Outcasts

Chapter 3

Luce

Everyone is gone. I am alone with Nathan once more.

I know he is tired but I ask anyway.

"Do you still want that haircut?"

"Fine"

This is all he says. His tone is indifferent.

"Okay," I answer simply. So I wheel him to our room in front of the mirror. Carefully taking a pair of scissors, I start cutting his hair.

I have been cutting his hair since the accident. At on point there was a particularly large shard of glass embedded just below the base of his neck. Though it was removed, there was still a large wound. As his hair grew longer it would get caught in the wound causing him great pain. He wouldn't let anyone else cut it, especially the nurses. They were clumsy and seemed to value their time over comfort.

I frown at the thought.

I finish quickly, after all I've had years of practice. Four years who would have thought? After bathing him I get him back to our room, help him dress, then help him into bed, before following suit. Sleep does not come immediately and I find myself lying awake for several minutes before at last dozing off.

I reach out my hand to touch the largest bandaged wound. He tenses as I gently lay a hand on it. I don't push or press it. I don't even dare to rest my hand on it, putting any weight. He sighs in relief. Glad, that I wont be pressing or prodding them anyway. I suppose, he's had enough of that from the nurses.

"Do they hurt?" I ask.

"Of course they do!" he snaps, and glares at me.

In hindsight, it was a pretty stupid question. I remember hearing from the nurses that he would wince at even the slightest touches, though.

"Does it hurt when I touch it?"

He doesn't say anything for a moment and I assume he isn't going to answer.

"Not when you touch it..." he answers softly.

He sounds less irritated now. Before all he did was scream and sob. Now he doesn't sob as much but I heard screaming yesterday when they were checking the wounds. I open my mouth to say something else but before I can several nurses rush in and throw me out. I can hear him screaming behind the door. Eventually the nurses come out silently.

One of them reaches for me. I instantly step back out of her reach.

"You have to go in there and calm him down. We cant help him until he calms down. The fact that his hair keeps snagging doesn't make it any easier."

I sigh. "Fine, but don't come in until I say its okay."

"I don't take orders from you!" she hisses.

"Then I guess you don't want my help."

"We don't require your assistance!"

"That may be true, but you'll have a hell of time without it.."

At last she gives in. "Fine."

With a self satisfied smirk I enter the Nathan's room again. But my smile quickly dissolves when I see him. His bandages have been removed and I can see the broken and bleeding flesh that was once hidden underneath. He is shaking. The agonizing pain visible in his expression. I can see what the nurse meant about his hair. It has grown too long so that it has gotten caught in the wound I had laid a hand upon not long ago.