9:00am:
It was a bright, sunny morning but Roxanna had an inkling that something wasn't right. That proved true. Abigail brought all the medical staff together in the meeting room to announce that a colleague had been lost.
Suicide.
The word stung Roxanna's heart. She was overcome with emotion. Her eyes shed endless tears as all her worries were released. Thoughts plagued her mind. If she took more notice in their well-being, then, perhaps, they would still be here. It was no use thinking like that. They were gone and they weren't coming back.
Abigail said that counselling was available for anyone who was deeply affected by it. She added that the police would come and take statements from those who knew the deceased. The coroner's report revealed that the deceased did kill themselves.
Roxanna couldn't understand it. They had a promising career. Why throw it away? She was so frustrated with herself that she didn't see the signs. The police didn't know why either. The deceased was trying to make a good career and making the most of their potential.
Something drove them to the edge, to the point where they thought life wasn't worth living. They made mistakes, everyone does. But then, they must have thought one mistake too many.
Weeks before, they confided in Roxanna that they had ongoing personal issues but didn't reveal what they were. Roxanna caught them ripping a patient and their family to shreds and trashing the staff room. Their life wasn't going well.
All the deceased wanted was to be good at their profession, like all medical staff at Holby.
Roxanna felt that a piece of her was missing. She didn't show it, but she cared deeply about them.
The void inside her grew. She was empty. What happened could have easily been prevented.
I will find out why.
...
11:00am:
Black clouds consumed the sun and blue sky.
How fitting for today.
Abigail oversaw the comings and goings of the hospital window from her ivory tower. Her deep rooted suspicion set her mind working.
Although she never worked with the deceased, she heard from Roxanna that they were hard working, diligent and very determined. It was tragic that they did this. They must have had their reasons. They had promise, a bright future.
She sighed. It was no use dwelling on it. Everything, in time, will be back to normal or as normal as it can be. Her eyebrows furrowed as she wondered about her Medical Director. He was definitely hiding something. What, she couldn't say. She had this all consuming worry that, if he did something wrong, he would gladly take the hospital down with him. Something didn't feel right about him.
She heard quite unsavoury rumours about him. She had an inkling that he was cutting corners when it suited him.
One thing was certain.
She would definitely be keeping a very close eye on him.
...
2:30pm:
Sacha was in absolute shock. He never saw any indication of them being suicidal. First Arthur, now this. Even though they were excellent at what they did, he found them to be single-minded. If he asked them to do something, they would pass the responsibility to someone else so they could focus on what mattered to them the most.
He knew about the personal problems they had. Splitting from their partner, being months behind in rent arrears, family issues, to name a few. He understood how they felt. He had some of those problems himself.
The stresses of everyday life in the hospital can prove to be too much. That's why leave was introduced, to help medical staff de-stress and relax so that they are ready for when they come back.
He recalled that, due to recent events, he offered them leave numerous times but they refused, saying that they can cope.
Look how that turned out.
They were so young and full of life.
He started to think about Bekki and the anger-fuelled voicemail he left her. He didn't mean any of it. He knew that she had her reasons to cancel. She didn't deserve that at all. He called to apologise and to explain why he was feeling the way he was. She understood and recommended that they go out for dinner at the weekend as she was free. He happily accepted the idea. He was worried about Essie, knowing how much she desired to have children to then have the chance taken away from her. He still had feelings for her but he understood the decision for them to just be friends.
He made a quick stop at the café to get Essie a vanilla latte, her favourite. He walked to the lift to make his way to Essie, to cheer her up. Maybe she could do the same to him.
...
5:30pm:
He caused this.
Him, and him alone.
He only wanted to frighten her.
Never this.
Another innocent death on his blood-stained hands. His fury and madness would be his undoing.
A girl, who had done nothing wrong, was dead.
His mind started to wander. He was a murderer. His actions killed her.
He was disgusted with his treatment of her over the weeks. He should have cut her some slack.
His anger needed to be kept in check.
As for his madness,
Well.
He had no control over it
His professional and personal lives had collided before and now they were threatening to do it again. Before, he was at his lowest ebb. He was accused of a crime most heinous. Sadly, it was true. The 4 men escaped jail, thanks to the ringleader's father. He had to take the law into his own hands.
...
It was a cool autumn day. The leaves were changing into golden and orange hues. The wind had a slight bite. St Helena's was partly decorated with the foliage as the leaves danced in the wind. All hands were on deck, as the hospital received a call that an RTC had happened and that the casualties were coming their way. John rushed through Cushing Ward, along with other nurses to welcome the patients. A nurse handed him a list of names. A glacial shiver shocked his spine. He never thought he would see them again.
The 3 men arrived within minutes of each other. All suffered a injury to the nervous system or brain. John had a look of which of them was more critical; they were the one to be operated on first. The other two were stable enough to wait for surgery later in the day.
At last, John had the chance to exact his revenge. He waited so long for this moment. Two innocent lives were ruined because of them.
Retribution will be swift.
John was in theatre for the entire morning and most of the afternoon. Prior to him going in, a nurse paged him saying that another patient has come in, having gashed his leg during skateboarding and that the leg had started to show signs of sepsis. All 4 in the same building.
Excellent.
As leading neurosurgeon, John operated on the 3. His mind was occupied with the most cruel, sadistic methods in which to kill them with. He relished the thought. Even more so now they were in front of him. For the first, he thought of a lobotomy and slicing his throat, creating a fountain of crimson. The second, he thought of choking him slowly and painfully just to hear him beg for his life as it was being taken away. The last, he thought of a lethal injection, a method he was delighted with, just so he could hear the screams of agony.
He could have easily killed them on the operating table but he would be caught quickly. The method for the first patient wouldn't do at all. It would have to be subtle and secretive. He was the doctor assigned to the patients so he could keep an eye on him. He operated on the 4th after lunch.
He received a phone call from her. He missed the sound of her voice. So beautiful, elegant and soft. She was in London for a 4 day conference and wondered if he would join her for dinner. He gladly accepted.
He knew that it was wrong, what he was about to do. But he thought the pain that she and her sister went through. He couldn't take it any more. He became possessed by his madness, made even worse when the men got off scot free. She was the only one that could tame the beast. Alas, she wasn't here. He could have some fun with the 4 patients.
And no one would stop him.