3
As the checkers on the board rattled across the black and red squares Gavin gripped onto the edge of the table, mouth agape.
“I told you Mr. Whispers was real and not just in my head," Andy said.
“Who, what is he?" Gavin stammered.
“I don't know," Andy said.
Miss Jasper came to the table and the checkers stopped moving. Her immaculately white uniform almost shone in the dim light of the game room. She placed her hands on her broad hips causing the ring of keys hanging from her belt to jingle. The scent of rose perfume wafted from her.
“I was told you wanted to see the doctor," she said to Gavin.
“Yes I would," Gavin said. “I have been asking to for the past two weeks."
“You don't feel like the nurses and orderlies are helping you?" she said.
“The point is, I don't need help," he said, his voice rising.
“Control yourself Gavin. If you didn't need help you wouldn't be here."
Gavin slammed his fist down on the checker board sending several of the checkers onto the floor. The other patients nearby all turned to see what was going on.
“You can't keep me here just because I crashed into a tree," he yelled.
Miss Jasper stepped back. “Control yourself or we'll have to help you gain control."
He picked up the checkerboard and flung it and the checkers across the room, hitting a catatonic patient sitting by a window.
“I demand to be let out of here," Gavin said, standing.
Miss Jasper signaled with her hands to the three orderlies standing nearby. They grabbed Gavin and quickly pinned him to the floor, then with the precision of choreographed dancers, lifted him up and carried him out of the game room. Miss Jasper followed behind, sorting through the keys as they crossed the hall. They stopped in front of a metal door. She unlocked the door and opened it. After being carried in, Gavin was restrained with leather cuffs on his wrists and ankles to a padded table.
“You can't do this to me," Gavin screamed.
“I'll be back in a moment to give you something to reduce your excitement," Miss Jasper said.
After she and the orderlies left the room, a shimmering translucent figure appeared in a corner.
“What the hell?" Gavin said, staring at it in disbelief.
* * *
The spot where the needle had been injected into his ass still stung. He tried to fight off the effects of the medication that made him want to sleep. He tried to focus on what little light that came into the room through a small window covered with a mesh wire high in the wall. The ghostly figure in the corner hadn't moved.
“Are you Mr. Whispers?" he asked and got no response.
* * *
