Absolute Reality

The Smell

Alright, guys. This is about to get reeeeeaaal weird. Just bear with me, okay? I promise we're going somewhere. The following chapters will go up quickly, even if they're short. They sort of work together in a single arc. Just trust.

Sister Jude hated staff meetings. Hell, they all did. And she knew they did. Even Sister Mary Eunice - who hardly hated anything - wore a resigned and tortured expression to Jude's left, clipboard and pen at the ready to take the meeting's minutes. Minutes, which inevitably felt like hours. And often they were hours - two to three hours of wretched, boring life no participant would ever recover.

And today's meeting promised to establish itself as the absolute worst staff meeting in Briarcliff history. Or perhaps the history of staff meetings the world over and throughout time immemorial. She sighed. The tension in the room was almost as pervasive as the fetid stench that had plagued the institution for nearly three days now.

And Carl still hadn't arrived.

To Jude's right, Frank McCann tapped a pen incessantly, staring across the table with blatant loathing at Monsignor Timothy Howard, who stared back with a nearly equal aversion at the head of security. Seconds ticked by audibly thanks to the clock on the wall. She'd never realized quite how loud it was... But Frank's pen percussion wasn't helping. Tolerance waning, she put her hand atop his, stopping the racket. Frank grunted. "Sorry, Sistah." His thumb surreptitiously stroked hers and she snatched her hand away.

Or not surreptitiously. Timothy Howard's eyes narrowed. Jude cleared her throat. Rubbed at her neck. Her habit was particularly itchy today. Too much starch?

Eunice looked about the room at nothing. There was absolutely nothing to look at. Blank beige walls and an expanse of dark mahogany table. When she looked underneath the table, Jude did the same. Nothing there. She gave the novice a peculiar look and Eunice shrugged. "Should I go fetch Carl, Sister?"

"He's comin'." Frank offered. "I caught him in the common room on my way up. He had ta break up a skirmish."

"A skirmish?" Jude looked at Frank. "You didn't mention a skirmish."

"Nothin' too crazy. I mean, in the general category of crazy here, anyway. Shelley and Norma got into it over a contraband baked potato."

Jude folded her hands before her. Eunice did the same.

"I'm certain the two ladies shall work it out." Father Howard glanced at his watch.

"They'll work it out in solitary." Frank offered.

"I'll beat it out of 'em." Jude groused.

"What was that, Sister?" Timothy leaned forward.

"Nothing, Fathah." She smiled pleasantly. Frank chuckled. The door opened. "Carl! How nice of you to join us."

"Sorry I'm late, Sistah." The orderly pulled out the noisiest chair beside the Monsignor and sat. "The natives have been real restless lately."

"I noticed." Jude rolled her eyes. "Perhaps we should increase their tranquilizer dosage."

"Let's consult our new attending physician before we make any rash decisions, Sister Jude." Howard offered. "He arrives next week."

"New physician?" Frank looked at Jude. "What happened to Dr. Phillips?"

"He was let go." Jude took a deep breath. "Yesterday. That will be the first topic on today's agenda."

"Coulda told me at breakfast," Frank said.