The Devil Doesn't Bargain

Ember

Heavy is the head with the memories of the dead.

After everything was said and done, my hospital stay, the psych ward was my home. A year after everything happened, and 4 months into my psych stay, they had deemed me fit to take a day of leave.

With this day of leave I was accompanied by one of the nurses, Jen, to a park. My stitches had been removed, though the skin was still pink and aggravated.

"You don't talk much... Do you?" Jen asked.

"Nope."

"Why is that?"

"Because I don't have much to say." I sighed, toying with Simons tags around my neck.

"Whose are those?"

"The Ghosts."

"Cryptic.. You served?"

"Don't you read patient paperwork."

"Well.. Yeah, but yours is so classified all I got was your name and affliction."

"You ever stop asking questions?" I huffed.

"Nope, and you better answer at least one, or else I'll never stop pestering you." She smiled, cocking her head to one side.

"Fine. You get one question every day."

"Yay!" She laughed, closing her eyes deep in thought, "How long did you serve?"

"You really want to start with that?"

"Yeah!"

"I've been in since I was 18."

"You think they'll let you back in?"

"That was your one question."

"Common Ms. Lennon! Just one more?"

"No."

"You're no fun you know that?"

"I can be loads of fun."

"Sure! You never smile, don't laugh, haven't seen you make any jokes. You keep to yourself. You sound like a blast to be around." She pouted.

"You sound like Johnny when I wouldn't let him keep RAHcoon."

"Johnny?"

"Ask about him a different day."

And so she did, every day, for the next 7 months.

"Whose The Ghost?"

"My partner."

"Why do you have his tags?"

"They were a gift after he died."

"Whose Johnny?"

"One of my best friends."

"Did he die?"

"Yes."

"Whats a RAHcoon?"

"An emotional support raccoon."

On and on with the questions.. But one caught me off guard one day, sent my mind reeling.

"Do you still have hope?"

"For people like me... If Simon had hope then I guess I have no choice but to have it." I smiled, looking at the woman. Her eyes grew wide, a large smile on her face as she stared at me.

"Ember.. You have a lovely smile."

"Thank you Jen..."

And slowly it got easier. The nightmare never stopped, and sometimes I'd think I'd see glimpses of Johnny or Simon. But it was easier than before.