Nothing Left

Chapter Six

January 3, 1972 10:05
I get up and leave the room. Mom still sits beside dad, but I can't take looking at him any longer. Tears blur my vision as I walk down the hallway. I don't see which door I take to go down the stairs. Blindly, I stumble into a dark room.

The only light I see is a small glimmer from across the room. As I open the door wider, I see that I went into another patient's room! I see a girl, scribbling furiously in a notebook. A sheet of blond hair hangs around her head. She glances up at me. Our eyes meet, and I see that her eyes are chocolate brown.

I back out. "I...I'm so sorry! I thought this was the stairs!" I am most close the door, when she answers in a raspy voice. It sounds like she hasn't spoken for a long time.

"Stairs are down the hallway at the very end." The way she says it jolts my mind. I glanced at her eyes again, and noticed that they had a sort of film over them. But the way she said it! There was no life in her voice at all. About a minute after she spoke, a small red light started flashing on the other side of the room. The girl doesn't notice it, but goes back to writing in her notebook.

Soon after the light flashed, I jumped as someone cleared their throat behind me. I turn and see a smaller man than I expected. He had a mop of mouse-brown hair, and glasses with lens so thick, you could hardly see his eyes. In his arms he held a stack of papers, all straight and organized.

"What were you doing in Miss Kennedy's quarters?" his voice sounded to masculine for a man his size. I struggled getting the words out.

"I...uhhhmm...I was looking for the stairs, and-" he cut me off.

"Well, if you go in that direction, I am sure you will find the exit stairs." he brushed past me and went into the room, turning on a light that was faded in a soft yellow, that wouldn't hurt your eyes.

I was about to leave, when the man stopped me. "Were you here when she spoke?" I nodded, and he dragged me back in. "Then you can probably get her to talk again! We haven't heard a word from her for two months, ever since she came here." I was flabbergasted. Not speaking for a whole two months!?!

The man stuck out his hand quickly. "By the way, I'm Emile Rogers. I'm a scientist studying Miss Kennedy's actions. Who might you be?"

I shook his hand politely. "I'm Raymond Daikon." Mr. Rogers smiled.

"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Daikon." he replied. He set his papers down on a small table beside some computers that I hadn't noticed before. I was too amazed to say that everyone called me Raymond, not Mr. Daikon.

Miss Kennedy was still scribbling madly in the notebook. Mr. Rogers was typing in different information on the computers, and flicking different switches.

"Alright, now, Mr. Daikon, might you try getting Miss Kennedy to speak?" he finished pushing a key on an elaborate keyboard. He rumpled his hair, making his appearance seem more like a mad scientist. I nodded, and went over to the bed.

The girl glanced at me out of the side of her eyes, but focused them on the paper again. I spoke as gently as I could.

"Hi. So..." I couldn't think of what to say! Way to go, Raymond! I thought. "Uhmmm...you handwriting is really nice." Great move, smarty. It seemed to have an effect, because she looked at me fully. For a second, the film over her eyes seemed to melt away. I kept talking. "What grade are you in?" Asking a question would get me somewhere. Mr. Rogers leaned forward in his chair.

The girl opened her mouth. "I'm a sophomore in high school." Mr. Rogers gave a small gasp, then turned quickly and punched in more information. I nodded.

"I'm a senior. I go to the high school on the west side of town, Our Lady Christian. What about you?"

She hesitated a minute, then said, "So did...I mean, so do I." The film that covered her eyes threatens to go back over. Her notebook slips from her hands and she seems like she doesn't know where she is. A strange expression comes over her. Then softly, she says, "I remember." Then she collapses.