Obscurity

Chapter 8: Busted

Sierra

I notice a flush creeping up Alma's neck engulfing her face. Her ears are even bright red. I push off the door jamb and laugh at her. Crossing my arms, I make my way over to my bed and plop down, never taking my eyes off her. I narrow my eyes awaiting an explanation, an excuse for what I just witnessed.

"What on Earth—"

"Oh, just shove off, Sierra." She interrupts me. Alma throws her hands up and quickly stalks off into the bathroom, slamming the door. Typical avoidance. I reach over and pick up my magazine off the bedside table and leaf aimlessly through it. I've got nothing but time. Time to wait for her to come back out here and address this awkward situation we find ourselves in.

After a few minutes, I get bored with the magazine. I glance over to the table by Alma's bed and see her welcome folder sitting there. I hop up and grab it. I casually sort through the papers inside until I find the one I'm searching for. Bingo.

I walk over to the bathroom door and put my ear to it. No sounds come from inside so that just confirms Alma is sitting in there to avoid me, just as I figured was the case. I bend down and slide the paper I found in her folder under the door. Just as I shove the page under the door, a white-clad flunky, otherwise known as a nurse, stops in the doorway to the hallway and taps on the open door.

"Time for meds, Sierra." She informs me.

"About time." I say as I stand back up from crouching in front of the bathroom door. I dust my hands off on my jeans and follow the nurse out into the hallway and down to the nurses station. Once I reach the nurses station, I get in line behind the usual suspects and wait for my turn to take my poison.

I get the overwhelming urge to tug on Lara's hair while I wait but I decide against it. Chris is still on duty, and I don't need any problems. But then it occurs to me, Chris doesn't really have all the power here anymore now does he? I can't believe I didn't think of this before. I've got enough dirt on him to counter any Secondary referral he orders. I laugh out loud, and everyone turns around to look at me. I giggle and wave them off. Of course they think I'm bat shit crazy, who cares? I'm currently the most powerful person in this line given the information I have about a certain unit manager.

I smile to myself as the line moves along. When I reach the window, the nurse hands me my little cup of pills and a cup of water. I count them, five. I throw the cup of pills back and swallow them. Then I chase them with the water. I throw the cups in the trash and move along to the end of the nurses station window. I stand there contemplating my next move when I see a nurse walking down toward mine and Alma's room with a stack of clothing.

"Nurse! Nurse!" I shout as I run down the hallway to catch up to her. "Are those for Alma?"

"Yes. She doesn't have any clothes, so she's going to need something to wear so laundry can take her clothing down to be cleaned with everyone else's tonight." She explains.

"I can take them to her, if you want?" I give her my best doe eyes.

She pauses for a moment in the hall, "I do have a lot to do, Sierra. Would you do it?" she asks.

"Of course." I smile at her as she hands me the green colored scrubs. "I'll get these right to her."

She thanks me and turns to get back to the nurses station. I take my sweet time getting them back to my room. I debate on whether to actually give her the clothing, to hide it or use it as leverage. Decisions, decisions.

As I go to walk past Lara's room she calls my name and I stop by her door. "Yeah?"

"Can you believe those assholes are going to sit with me at meal time from now on to make sure I eat?" She asks shaking her head at her perceived absurdity of the situation she's presented me with.

"Well... I mean technically you eat your food so I don't see how that's an issue..." I say, leaving plenty of wriggle room on the topic.

"They're sitting with me a full hour after I eat and not letting me use the restroom or anything!" she informs me through gritted teeth.

I shrug. What does she want me to say?

"This is unreal, Sierra."

"Well if you didn't throw up all your food, it wouldn't even be an issue." I offer. She's boring me now.

"You wouldn't understand anything about it. Sorry I bothered you. Just get out!" She turns and stomps toward her bed.

I take the opportunity to leave. I walk out of her room shaking my head. What did she think I'd say? I continue down the hallway to my room.

I slow my steps and try to be as quiet as possible as I creep up to my door. I want to surprise her but honestly I think she'll still be in the bathroom. When I round the corner, I'm met with a hard fist to my nose. I can't see anything as I fall backward. The blow has me seeing stars, literally.

I grab my face and scramble to my knees. "Holy shit!" I say. Pain shoots up and down my face, centralized in the area of my nose. It's like electricity running through my face. I feel my teeth to make sure they're still there. They are there but they hurt like hell.

I run my fingers underneath my nose. When I pull my hand back to look at it, it's covered in blood. I really hope my nose isn't broken. That's all I need, to be ugly on top of nuts. My vision finally clears and I see Alma standing over me.