Death's Captive: Will she escape eternal confinement?

CHAPTER 27

I am standing in Emergency, lingering around the nurses' station while watching Reeves from across the room. He is tending the arm of a young woman who is staring off into the distance. The long straight line that had cut deep into her forearm was testing the meticulous precision of Reeves' sewing skills as he stitches the flesh back together. Her mother and brother stand to one side of the bed, just beyond the curtain. Neither is paying much attention to the girl. The mother has an orderly and a security guard on either side of her and she keeps looking from one to the other and glancing towards her son while throwing erratic outbursts at him. The brother offers placatory words towards his mother and concerned glances towards his sister. He could only be in his mid-twenties, but seems years older, either from exhaustion or the early onset of responsibility. He's tall and scrawny with dishevelled hair that looks as though it hasn't been washed in a week or so.

Nicole strides across the ward, her eyes scanning around her. She spots the security guard then heads towards Susie who's sitting behind the desk. Susie looks up from her notes and they huddle together. I move closer to hear what they're whispering about. Susie always seems to know what's going on in the hospital, so maybe I'll get an update on Nicole and Reeves. I like Susie – she's a bubbly person and everyone finds her easy to talk to, but I don't know why they confide in her, as she can't keep any private information to herself.

"I heard the call to security from the break room. What's going on, Susie?"

Susie's eyes light up with the excitement of imparting news. "Remember that woman who was admitted last month?"

"The one we had to keep sedating to keep her from abusing staff?"

"The very same. She's back. Cast your eyes leftwards."

"Uh huh."

"Except this time it's her daughter who's here – suicide attempt – but the mum thinks it's a ruse to get her sectioned again."

"Pretty drastic ruse. Poor kid. First attempt?"

"Second. Swallowed a bunch of pills last time. Her brother found her slumped in front of the television..."

I don't want to hear anymore, I get the gist. I wander over to Marie's bedside to hear the conversation between Marie and Reeves.

"Why did you do this to yourself, Marie?"

"I just want it to be over. I don't want to keep on living."

Reeves seems momentarily perplexed by her tone. Marie's voice is mechanical, perfunctory.

"What can we do to help you?"

"Please, just let me die. I can't be around her anymore. I'm done."

Reeves looks up at Marie's mother.

"What the fuck are you looking at me for?" The older woman hisses at him through clenched teeth.

Reeves turns his attention back to the girl.

"I can't do that, I'm sorry. But we can get you help for the way you're feeling right now."

"I don't want help. I just want to die."

I become curious. Perhaps Marie's soul is cracked, like the souls of Albert or the heroin addict? I touch my hand to her chest and begin to pull, I get little resistance from her body and I see a light blue aurora at the end of my hands. It is not cracked and has no gashes over it, but I can feel its hurt and longing to be back on the other side. I can help this girl. I could release her soul and she could pass on peacefully. I look down at Marie's wrist and see that blood is seeping to the surface of the bandage. Reeves hasn't noticed and I doubt Marie will tell him, she genuinely wants to die. I wish I could see into her past like Niklaus can, see what has caused her so much pain in her life that makes her want to end it all.