Memories are just where you lead them
Drag the waters 'til the depths give up their dead
What did you expect to find?
Was it something you left behind?
Don't you remember anything I said when I said
To fall away
Leave me to myself
To fall away
And leave love bleeding in my hands
--from In My Hands by Fuel
Nurse Edith supplied Micah with a lovely and much-needed sedative, which put him out immediately. He drifted off into a deep sleep, but it was worse than a fitful nap -- in its own ways. His dream was disturbing, but even worse, it seemed real. Too real for comfort. His mind got in one last fuzzy thought
(my legs oh god my legs)
before the sleep was upon him, full and heavy and dark.
They stood around him, the Children, his followers, eyes bright and watchful and waiting. Ready for his orders. A yellowish robe was draped around his shoulders, a symbol of authority. He could feel that he was covered in a cold sweat, but he didn't care. He was the leader, he was the chosen, he was the messenger. And he would give the command to kill. A fire burned in the distance, the remnants of the church a blazing beacon to all who would defile the corn. He felt a smirk curl his lips. Suffer the children to come unto me, hm?
And then the evil inside him recoiled a little. No, his conscience screamed, no, I don't want to do this! This is wrong! He gasped with the sudden and complete release; the monster had let go. But it regained control again, squeezing harder than ever. No, there would be no changes in the plan. It would all go beautifully, smoothly. He raised the scythe to spill the blood, to supply He Who Walks Behind The Rows with a proper sacrifice.
(!!NO!!)
Before the sharp blade had even bit skin, he had faltered, let down his guard for only a moment. And that was all it took. The machine was upon him like an attack dog, steel teeth clamped firmly upon the yellow hem of his robe. He could feel the evil inside cringe as its temporary home headed towards certain death. The machine whirred and belched smoke, unyielding to his cries, and began to slowly pull him in. The end of his robe disappeared into the blades and he whirled, clawing at the ground in wild animal desperation. He screamed for help, for his friends to help him. The machine pulled relentlessly, blades eager for a... sacrifice. Now blood would be spilled.
(!!HELP ME!!)
But the Children just watched in blank silence, their once bright eyes now cold and hard.
(!!DEAR GOD, SOMEONE HELP ME!!)
The blades began their work and he could hear himself crying. The pain was unbelievable, and the evil felt it. It hissed in defeat and released him completely, scurrying with cowardice off into the night. Leaving him. Leaving him there to die.
(!!NO!!)
His fingers clawed at anything they could, nails digging frantically in the dirt. He knew his blood was soaking the ground. It was soaking the ground and defiling the corn.
(!! I BELIEVED YOU, BELIEVED EVERY SINGLE DIRTY FILTHY LIE THAT YOU TOLD ME--!!)
And then the machine exploded.
Micah screamed, hands clawing at the bedsheets. The woman at the end of his bed quirked an eyebrow at him. It wasn't Nurse Edith or Gabe, but a tall skinny nurse with a face that resembled a horse. Flushing red, he leaned back against the pillow.
"Mm. Awake." The new nurse snuck a glance at Micah's chart. He shifted uncomfortably in bed, wiping the cold sweat off of his forehead. The memory had come back, full and clear and awful.
(Well, I wanted to know where my legs went...)
"Yeah," he mumbled. "Um, where's Nurse Edith? And Gabe?" The woman replaced the chart with a sharp snap of her wrist.
"Nurse Edith has gone home. It's nearly 11 o'clock, Mr. Balding." She headed towards a cabinet, lips pursing in irritation. "Gabrielle has taken a day off. I'm Nurse Pruitt." Micah pulled the covers tightly up to his chest. He didn't feel quite comfortable with this nurse.
"Um..." He offered a small -- and completely forced -- smile. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to be alone?" Nurse Pruitt looked up and wrinkled her nose.
"I do mind, as a matter of--"
"I am a patient, right?" Micah said quietly. The nurse blinked.
"Yes, but--"
"And being a patient, I have certain rights." He folded his hands calmly in his lap. "I believe one of them is whether I wish to have privacy or not, hm?" Nurse Pruitt pursed her lips so tightly that it looked like she had been sucking on a lemon.
