Liquid Perception

Chapter 3

The lock gives way. We both tumble to the floor on the other side. I pop up in a sprint to the nurse's station. A portion of the counter swings up to make a path behind the counter. I walk past the solitary desk heading towards the shelves of medicine. The computer monitor hums "itsy bitsy spider" to me as I pass.

Ronald says, "I can see you are busy. I am heading to the recreational facilities In case you have need of me, friend."

Whatever. He wasn't much help. I look up and down the shelves of meds, but they aren't labeled with patient names. I don't know which ones are mine. Trying to think of which meds I take is making my head hurt. It's like someone took out a portion of my brain and replaced it with cotton. I punch the nearest wall. Not my best idea. My fist is bleeding, but I don't care. How am I going to figure out which ones I need to take? I got it! The doctor has a file on me. I'm sure the information is in his office. Better yet, maybe it's somewhere here at the nurse's station.

There are several files on the desk. Simpson, Fleming, Jamison.. My file isn't here. Maybe in the computer. The monitor's humming has grown louder since I went by a moment ago. I move the mouse to wake up the computer. Words scroll across the screen in rhythm with the humming. "Itsy Bitsy Spider went up the water spout. Down came the rain, and washed the spider out." Cute. Not what I need right now. I can't get the computer to do anything else. I hit ctrl+alt+del until the buttons fly off the keyboard. That is one determined spider.

The doctor's office is my only option. I have been there many times for therapy and mental health assessments. It is down the hall to the left. I try the door, but it's locked. Maybe they have a key at the nurse's station. I remember them opening one of the doors to get a file once. I think. Back to the nurse's station. I check behind the counter, and there is a hook with the label "Facility Keys". It's empty. Can anything else go wrong? Maybe Doctor Henry took them when he went to the rec room.

I go down the hall to the right following in the doctor's footsteps. Halfway there I hear a voice. "You can get up if you like friend" It's Doctor Henry.

I walk a step further calling out to him, "Where are you Doctor Henry?"

I hear his voice coming from a maintenance room. "If you need help you only need ask friend."

I open the door to find Doctor Henry standing over a man. The man's chest is charred with eyes rolling further back than I thought possible. His uniform says "Security". Across from the body is an electrical box. This must have been what caused the lights to go out. I say, "Let's leave this man alone Ronald. He's resting."

He replies, "OK." He joins me in the hallway.

I close the door behind him. "Do you by chance have the keys from the nurse's station?"

He holds his hand out with the keyring resting on his finger. Smiling he says, "Of course I do."