Snapshots from Elsewhere

Chapter 37

Who is Malcolm Grant?

Part 2

Malcolm Grant was just a normal 26 year old, working for small company, getting ready to ask the woman he loved to marry him, and dreaming of a bright future.

But then the eclipse happened. And suddenly, Malcolm could see things. He could see the strings of probability that tied everyone to everything. He could see the chaos, and it cost him everythin.

^&^&^&^

(London-October 25th, 2006)

"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGG!"

"HOLD HIM DOWN!"

Malcolm thrashed violently, teeth bared and limbs straining against the heavy leather straps that were currently keeping him secured to the hospital bed. The gown they forced him to wear was soaked with sweat as he struggled, roaring out in protest as orderlies threw themselves on top of him. His once long hair had been shaved off, leaving him nearly bald, several surgical scars from where the doctors had patched his skull back up running along the back of his head. His eyes were wild as he roared and screaming, struggling to free himself.

If he had been rational, he could have used his power to see that such actions would only result in them restraining him further. But Malcolm wasn't in his right mind, not at this moment.

Not when they had tied him down.

He didn't know why he had the phobia. Never been tied down himself. Only seen it in movies, and it was enough to freak him out. He'd had nightmares, terrible ones, of being strapped down and unable to move, unable to do anything. And now he awoke, nearly a month after he'd saved that woman, stuck in the nightmare.

And still…there were those damn threads.

One thickened instantly, his eyes narrowed as the world froze and he watched where it led. He only peered for a second, not finishing the journey before recklessly following it.

His struggles stilled but for a moment, the orderlies thinking he was calm, before he used all his strength to pull on the old leather strap that held his right wrist in place. It tore, and Malcolm lashed out, striking one orderly as he worked to remove the other strap.

A line suddenly thickened, nearly blocking out everything.

"NO!" He screamed as a nurse injected him with something. "NOOOO!" He bellowed, turning his head to the doorway…

…and saw his girl standing there, tears in her eyes.

"Ellie!"

Eleanor rushed in, only to be held back. "You're hurting him!"

"Ellie!" He screamed as the darkness overtook him. "El…Ell…ie…"

^&^&^&^

(November 4th, 2006)

For over a week, they had kept him sedated, running tests and trying to figure out the cause of his outbursts. If they weren't drugging him, he could calmly explain that he was going mad being strapped to the bed…and that he might be crazy, considering he saw glowing threads connecting people to each other.

They just thought he was nuts.

"Look who's awake."

Malcolm blinked, finally noticing the doctor that was hovering over him. White hair, a small beard, dressed in a lab coat…it had to be a doctor, or the Sanders guy from KFC was working at the hospital now.

Malcolm groaned. "Get…the catheter…out of me."

"Soon enough. My name is Doctor Limbago, the hospital asked me to look in on you, to see if you are suffering any trauma from your accident. It is common, with injuries like yours, for there to be some mental problems.

'And how.' Malcolm thought, watching the lines shimmer.

"I believe that the best course of action would be for you to come with me to my private clinic, should you have such problems…"

As he droned on, Malcolm knew something wasn't right. The lines all around him were reacting funny, and even with his short time seeing them, he knew they were warning him about something.

"And it is top of the line…"

Malcolm narrowed his eyes. "Where are your lines?"

"…what?"

Malcolm glowered. "The lines…everything has them…except you. You don't have a single one." His eyes slid to his right, noticing one dark, thick line running from his head out the window. He focused on it. "Get out of my head, Murray."

Outside the hospital, Murray Parkman nearly jumped 5 feet.

"I don't know what you're…" Limbago said.

"You're not real!" Malcolm snarled, tugging on his restraints. Several nurses rushed him, getting out a sedative.

Lines darted from Murray to the nurse.

"He is clearly insane…he must be brought to my clinic at Pinehearst immediately.

"He's not real!" Malcolm screamed. "Murray Parkman! He's doing this! Get away from me you bloody bints! You don't understand, it's in your head!" Malcolm screamed. "I'm not crazy! I'm not crazy! I'm not CRAZY!"

^&^&^&^

Author's Note: