His Little Heart

Learning A Little More

^

I was taken to the third floor.

We stood in quiet, Harry and I, neither of us engaging in any sort of small talk while we rode the elevator up to the floor. I appreciated Harry's silence towards me, hoping he'd speak to me only for assistance purposes or if I talked to him first. No elevator music came from the speakers above - thank the heavens - and I watched as the button display switched in numbers the closer we got to our floor.

Ding!

The elevator stopped, the doors sliding open seconds after the ding. Harry stepped out first, gesturing encouragingly for me to join him before starting down the floor. I walked next to him, my senses and attention on full alert to take in my new surroundings.

This floor, much to my surprise, was brightly colored and themed in a mix of bright and cheery blues. Silhouette art of butterflies and nature, little birds, trees, and flowers, decorated the white walls and hallways, creating a happy and lively aesthetic that served to brighten and amaze the lowest of spirits and minds. I was taken by amazement by it's brightness and welcomeness. I hadn't expected this, ready to be pushed into an isolating cell of barren walls and company.

Harry guided us onward. We soon came to a little nurse's station that was curved into the hallway's path, adjoining the hallway to another down the opposite direction. It was vacant, the station, and Harry quickly went behind it to pick up a cream colored folder, which I knew undoubtedly to be my paperwork.

"Alright," Harry said when he came back around to me. "Let's go find you a room."

I followed next to him as he took me down one of the hallways. We went past a number of doors that lined up along the hallway, each spaced out evenly and all of them closed. Next to each door, a small plank numbered each room and it clicked in my head that these were where patients stayed.

I tried to get glimpses of the rooms to see if there were people behind the doors. I failed to see anything, quickly realizing how rude and impolite I was being trying to look into the privacy of other's sanctuary. I wouldn't want someone poking their noses in whatever room I was going to stay in. Gosh, the idea of it would frighten me greatly and I'd probably scream bloody murder.

We came to the end of the hallway and turning down another one, saw more patient rooms. Glancing ahead, I saw another nurse in the distance walking towards us. When he passed, a young man in light blue scrubs with brown hair in a tussled quiff of sorts and bright blue sky eyes, Harry greeted him politely.

"Louis," he said as we passed.

"Harry," he returned, sending the both of us a quick grin.

Louis went down the hall, and looking back at him behind my shoulder, saw him turn the corner and disappear. I focused back in front of me to save from tripping over my feet.

We approached the end of the hall and thinking we'd be making another turn, was caught short when Harry stopped us in front of a door along the left wall. I read the plate, patient room BH8A.14, confused by the oddity of the labeling. It made me feel like it had been written in some secret coding, and it was probably was, something only the nurses and doctors could understand.

Harry opened the door, holding it for me to enter. Nervously, I glanced down the way we'd come and to the other side of me where I saw the start of another hallway head in the opposite direction. My fingers clamped together in worry and nerves.

"Come on," Harry encouraged, smiling. "I think I can hear the bed calling your name. In we go, dear."

I crossed into the small room, pausing to take in the interior of it. It was very different to what was outside the room and a sense of discomfort and unease started to gnaw at my stomach as I took in the room.