The stairwell was dark, and I sat in the shadows. It felt like the first time I had been alone in a long time. Everywhere else in this stupid hospital was infested with people. It wasn't that I minded people. But I wanted to see my friends! It wasn't fair, that this stupid doctor, who doesn't even really know me, gets to make all sorts of decisions. I wanted to see my friends, damn it!
I could hear Doctor Steve calling down the hall for me. I'd never really had a full session with him. I guess I run out of his office an awful lot. But it serves him right for being stupid.
"Ash, come out. We need to talk! Come on!" he called. I didn't move. The last thing I wanted was for him to find me. I liked it there, under the stairwell. But I've never been very lucky.
"Here you are. Come on, we've got time left to talk."
"That's all I am to you, an allotted amount of time. I'm not going anywhere," I told him.
"You can't just stay here forever," he said, reasonably.
"Watch me."
"You'll get hungry eventually. You'll need to use the bathroom. And this won't be a comfortable place to sleep."
"At least I won't have to see you."
"Fine!" he said, exasperated. "Stay here forever. I'll let the nurses know why you won't be in your room."
I didn't respond, so he turned away and left.
I don't know if he figured I'd get bored or what, but he was back in two hours to check up on me. He seemed surprised that I was still sitting there.
"You know, Lori is getting lonely without you in the room. Its 10:15, and she wants to know if she's going to have to sleep alone."
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"Uh-huh. I'm sure."
He turned around and walked away. But not before he let me know that I could return to my room anytime I wanted. He was so stupid. Didn't he know that I would stay here forever, just so he wouldn't win?
I spent the night down there, drifting in and out of sleep. Actually, I probably did better on the sleep front than I usually did. Since I got here, I hadn't really slept at all. But I must have gotten at least 5 hours of sleep under that stairwell.
Just as I suspected, Doctor Steve was back to see me, first thing in the morning.
I could hear Doctor Steve calling down the hall for me. I'd never really had a full session with him. I guess I run out of his office an awful lot. But it serves him right for being stupid.
"Ash, come out. We need to talk! Come on!" he called. I didn't move. The last thing I wanted was for him to find me. I liked it there, under the stairwell. But I've never been very lucky.
"Here you are. Come on, we've got time left to talk."
"That's all I am to you, an allotted amount of time. I'm not going anywhere," I told him.
"You can't just stay here forever," he said, reasonably.
"Watch me."
"You'll get hungry eventually. You'll need to use the bathroom. And this won't be a comfortable place to sleep."
"At least I won't have to see you."
"Fine!" he said, exasperated. "Stay here forever. I'll let the nurses know why you won't be in your room."
I didn't respond, so he turned away and left.
I don't know if he figured I'd get bored or what, but he was back in two hours to check up on me. He seemed surprised that I was still sitting there.
"You know, Lori is getting lonely without you in the room. Its 10:15, and she wants to know if she's going to have to sleep alone."
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"Uh-huh. I'm sure."
He turned around and walked away. But not before he let me know that I could return to my room anytime I wanted. He was so stupid. Didn't he know that I would stay here forever, just so he wouldn't win?
I spent the night down there, drifting in and out of sleep. Actually, I probably did better on the sleep front than I usually did. Since I got here, I hadn't really slept at all. But I must have gotten at least 5 hours of sleep under that stairwell.
Just as I suspected, Doctor Steve was back to see me, first thing in the morning.