John Porter find's himself in hospital after a close encounter with death. Gratified by his survival which was nothing more than by chance, he plans on embarking home with his brother Stewart. As he's final day in hospital draws to a close he begins...
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John watched with squinted eye's as the headlights from the cars traveling in the opposite direction of the highway blinded him in attacking bursts. The rain hit the windshield heavily, the tired wipers struggled to whip the layer of water from obscuring its driver's view.
Mile after mile the storm kept on relentlessly. John kept driving until a glint of something next to his foot caught his eye and in that moment he had to investigate the cause of the distraction. With a screech, the car collided with a fallen tree. A crippling pain came from his chest and then darkness overcome him. A short time later he awoke to find his hand was clenched shut. Opening his palm he discovered a strange old coin.
He lay panicked unaware of how life threatening his injuries were, yet in that moment of studying the curious circular piece of metal he couldn't help but ask himself, "has the coin saved me from death? Or merely postponed it?"
With a gasp, John woke sitting bolt upright in his hospital bed. The pain of his broken ribs causing him to groan. He fell backward onto the sweat soaked pillows and took deep breaths. Between each pant, the patient began to hear a shuffling in the darkness.
"Have I woke you Stewey?" Asked John closing his eyes again attempting to get back to sleep.
An unfamiliar voice answered the patient; but not with a confirmation but a name – he's name.
"Piper... Piper... Piper," it repeated deep and monotonously.
"Oh god, who are you?" Startled John in the bed, reaching for the lamp switch. It took a moment for the room to be filled with the dim orange hue of the lamp.
"Are you ok sir?" Asked John nervously.
The appearance of a haggard old man dressed in a hooded black robe taking him by surprise.
"Piper" it repeated one more time, he's heavy brow almost completely enveloping the watering veiny eyeballs beneath.
"That's me, John Piper. Did you read my name off my chart, sir? You need to return to your own room now" John croaked earnestly.
The hunched man pulled down the black hood and bent forwards forcing his gaunt face of drooping skin close to John's.
"Piper... Windsor hospital... the tenth of October nineteen fifty-six," he said hurried and stern, pointing a shaking finger at the round green clock on the wall.
"Tomorrows the tenth. Oh I see, your right it's one minute past midnight so technically it's now the tenth" John humored, cautious of the mystery visitor.
The elderly figure kept his stance, the finger pointing at the clock. The severity of his wilting facial features unrelenting.
"Stewey are you out there? STEWEY!!" Cried out John, the remaining calmness depleted.
He turned to the door a moment then looked back to discover he's mystery visitor had vanished. John struggled to make sense of the experience. could it have been the result of semi-unconsciousness, waking up from the nightmare? Tina did warn him of the strength and side effects of the pain medication. John settled himself down. Dry grayed lips pressed against John's ear and whispered loudly "PORTER." The lamp bulb popped violently. The patient began to scream, scream in a way he thought incapable.
"What's wrong? What's happening?" Said Stewart shaking his brother rigorously by the shoulders. The light from the hallway illuminating the room, "i haven't heard screaming like that since we threw little Timmy Wollins into the girls changing room."
"I saw an old man wearing a black robe. He was here and then he just vanished." He struggled to breathe through trepidation."
"I came in to check on you but you were asleep and I certainly didn't see anyone in the corridor. I shook you awake as you began screaming. You were probably just having a nightmare about what I saw earlier out the window, down by the fountain." Rationalized Stewart.
"Yeah maybe - yeah that's gotta be it. I think I'm getting cabin fever stuck in this bed. Shall we go for a midnight stroll around the grounds? my legs are cramping something crazy." Proposed John wiping the perspiration from his brow.
"Are you sure that's a good idea with your bum knee?" Concerned Stewart.
"I'll use my crutch, it will be fine." The patient said with resolute, swinging he's legs round to the side of the bed.
"Look at this mess" Sighed Stewart as glass crunched beneath he's shoe, "when did the lamp bulb pop?"
