5
In the middle of the night as sleet battered the window above his cot, Gavin stared up at the ceiling hidden in the darkness. Cold air seeped under the window and brushed his face. He raised up as much as the restraint around his ankle would allow to look out the window. Unable to see anything he turned onto his side and then reached over and shook Andy's cot.
“Andy, I have to get out of here," he said.
Andy pulled his blanket from his face. “I thought you got to see the doctor."
“I did," Gavin said. “She tried to tell me I'm psychotic. I have no way to prove if I am or not unless I get out of this hospital."
Andy rolled onto his side and faced Gavin. “Being psychotic isn't so bad. We get plenty to eat and a place to sleep. Rarely does anything really bad happen in here."
“What do you mean, rarely?" Gavin asked.
“There was that nice nurse, Grace, who worked the night shift here before you arrived. One of the patients stabbed her in the chest with a broken broom handle," Andy said. “No one's going to stab you though Gavin."
“Please, Andy, tell Mr. Whispers I need his help tonight. I have to get out of here."
“Okay, I'll tell him but he's been angry at me for telling on him so I can't promise anything." Andy rolled back onto his back and after several minutes of mumbled whispering he turned back to Gavin. “Mrs. Whispers said he will still help you. Act like you're sick, like you're going to throw up or something. When Jerry lets you out of the restraint to take you to the bathroom, Mr. Whispers will take care of the rest. Just be prepared to run out the door."
“Okay," Gavin said. “And Andy, tell Mr. Whispers thanks. He's saving my life."
Gavin rolled back onto his back and began moaning loudly. Glancing over he saw Jerry get up from his chair and begin walking down he aisle. He groaned louder.
Jerry stopped at the end of the cot and tapped it with his foot. “What's wrong?"
“I'm sick. I need to go to the toilet so I can throw up," Gavin said.
Jerry took the restraint key from his pocket and unlocked the strap around Gavin's ankle.
“What's going on back there?" Mrs. Brookings called out from the desk.
“Gavin's sick. I'm going to take him to the bathroom," Jerry said.
Mrs. Brookings stood up and started down the aisle. When she was half way down the aisle the door to the ward blew open.
Gavin pushed past Jerry and ran down the aisle, knocking Mrs. Brookings aside. As soon as he ran through the open door it slammed shut. At the door to the stairwell he tugged on the handle but was unable to pull it open. He turned back to the elevator and frantically pushed the button. Anxiously he watched the arrow in the floor indicator rise. Just as the elevator bell rang and the door opened, Gavin felt someone standing behind him. He turned to see Grace standing there. Her name tag on her uniform had her last name printed on it. Whispers.
As she stepped into the elevator shaft she took Gavin with her.
The End
