Chapter II

Charles awoke.  Shift change.  The noise and clamor coming from the nurses’ station signaled the end of yet another exhausting night shift.  The laughter rang through Charles room, bouncing off the walls and increasing in volume with each inside joke.  The chaotic choir down the hall rose at a phenomenal pace until it suddenly ceased, marking the arrival of the chief of medicine on his morning rounds.

               

                Relieved by this lab coat wearing mute button, Charles was finally able to think.

 

“F**k ‘um.  Sorry to be such a strain on you.  It’s not like I’m dying here or anything.  Don’t be so f*****g happy.  You don’t deserve it.  God, I hate you all so much.  Fuckers.”

               

                Charles would have continued with this thought process if not for the interrupting qualities present within a gentle, yet affirmative, knock on his door.  Shedding a ray of light onto the void between the door and the bed, Charles was greeted by balloons gently pushing through the frame and rising to the ceiling until restrained by the taut plastic strings held within a woman’s hand.

 

“I’m sorry about last night.”

 

“You again?  Didn’t I tell you to leave me alone?”

 

“Yea, But there some things I need to tell you.  Things you should know”

 

“I doubt that.  I don’t give a damn what you want to say.  I would very much prefer it if you found a way to shut your trap.  Turn around and go ruin someone else’s day.”

 

“Well, too bad for you.  I’m not going anywhere.”

 

“I’ll call the nurse in here.”

 

“False.  I heard what you said when I was outside the door.  Do you really want them to help you? Those ‘fuckers’?”

 

                Charles lifted himself in preparation for his dismount.

 

“Fine then.  I’ll do it myself.”

 

                Taking hold of his IV cart, Charles placed his feet upon the ground.  Pushing off the tile floor, each crack and groan revealed the years Charles had lived.  Continuing with the percussion masterpiece emanating from his body, Charles took a step forward only to find himself on the ground with his cheeks measuring the surface temperature of the tiles.

 

“Here.  Let me help you up.”

 

“Get the f**k away from me.  I don’t need your help you stupid floozy.”

 

“What did you call me?”

 

“You heard me.”

 

“No, I don’t think I did.”

 

“Sure you did, floozy.”

 

“You don’t even know me.  What gives you the right to say such a thing?”

 

“I don’t need a right to hate some b***h who can’t stay out of my room.  Now let go of me.  I can take care of myself.”

 

“No.  I’m not leaving until I say what I came here to say.”

 

“Say all you want, I won’t be listening.”

 

“Fine.  You know what?  Why are you so angry?  What have I done to deserve this kind of treatment? I’ve tried to be polite and nice and all you have been is an a*s.  I can’t believe you lie there all day and sulk like a child.  You’re old enough to be my grandfather but you pout like some little girl.  I came here to apologize for last night and all you can do is make me regret everything.  No wonder there are no flowers here.  No pictures.  No cards.  Not even one personal item.  I bet no one ever visits you.  I bet you pushed them all away.  I bet they all hate you.

 

“What does it matter?  I don’t need anyone.  I don’t need friends or family, doctors or nurses.  I don’t need you.  I’m going to die alone and I like it that way.”

 

“I thought you weren’t going to listen.”

 

“F**k you wise a*s.”

 

“We gotta work on your attitude.  Maybe if we actually let some light into this dreary room.”

 

                Crossing the room and reaching for the curtains, the woman threw the heavy fabric out of the way.  Letting in far less sunlight than expected, she quickly realized that the window was facing a brick wall mimicking the aged erosion of Charles’ room.

 

“There we go.  At least we have a little more light in here now.”

 

“You’re an idiot.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“You heard me.  You could have just flipped the switch and had more than enough light.”

 

“Fact.  But there is something to be said about sunlight, no matter how small.  It just warms a room far more than any light bulb.  Jeez, these walls really need a good scrubbing don’t they?”

 

“Why does it matter?  The dying tend to think little of interior decorating.”

 

“Maybe.  But you are still a human being and deserve better than these disgusting walls.”

 

“Yea.  Sure.  I’ll make sure to have a word with the doctor next time he comes in to make sure I’m still dying.”

 

“Man, you really do know how to lighten the mood, don’t you?”

 

“Shut up.  I don’t need to hear this from you.”

 

“Well.  You should hear it from somebody.  Someone needs to knock some sense into your thick skull.”

 

“The only person who needs to get knocked around is you, you stupid twat.”

 

“What did you call me?”

 

                Before Charles could reinforce his statement, yet another knock made use of its interruptive qualities.  Walking into the room, an elderly nurse went to work checking Charles’ vitals.

 

“Beautiful day, isn’t it Charles?”

 

“How the hell should I know? “

 

“Hmmm.  True.  Doesn’t mean you have to be so mean about it.”

 

“Well it doesn’t mean you have to be such a damned fool either.”

 

“Yes.  Well.  Oh, is this your daughter?”

 

“No, it’s the hooker I called in.  Hurry up and finish what you were doing, I’m getting charged by the minute here.”

 

“Oh dear.  Miss, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.  Visiting hours are not till ten.”

 

“It’s fine.  I was just leaving.”

 

“Great.  You just cost me five hundred dollars and I didn’t even get a hand job.”

Reviews

[Sweet_pale_cacophony]

I like how you write a story in the pattern of a conversation..i enjoyed this chapter...would love to see how the story does progress and this time andrew i am looking for an ending which is not vague but something that i would remember for a very long time..I do appreciate how the chapters are more sharp and fast paced now...i love the ending of this chapter...love the wit of the central character.