Red

Day 8

By now, he had developed a routine.  About thirty minutes before dawn, he would wake up and start training.  He refused to become lazy.  It was restricted because he had no equipment, but he did his best.
Then in the morning, before breakfast, he had an hour session with Dr. Evans.  It seemed she knew who he was, unlike everyone else at the facility.
It was a quite session.  He refused to speak.  Every time he thought he might say something, the way Eden had tensed around the doctor went through his mind.
"It seems you and Eden get along well together.  That's nice.  She hasn't made any friends since she got here."  Dr Evans said.  "It must help that you speak Russian.  Did the Soviets teach you?"
He didn't say anything.
At the end of the hour, he didn't wait for permission to leave.  He left for the cafeteria, where as usual, a tray marked with his name was waiting for him.  Eden wasn't sitting at her usual place so he sat closer to the door.  When she wasn't around for meal, he always sat as close to the door as he could.
He only looked away from the door and his meal when one of the other residents sat down across from him.  A younger us who called himself DJ.  Bucky had decided that wasn't his real name.
"Good morning."  DJ said.  Bucky continued eating his pancakes and scrambled eggs.  He had realized hat he was being fed at least four times the amount that everyone else got.  It seemed to make everyone curious.
"Mornin'."  Bucky said between bites.
"So you've been hanging out with Eden.  You fuck her yet?  Most of us have been curious.  You see, John, he's been here the longest and he says Eden's been here before he was.  And during that whole time, she never said a word to anyone.  Then you show up and she talks to you."
"Our conversations don't go beyond basic greetings."
"So you haven't fucked her."
"No!"  Bucky snapped.  He was only partially surprised at the man's down right crudeness.  Having been raised in the military, he was used to soldiers being crass.
"If I thought I could get near her, I would."  DJ continued, ignoring Bucky's indignation.  "John said that when he first came here, Eden killed a patient.  The man got to close to him and she took a pencil and stabbed him the neck.  He bled out in less than twenty seconds.  They keep her sedated now.  She's so doped up, that she doesn't even know her own name."
"What's wrong with her?"
"Besides the PTSD and bipolar disorder?  Not sure.  I think she was an alcoholic or something like that. Man, I don't know much.  She's the only one that get's Dr. Evan's full attention."

Bucky didn't see Eden for the rest of the day.  He figured DJ was telling the truth or as much of the truth as he knew.  Bucky had already figured out that John had been here the longest.  The Vietnam veteran suffered from sever PTSD along with some other shit that Bucky didn't understand.  But the guy was familiar with all the doctors and by far seemed the most relaxed here.
He tracked John down during the three hours where everyone was free to do what ever they wished so long as they stayed on Floor 3.  John usually spent this time in what was called the 'Garden Room.'
The Garden Room was an indoor atrium filled with all sorts of plants that the residents took care of.  John seemed like taking care of the plants.
"Hey John," Bucky said, approaching the man.  John turned his wheelchair to face Bucky, a watering can still in his grip.  "Can I ask you about Eden, the guy DJ said she's been here longer than you."
"Yeah, so what?  She needs the help." John said guardedly.
"I don't want to hurt her or fuck her or whatever everyone else might want.  She doesn't say much to me."
"Eden doesn't speak English. So of course she doesn't speak much."  John said.  "Leave her alone."  He started to turn away but Bucky pushed further.
"She speaks Russian, so do I."  John paused. "Who did she kill?"
"A year ago, there was a resident.  He thought Eden was pretty, which she is.  But he wasn't a good man."
"He tried to rape her?"
"Yes.  Poor girl.  She probably would have been able to leave if he hadn't hurt her.  I was the one who told the nurses what David was doing.  By the time we came back, Eden had ran off and David was dead."
"That's horrible."
"It is.  Eden was doing much better before than now.  After that, she shut down completely."
"What does she do in her free time?"
"She's probably with hiking or finding a quiet corner."

At dinner, Eden was sitting in her usual seat.  Dr Evans was again there, encouraging her to eat.  This time, Bucky didn't sit with her.  Instead, he sat by the door.
He was surprised when Eden came with her tray and sat down next to him.  Dr. Evans watched them from a distance but didn't intervene.  Eden started eating her food, albeit slowly.  There was a small purple bruise at the base of her jaw.  She may have fallen from her horse.
He crinkled his nose at she smell of manure and dust.  They didn't say anything and simply ate quietly but he could feel thirteen sets of eyes on them. Apparently, this was out of Eden's normal routine.

When he was almost done with his food, one of the nurses approached him.  "Mr Barnes, you have a visitor."
He followed the nurse down to the Floor 1 and into a small living room where Steve was waiting.  "Hey Buck."
The nurse left.  "Hey Steve."
"Sorry, I didn't visit earlier."
"It's alright."  Bucky offered as conversation.
"So the judge says you have to be here for eight months.  You aren't allowed to leave early.  If you do anything...stupid, time will be added. But I'll try and visit when I can.  There are no restrictions on visitors.  And, you have to have daily therapy sessions."
"Okay."  Bucky said.  He had already figured most of this out.
"Are you remembering anything."
"Not really.  They took my notebooks.'
"I'll see to getting those back.  Anything else you need.  There are limitations that are just house rules but I can argue for some privileges."
"Being able to go outside would be nice.  Even if its under guard."
"I'll see what I can do."