Cursed Smile: Laughing Jack x Reader | C O M P L E T E D

Chapter 5

{Reader's POV}

The hotel was quieter than the hospital room.

I didn't think something like that could be possible but it was. The police plagued the building and their presence everywhere hushed the other residents. Only quiet whispers of gossip and worry could be heard down the halls. The officers stood outside my door and my nurse had moved in the next room to care for my every need.

The music box still laid next to me on the bed and acted as my only companion. I tried to start a conversation with one of the officers, but they scolded me afterwards; saying something like 'We can't distract ourselves while your still in danger'.

Then, I turned to my nurse and tried to find solace in her presence, but she wasn't much of a good listener and her tedious talk didn't really interest me—mostly gossip about the other patients in the hospital.

Which reminded me... Wasn't there a law indicating that gossip between patients and nurses was... Illegal?

The question had been floating around in my head for some time now but I didn't care to ask the nurse. It'd probably lead to an argument and I wasn't looking to cause an awkward silence between the only person I had to talk to and I.

I let out a sigh and shifted my gaze to the heart monitor that stood next to me. The streaks of red showed my heartbeat and seemed to put me under a trance. I looked away and noticed the rest of the machines littered around me and the hotel bed. I was still hooked up to a lot of monitors and the needles in my skin began to bug me.

I wanted nothing more than to just rip them out of my skin and forget about their nagging presence.

I didn't understand why I was still being looked after. My wounds were healing nicely and I no longer needed to wear the bandages. My blood pressure and heart rate were perfectly normal and the rest of my body was fine. I could walk around and make lunch right now if I could, but the nurse insisted I remained under the hospital's care.

At some point I suspected that they just wanted me around for the publicity I was conjuring up with my presence. Even the officers thought there was no longer any reason to keep me hooked up to these machines.

I shook my head and began to fiddle again with the music box, even if it did creep me out, it was the only thing I had to distract myself with.

Muttering and shuffling around the door could be heard and suddenly someone stepped in. It was my nurse and she smiled glumly at me. "What's wrong?", I asked as I put the box down and sat up in the bed. The nurse shook her head and walked over to the monitors. She bent down with a frown and unplugged all the machinery. "The doctor said you no longer need to be in the hospital or hooked up to these monitors... You're good as new", she replied half-heartedly and faced me with a parting smile.

"That means you don't need me anymore." Her words sent a wide smile to my face but I quickly frowned to show an equally sad expression. "Oh no..! I'm going to miss you but I guess we can't do anything about it huh?", I said as I watched in utter glee to see my nurse taking the needles out. As she packed up all her things, she sighed and hugged me before she left. "Bye sweetie, good luck."

With that she left and I raised my hands in triumph. "Yes!", I blurted out happily and jumped out of my bed. I twirled around my room and stretched out my legs tauntingly. "I'm FREE!!" I giggled and sprinted around the room with a ridiculous grin on my face. I eventually lost my breath and sat down next to the windowsill. I gazed at the dark scenery and savored the cold, fresh air as it nipped at my face and felt my mood immediately brighten.