Hush

Betty and Gypsy

Jack's eyes opened wide with fear, only at the same time they were rolled back into his skull, his sharp intake of breath gained Betty's attention and she quickly rose from the seat she had been sitting patiently in beside him for many hours.

'Jack are you okay?' She whispered, taking a hold of his cold, trembling hand. She watched him as only the whites of his eyes were visible. His only response was another sharp intake of breath, as though he had been under water much longer than he should have been. And then his body began to convulse. His heart monitor began to beep ruthlessly and Betty stepped away as once more the room was filled with too many nurses for such a small boy.

'Is he going to be okay?' Betty asked as a doctor ushered her out of the room.

'We can't tell you anything just yet, please wait outside, Miss.' Then before she knew it she was back outside the private room waiting, hoping the boy that she had so recently taken into her care would be strong enough to regain consciousness.

'Children, eh.' Said a woman, walking towards her with a cane and a cup of coffee in a cardboard looking mug. 'What can be done?' She shook her head and smiled, as though Jack had merely scraped a knee.

Betty never answered, she looked at the woman with contempt, the pitiful sight of her made Betty wary. Clothes too big and unfit for use were draped over the woman, but it was her eyes that unsettled Betty most, reminding her of blind demonic hags often seen in horror movies.

'Teddies.' The woman continued, she was standing in front of Betty offering her the cup of coffee. 'Teddies keep children right.' She nodded, as though agreeing with her own statement.

Betty could only stare at the coffee, black and steaming with heat. The smell inviting and tantalizing to her tired disposition.

'Does he have one?' The woman jerked her pointed chin towards Jack's private room.

Betty shook her head, then thought for a moment. 'Actually he does.' She hesitantly took the offered cup from the woman and gave her a quiet thank you and a tired smile.

'With him, hmm?' The woman leaned on her cane, her horrible pale eyes stared into Betty's face.

Betty shook her head. 'It is back at the orph-' She cut her sentence short, glanced at the unsettling grinning lady, then down into the cup of coffee that on second thought, she dare not drink. 'It's at home on his bed.' She lied, the woman was showing too much interest in Jack.

'I see.' The woman shifted her weight, still standing in front of Betty, staring at her in a growing awkward silence, with only a reminder through the hospital speakers that any suspicious illnesses or recoveries be reported to the Spirit Master Research Facility for fantastic cash rewards.

'I'm sorry, can I help you?' Betty asked after minutes ticked by with the woman just standing and smiling at her in a way that made her feel uncomfortable. 'It's just my son is in there and I have had no sleep, and now-'

'Let me see him.' The woman interrupted eagerly, her eyes shining with fresh interest.

Betty stared down the woman. 'I'm sorry?'

'You are Bertha of Piccadilly Orphanage aren't you?' The woman asked, 'also known as Betty.'

'Well-'

'And in that room is a boy named Jack,' the woman cut in, pointing her bony finger to the door, 'Bertha, my name is Dalia, Gypsy to those who know me as such, I must see Jack.'

Betty stood now, the hot coffee spilling over the lip and scolding her chest, she didn't let it show. 'No, I don't know who you are, but Jack is in critical condition and if he sees you he might very well never recover.'