Lisa couldn't move she stared at the tag in disbelief. It clearly read "Jackson Rippner". She felt a wave of fear and curiosity rush into her at the same time, she looked at the door, just one flimsy two inches of wood separating me from the man that has destroyed my life, she thought.
"Ma'am?" a firm but kind voice questioned.
Lisa jumped and stumbled backward, wrenched from her thoughts by this unfamiliar voice.
"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you, but do you know this man?"
Lisa found herself looking into the eyes of a cheery looking policeman, but she couldn't form any words with her lips. She felt his strong hand on her arm as he helped her up, she had been standing kind of in a half-sit up against the wall with her sweater still on the nameplate. "Thank you," she muttered, she found it was really the only thing she could get past her lips.
"No problem," he said slowly, he unhooked her sweater and looked strangely at her for a while then looked questioningly at the door.
Lisa suddenly snapped out of this dream state she was in and remembered the officers first question, "Oh, well he's just…well I don't …I just was surprised to see his name on that tag is all." The words were stumbling out of her mouth, she had a lot to ask this policeman but she was sure he couldn't answer them. She tugged her arm away from his grip and straitened herself up. She nervously looked at the window but all she could see was the edge of a closet or cabinet and white wall. She then returned the man's questioning stare and muttered "And why are-"
The officer immediately cut-in as if ready to answer the question, "Well, you see ma'am, Mr. Rippner was involved in a…" he stopped as if searching for the correct word, "in a criminal activity. He was injured and sent here, and because of that…you know, I have to watch the ole' door. I don't know why I need to be here though, he looked pretty banged up, I don't think he's going any…where…" the man soon realized the he did not have a listener, and he swiveled around to see where she went. Lisa was walking down the hallway so fast and brutally little bits of her bouquet were falling off, leaving a very pretty trail of crimson rose petals behind her. He shrugged and went back to his job.
Lisa's mind was completely blank she was practically running to Mr. Yammsdale's room. When she reached it she had a thirty minute or so visit with the injured skier, none of which Lisa could recall.
"Good bye Lisa!" Mr. Yammsdale called.
Lisa gave a fake smile and wave and started walking down the hall, after the door closed she stopped, consciousness flooding back into her. I have to find another way to the exit. She scanned the hallway for any other passage; none. She looked for elevators or stairs: nothing. She started walking, then stopped, started, stopped, start, stop. She nervously walked in a crooked little circle, and then stood still when she saw a confused nurse looking at her.
Gosh, I'm being so stupid, who cares if I walk by the damn door! She took a deep breath and started walking down the hall, minding that she stayed close to the opposite wall. As the room numbers got closer to Jackson's the faster she walked, by the time she got close to the door she was practically running, and she had her head down and her eyes closed when she was at least two doors down, then THUNK.
She ran right into a brochure table and into a maintenance closet. Lisa coughed and spluttered and fought free from the massive pile of mops and brooms that fell on her.
"Elch…my god…perfect," she stumbled up and looked around self-consciously, to find herself being stared at by a bunch of cleaning supplies. She tried to laugh at her self, but some weird seal-like noise came out. She frowned and stuck her head out the door.
She heard a frustrated voice come out of Jackson's room and a infuriated nurse stormed out of the room with a basket with some needles and syringes in it.
"My god, I will be happy when he leaves!" she said dramatically.
"Everything all right," the officer said with concern putting his hand on his gun, ready to charge in.
"Fine, Fine, he just is so disagreeable and he never tells me how he's progressing and he never cooperates with medical equipment and medicine, you know the other day he pulled out his IV, he just yanked it out, said he didn't need it!" she complained.
"Well," said the officer, a little disappointed to find that he was not going to have to charge in, tried to console her, "You know if you ever need, you know, " he punched his palm with his fist, "I'll be gla-had to help you out."
""Oh heavens no! I just…" she shook her head, "and he's going to be here a while too, he's pretty beat up, I mean the only medicine he'll let me give him is the pain meds."
"Mm…" he said, disappointed again at the lack of excitement coming with this job, "do you think he'll be out long enough for me to get a little snack?"
"Oh yeah, what I gave him always puts him to sleep."
He smiled, nodded, and lugged off.
Lisa stared amazed ad the disappearing police officer. LEAVING! She stared in horror at the unguarded door, then her expression changed into curiosity. I don't think I would mind so much to see Jackson Rippner hurt in bed, in fact I might enjoy it, I mean he is asleep.
The next thing she knew she was opening the door. She swung the door open and gaped at the room. Two beds, one unoccupied, a small TV and a closet. No flowers. She thought. She cocked her head and her eyes landed on the occupied bed, white sheets covering a thin body and a tangled head of midnight hair poking out from the top. His head was turned so she couldn't see his face. She looked at all the machines hooked up to him; a breather, an IV drip, one of those beeping heart monitors, and a few others she didn't recognize.
What am I doing here she thought. She turned to leave when she heard a light moan; she swiveled around and stared at him. He had flipped over, she stared at his face, he looked too skinny and pale, and he had a slight frown on his lips. She looked at the small clear tube connected to his neck and an IV protruding from his hand that was resting comfortably on his stomach.
Even to this day she does not know why, but she walked over to the bed, thinking that him flipping over right when she went to leave was simply a coincidence.
She stood close to the bed and looked down at him. She put her hand on the bed guard and stared into his face. How long she stood there is unknown but at some point Jackson rested his hand comfortably on hers and opened his eyes. Lisa tried to back up but he clutched at her hand and she simply stared at him as he gave her a horrifying smile.