The Patient
Freedom, is Death.
Karlis thought as the ring of the bells tolled monotonously through the hallways as he turned his head carefully from side to side.
Tick Tock.
Tick Tock.
The mouse ran up the clock.
“Its time for your medication, Mr Turner.” The soft melodious voice echoed in his clotted ears like nicotine, sweet, cloying and ever so suffocating. Karlis’ eyes rolled in his head, the only physical response he was capable of as the nurse walked ominously towards his chair. Everything about her was poisonous. He could feel it, as she gently touched his arm and lifted it, wiping the scabbed skin of his inner arm with a swab and gently pushing the large needle out, swiftly changing the medication made for his rotting body.
“Relax, its only morphine, which will decrease your pain.” Large doe-like blue eyes stared glaringly at him, stinging his wide eyes. She tapped the dangling bag gently, humming as the liquid begin to run its course. Karlis felt his mouth open slowly, the soft gargling was all but what was left of his once immaculate voice. “Don’t speak, sir.” The nurse frowned, watching as his heart monitor begun to rise in frequency. “Just relax. Your heartbeat is going out of control.” She soothed softly, brushing a lank damp fringe of brown hair back in it neat organised place on his forehead. Karlis wheezed, feeling the ice cold medication begin to enter his veins.
The clock struck one
The mouse ran down.
Oh, Hickery Dickery Dock.
Karlis felt his body go limp, the muscles within his own body relaxing to nothing as the medicine ran its course.
“Ahhhh…” Drool splattered down his front and side as his muscles sagged, and the nurse laughed softly, in a manner that seemed, to anyone normal, as perfectly endearing.
“Oh look at you.” She chided gently, jerking up the bib around Karlis’s neck and roughly wiping his coarse lips with it. “Such a mess.” Karlis wanted to chuckle at the irony of her words, but words failed him, his breath evening out in long wheezing gasping breaths that told tales of his health. He looked at the nurse through his heavy lidded drooping eyes, and a random thought popped into his head.
I wonder how she’d react if I told her to just let me die.
He couldn’t see it, but he could envision it, the gasp of horror that would take over her pink lips, the large doe blue eyes wide with horror and disbelief, and then the hysterical and crying voice of why give up when life is so precious! Karlis wanted to laugh. Or maybe cry. Either one. He didn’t know which reaction was appropriate for himself anymore.
A smile pulled against his wide drooping lips.
I want to die.
The truth was nothing but plain delight in his eyes.
I want to fly, like a bird.
Spread my wings
And leap.
The nurse left the room. And Karlis’ finger moved.
