Kill the Next One by Federico Axat

Author:Federico Axat
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Published: 2016-12-13T05:00:00+00:00

43

Ted was sitting on the usual bench. He’d finished his breakfast quickly and was alone now. Mike was one of the first patients to come outside and join him. He saw that Ted was in a bad mood.

“Looks like I’ll have to start sharing my favorite bench.” Mike carried his book with him.

Ted didn’t answer. He focused his gaze on the basketball court.

“You aren’t going to tell me life is like a box of chocolates, are you?” Mike said as he sat down next to Ted. “Don’t feel like talking?” He opened his book and began to read.

After a while he felt a tap on his knee. Mike followed the direction of Ted’s gaze to the Lavender garden door, where Roger stood waving for him to come.

“What is it?” Mike couldn’t understand his roommate’s reaction.

“Can’t you see him?”

“See who? There’s nobody there, Ted,” Mike joked. But when he saw Ted’s expression darken, he decided it wasn’t the best time to make fun of him. “Of course I can see him! It’s that male nurse from B wing who’s always hanging out with your doctor. Roger something.”

Ted pulled himself together.

“You feeling okay, buddy?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Ted stood up. “See you later.”

He walked over to Roger. Last night’s dream had profoundly disturbed him.

Still don’t get it?

Laura was waiting for them in the assessment room. Ted entered with his head down, almost dragging his feet. She had been expecting a man anxious for news from his family, but today Ted wasn’t that man.

Roger gestured to attract her attention.

“You’re sure you don’t want…” He held up the restraints.

Laura shook her head. She had decided it was time to start doing without them.

“Want me to stick around?” Roger offered.

“It won’t be necessary.”

The nurse seemed unconvinced, but at last he withdrew. Ted sat on his usual chair.

“Ted, look at me. Should we talk later?”

“No, no. I need to talk to you today more than ever. I’m trying to put my thoughts in order.”

“Did you take your medicine today?”

“Of course. Not like your friends give me any choice,” he joked.

Laura smiled.

“I was wondering if they had given you some sort of sedative. I don’t see anything in your file.”

“No sedatives.”

“I thought you’d be eager to talk with Holly, and perhaps…”

A hopeful smile lit up Ted’s face when he heard her name. He couldn’t help it.

“Were you able to reach her?”

“Yes. Holly specifically asked me to tell you that she won’t keep the girls from seeing their father; she knows how much you love them, and how much they love you. Cindy and Nadine miss you, but they understand that you are recovering in a hospital.”

“Maybe you were right yesterday: maybe it’s better to wait awhile. I only wanted to be sure they were okay.”

“It would be best to wait a few days, I think. You’re making good progress—giant steps. What changed your mind, Ted?”

“I had the same dream last night, on the porch of my house, but this time something else happened. I could go out past the porch to the ocean, only it wasn’t the ocean: it was a lake.

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