foam…the interaction of the two. It was so normal, yet I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I’d seen tons of fires put out. In the marines we even attended class for things such as this. But this time, THIS time, it was more important. I was here to notice it. I was here to discover how it happened. I was here to figure out how to use my water. And it was all too clear now. The water…the fire…
I drifted backwards, still staring at the foam-bathed machinery. There was something about this whole incident that made my brain turn inside-out. The fire…the foam…the interaction of the two. It was so normal, yet I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I’d seen tons of fires put out. In the marines we even attended class for things such as this. But this time, THIS time, it was more important. I was here to notice it. I was here to discover how it happened. I was here to figure out how to use my water. And it was all too clear now. The water…the fire…
Snap out of it, man.
So that’s the deal, huh?
That’s the deal.
When do I do this?
When you see the fire.
But I thought no one saw it.
Oh, people see it.
Am I going to see it in time to do this?
Have some faith.
Then what is the razor blade for.
Just relax. It’ll come to you in time.
So what am I supposed to do until then?
So that’s the deal, huh?
That’s the deal.
When do I do this?
When you see the fire.
But I thought no one saw it.
Oh, people see it.
Am I going to see it in time to do this?
Have some faith.
Then what is the razor blade for.
Just relax. It’ll come to you in time.
So what am I supposed to do until then?
A voice came from across the room.
“Kevin, I’ve got some time now,” Dr. Mesher’s voice was comforting, as usual, but anything would’ve been comforting after the destruction I had just witnessed.
Dr. Mesher motioned me into his office. We sat down and he grabbed a clipboard off of his desk. “So…how’s the ex-Marine?”
“I’m doing okay.” It was a lie, but I couldn’t help it, I was off in my own world at the moment.
“You look a little fazed, Kevin. What’s going on?” His question was genuine and his voice was sincere, but I still couldn’t get past the events of the day.
“The TV exploding...and Darc disappearing…just has me a little wigged out…”
“Well, Darc didn’t disappear, Kevin, he was just released early this morning.” His voice spoke the truth, but his eyes said something else. I was truly tired of all of these games.
“What the hell is going on, Dr. Mesher? Just what the fuck is happening?” My voice was violent, but I felt as validated as I ever had.
“What do you mean, Kevin?”
“You know what I mean. This damn place isn’t a hospital. I don’t know what it is, but it sure as fuck isn’t a hospital.”
“Kevin, what are you talking about?” Once again, his eyes told a different story than his words did.
“Since I’ve been in here, I’ve flown, used telepathy, almost been killed, and talked to dead people….this ain’t no damn hospital!” I practically screamed. The stress had finally gotten to me. The secrets couldn’t stay buried any longer. I had to let go.
“Kevin, please, don’t raise your voice.” This time when he spoke, his tone was sincere. “I’ll tell you what’s going on. Come over here.” I moved closer to him. As I inched closer, his hand whipped out from under the table. In it was a syringe.
“FUCK!” I screamed as loud as I possibly could as Dr. Mesher clamped his left hand down on my right arm and punched me in the face with the hand that was holding the syringe. Momentarily dazed, I could only watch as he planted the tip of the syringe into my right forearm.
“This is for your own good, Kevin,” he said. And as I pulled my left arm back to retaliate, a warm wave passed through my body and my eyelids fell as if gravity had multiplied. I was out for the count.
“Kevin, I’ve got some time now,” Dr. Mesher’s voice was comforting, as usual, but anything would’ve been comforting after the destruction I had just witnessed.
Dr. Mesher motioned me into his office. We sat down and he grabbed a clipboard off of his desk. “So…how’s the ex-Marine?”
“I’m doing okay.” It was a lie, but I couldn’t help it, I was off in my own world at the moment.
“You look a little fazed, Kevin. What’s going on?” His question was genuine and his voice was sincere, but I still couldn’t get past the events of the day.
“The TV exploding...and Darc disappearing…just has me a little wigged out…”
“Well, Darc didn’t disappear, Kevin, he was just released early this morning.” His voice spoke the truth, but his eyes said something else. I was truly tired of all of these games.
“What the hell is going on, Dr. Mesher? Just what the fuck is happening?” My voice was violent, but I felt as validated as I ever had.
“What do you mean, Kevin?”
“You know what I mean. This damn place isn’t a hospital. I don’t know what it is, but it sure as fuck isn’t a hospital.”
“Kevin, what are you talking about?” Once again, his eyes told a different story than his words did.
“Since I’ve been in here, I’ve flown, used telepathy, almost been killed, and talked to dead people….this ain’t no damn hospital!” I practically screamed. The stress had finally gotten to me. The secrets couldn’t stay buried any longer. I had to let go.
“Kevin, please, don’t raise your voice.” This time when he spoke, his tone was sincere. “I’ll tell you what’s going on. Come over here.” I moved closer to him. As I inched closer, his hand whipped out from under the table. In it was a syringe.
“FUCK!” I screamed as loud as I possibly could as Dr. Mesher clamped his left hand down on my right arm and punched me in the face with the hand that was holding the syringe. Momentarily dazed, I could only watch as he planted the tip of the syringe into my right forearm.
“This is for your own good, Kevin,” he said. And as I pulled my left arm back to retaliate, a warm wave passed through my body and my eyelids fell as if gravity had multiplied. I was out for the count.