The Pale King - VI

Part 1

“What’s the time? I need to fill out this form.”

                “11:08, why? What form?” James looked at his watch as he walked on the ward. It was Friday, his late morning shift and he was still shaking off the alcohol from the night before and the fatigue of the morning. A cup of coffee was in his other hand.

                Gary, the orderly filling out the form, flicked his pen over his back to a gurney with a sheet covering all but the feet of a patient. James strolled over and flipped the toe tag over. It was procedure to have a file of every ward patient on the floor with their medications, their intake, and a toe tag ready to go if anything we to happen any time of night. The name read “Francis Knight”.

                “Another one of mine.” James said with a soft voice.

                “It’s the nature of the job James. We can’t save them all. Hell we can’t save most of them.” Gary said clapping his hand on the man’s shoulder. He handed the forms over to the morgue staff member and took his place back behind his desk.

                James stood and slowly shook his head, accepting the loss of life. He pulled the sheet back and looked at the mans face. It was calm. He must have died in his sleep, James thought. James would pay his final respects over the weekend. It being Friday the morgue wouldn’t be cleared out until Monday morning when the funeral home would be called for the processing.

                Seeing the body get wheeled away James remembered another boy under a sheet, being whisked away. The boy was much younger, only about 8 years old. He had also died in his sleep, but his face wasn’t calm. It was distorted in pain. Like the boy was in agony up until the last. James remembers seeing that face. That contorted innocent face and a tear came to his eye. He wiped it before Gary returned to him.

                “Everything else is well. I’m about to head out. You good?” Gary asked pulling his pack of smokes out.

                “Yeah, any other news?”

                “Oh yeah I forgot. A letter was sent around. We are running drills this weekend. Lockdown drills.”

                “Lockdown drills?”

                “Every six months. It’s about that time.”

                “Lucky you get to be on the outside for this one.” James mused sipping at his coffee. The last lockdown was right after James’ birthday. In the drill the senior staff tests the response time of the orderlies to quell a problem in the case of a patient breaking out of their cell. A real escape attempt hadn’t been made in years, before James was even present here but it was routine. They took a Red level patient, dressed him in Yellows and let him roam around for a minute before the lockdown is tripped. All the doors leading outside are locked, all the power is redirected, and it throws the otherwise normal day into chaos. The last lockdown only lasted four hours but that was enough to put a mental strain on all the staff to pick up where they left off with patient care.

                “Lucky me. Try to beat the record why don’t ya? Go down in history.”

                “Right I’ll do my best.”

                The record for shortest lockdown was an hour and a half. Unless Gary meant the record for the longest lockdown. That would be a feat. Or maybe he meant…

                “Anyway, I’m out of here. Take care James.”

                “See ya Gary.”

Making the rounds was simple enough during the first few hours. James and the few other orderlies on blue and black ward would go to each room, give morning meds, get them ready for breakfast, send them off and clean the rooms. After they were clean, they’d round up their patients and send them outside for some fresh air and exercise. In the case of the silent man, James took special attention to him. Feeding him himself, bathing him, massaging his throat to swallow the pills he was subscribed, and wheeling him out into the sun. It was a nice June afternoon. The sun was shining, the wind blowing in from the east, and birds chirping in the trees that surrounded the fenced in activities area. On the east side sat the Cemetery and it drew James attention. It was best to keep the silent man away from the others so he wheeled him over to the fence and took his place at a bench not a stones throw from the nearest grave marker.

                “Genevieve Boucher, 1705 – 1712. She was only seven years old.” James sighed at the reality. Death came for everyone, not only the old and infirm but the young just released from the womb.

                “I hope she didn’t suffer at least.” James turned away then froze. A chill rose in his spine as a shadow flashed over the gravestones yards away. It seemed to pause to look at him before it disappeared. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. There was nothing.

                James leaned back and put his hand on the silent man’s shoulder.

                “If only I could shut off like you and be distant from this place. No worries, no sorrows, no anything.”

                You can.

                The hair on James’ neck stood up.

                A siren erupted over the loud speaker.

                “We are under lockdown. Please report to your stations. We are under lockdown. Please report to your stations.”

                Without a second thought James was up pushing the silent man back into the building as the other orderlies shuffled their patients in. During the lock down every patient would be in their cell until it was over. The staff would have to secure the free patient, sedate him, and return him to his cell. After that was confirmed the doctor in charge, and in this case Dr. Starcross, would send the all clear and the lockdown would lift.

                In the hustle and bustle James let what happened out in the yard fall from memory. He let the fact that he heard yet again a voice in his head that was not his own. He pushed the silent man quickly and quietly back to his room and peered through the window. The man sat staring at the door eyes down a stream of drool hanging from his open mouth. James blinked and squinted, then his blood ran cold. The black eyes, they were looking at him gain.

                “James! Let’s go!” Tony, a tall orderly, came up behind him.

                “Right…yeah.” James pushed away from the door his heart pounding. He was sure of it now. The silent man wasn’t completely gone. He was still in there. Watching. Waiting. 

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