"As you say, Mr. Balding," she said stiffly, then marched out the door. Micah thought he caught her muttering something to herself, but he couldn't hear the words. Before he knew it, the sedative was back for another round, and he was out again.
"Mild shock and trauma. He'll be fine."
"Are you sure, Dr. Phillips? Because I feel horrible, I really didn't mean to--"
"We know, Gabe dear. But Mr. Balding has been through quite a lot lately..." Micah heard the voices quite clearly; the speakers were hovering over his bed. Trying to be discreet, he cracked an eyelid and watched in silence. It was an elderly man with graying hair
(Dr. Phillips, I presume?)
flanked by Nurse Edith and Gabe. Daylight was peeking through the curtains
(God, days go by fast here. 24 hours down the tube already and I've been awake for about 1 of them.)
and, by the way Nurse Edith was yawning, it was apparently quite early in the morning.
"It's quite all right, Gabe," murmured Dr. Phillips. "Patients are quite susceptible to shock after such a traumatizing experience." Micah opened his eyes slowly. The doctor smiled sleepily down at him. "Good morning."
"Mmph," he mumbled, looking around the bed at his visitors. Gabe wrung her hands worriedly.
"I-- I wanted to tell you that I'm really sorry about what happened--" Micah looked up at her blankly.
"Hm? Oh. That." He gave her a smooth smile. "No problem. No problem at all. I wasn't that worried, it was just that I was
(terrified out of my wits a raving maniac I screamed and cried like a child)
still feeling woozy and it was quite a surprise. I'm fine now." Nurse Edith grinned cheerfully at him, turning to Gabe.
"See? I told you everything was all right." Dr. Phillips nodded and began for the door.
"Right. If there's anything you need, Mr. Balding, feel free to ask Gabe. She'll be your attendant for today." The girl looked at Micah warily, and he had the distinct feeling that she was seeing right through his suave attitude. That made him feel uncomfortable and naked
(Go on, bitch, what else is wrong with me?)
so he glanced away. Dr. Phillips went right on talking.
"If there are any problems, Gabe," he said easily, "just give Nurse Edith a buzz." The doctor tapped a finger in the direction of the call device. Gabe nodded, tucking her hands under her arms nervously.
"I'll be sure to," she mumbled. Micah noted that she looked more than a little offended, but Dr. Phillips and Nurse Edith left without noticing. Gabe shot him another glance
(she's looking right through you)
and dropped her hands to her sides.
"Well." She ambled over towards him and lifted a hand to check his forehead, then paused. "Would you rather I get a thermometer?" Micah shook his head, not feeling strong enough to argue.
"Nah. Just check quickly." Gabe did so, then started for the medicine cabinet, looking pleased.
"Mm. Good. You're just a little warm, so I'll give you some aspirin just to be safe." She looked over her shoulder
(Stop doing that!)
as she wrestled with the child-proof cap on the bottle. "You don't have a headache or anything, do you?" Micah shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.
"No."
"Oh. Good." Gabe filled a paper cup with water quickly, then handed it to him along with the pill. Micah looked down at it and felt a smirk form on his face.
"How do I know this won't kill me?" The girl quirked an eyebrow, shoving the pill into his hand harshly.
"You don't," she said with a tight smile, and turned away. "It's already 10:30. Lunch will be here pretty soon."
(There goes my guess that it was early morning.)
Micah swallowed the pill quickly and tossed the cup at the trashcan. It hit the rim and fell, smashing into the ground. Water splashed up like it had exploded
(like a machine)
and Gabe whirled with a snort of indignance.
"God, did you have to do that?" she demanded, hurrying over and scooping it back into the trashcan. Micah didn't answer, he just leaned back in bed and smiled pleasantly. Gabe ripped a papertowel from the roll on the counter and wiped up the mess, grumbling under her breath. "You're lucky Nurse Pruitt isn't in here. She'd have your hide if you spilled one drop." Micah rolled his eyes, pushing away the suddenly clear memory of his accident.
"You're not a very caring caretaker," he said calmly. Gabe, bent at the waist, looked up at him
(right through you dammit she sees right through you)
and smirked -- both amused and irritated.
"You're going to be trouble. I just know it." She crumpled the paper towel and turned away. Micah stared at her back solemnly, trying to shake off the feeling of transparency.
(You too, bitch. You too.)