It's now dusk and another day is coming to an end at The Institute. The sun is setting on the other side of the window behind Billy. He sits in his office, alone, thinking about the previous events.
"How can someone perform unauthorized surgery in this place and no one know?" Billy again asks the walls.
Billy flashes back to the first time Bob entered his room and showed him his scar. The doctor thought that was bad, but then someone was found over the body of George Peterson.
No one claims to know anything about what is going on.
"I hope the autopsy tomorrow can explain something," Billy sighs, then has a quiet yawn.
The young doctor places his head down onto the desk, and before you know it is drifting off to sleep.
Ray and Greg are outside on the top of the roof with Matthew standing guard. They are the only ones out there because Matthew has let them have a recreation break without signing them out.
Sitting along the edge of the roof the two are talking as Greg puffs on a cigarette.
"I need to do something, Greg. I think they are on to me now," Ray swats at a fly buzzing around his face.
"Oh, stop," Greg blows smoke from his mouth,"They don't know anything, so just stay calm."
"Look at him over there all smug. You know he'll turn on us in a second."
"Who? Matthew?" Greg looks over at the guard. Matthew is looking over the roof at a car driving up to the front of the building.
"Matthew. I don't trust him. I think he's gonna turn on us to save his own neck." Ray says.
"Why would he do that?" Greg drops the butt of his cigarette onto the ground and steps on it. "He'd be in just as much trouble as us..and that's from his boss. "
"They're gonna come after me. They all will. I need to get out of this somehow."
Ray starts jogging away from Greg.
"Hey!" Greg stands up next to the edge. "What are you doing?"
"I'm just trying to think," Ray shouts back as he rounds a corner of the roof.
"By running?" Greg pulls another cigarett out of his pack. "I could think of other ways to think."
Ray keeps jogging in a square around the edges of the rooftop.
"No, really, Ray. Quit it and come over here," Greg pleads to Ray. "Just calm down."
"I just can't go on like this anymore!" Ray shouts between deep breaths.
Ray continues running around the rooftop, and then stops for a second. He turns his head and looks toward Greg.
"Just get over here, Ray and we'll talk."
"About what? What is there to talk about anymore, Greg?"
Ray starts to jog toward Greg, then picks up speed. He is running at full sprint when he gets to Greg and jumps up onto the ledge catapulting himself right over the side.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
Chapter Fourteen
Billy looks around his office and sees a small, surgical knife on the corner of his desk. Grabbing the knife, Billy then opens his deskand pulls out a bottle of alcohol. The doctor then pours the alcohol across the knife before walking back to Bob.
"W-What are y-y-you doing?" Bob asks.
"Just sit still, Bob. It's very important you do not move your head. O.K.?" Dr. Ramsey raises the knife to the back of Bob's head and slowly slices a cut into Bob's wound. There is a small piece of string that raises up through the skin.
"I can't believe you just did that, Doctor," Brad says.
"Are you O.K., Bob?" Billy asks the patient.
"I'm al--al--alright," Bob responds.
"It's definitely the same string as was found in Bob's room," Dr. Ramsey professes.
"So--so--you believe me?" Bob asks.
"I was believing you before, Bob," Dr. Ramsey walks back over to his desk and places the knife back down just as the phone rings.
Billy answers, "Hello."
"Tomorrow? You can't give me anything at all until tomorrow?" The doctor asks into the receiver. "You're certain of that though? Multiple stab wounds?" A brief pause. "O.K., I'm anxious to see you in the morning. Thank you."
Billy hangs up the phone.
A little while later......
Billy approaches the nurse's station. "Is Bob back in his room?"
"Yes," the nurse on duty responds. "He's still afraid to go outside during recreation time with the others."
"Can't say I blame him," Billy adds before asking, "Have you seen anyone go in or out of my room lately when I have not been around?"
"No, Doctor," the nurse answers. "Why?"
"Someone left a note on my desk while I was out earlier. Was just wondering whom it might be from, that's all." Billy says flatly. "Who was on duty before you?"
"Oh, that was Nurse Claire."
"Thank you," Billy says before walking back to his office.
Bob is in his room stretched out in his bed, trying to take a nap. He starts having a nightmare about what happened to him the night he woke up to find his head had been shaved and stitched up. He flashes back to a bright light being shined into his eyes. A spotlight. Like a light from an operating table. There are flashes in his memory of people in the room holding him down until his arms and legs are strapped onto the table. He is kicking and yelling asking why everyone is doing this to him, but no one answers.
The faces of the people in the room remain blank at first as he stuggles to remember who they are.
Bob starts twisting and turning in his bed. He grabs at the blanket and pulls it up over his head in his sleep. The man now remembers someone leaning over him to give him sleeping gas, placing it over his nose and mouth. Just as Bob starts to feel the effects of the gas in his dream, he remembers the face of the man applying it.
It's Ray.
"W-What are y-y-you doing?" Bob asks.
"Just sit still, Bob. It's very important you do not move your head. O.K.?" Dr. Ramsey raises the knife to the back of Bob's head and slowly slices a cut into Bob's wound. There is a small piece of string that raises up through the skin.
"I can't believe you just did that, Doctor," Brad says.
"Are you O.K., Bob?" Billy asks the patient.
"I'm al--al--alright," Bob responds.
"It's definitely the same string as was found in Bob's room," Dr. Ramsey professes.
"So--so--you believe me?" Bob asks.
"I was believing you before, Bob," Dr. Ramsey walks back over to his desk and places the knife back down just as the phone rings.
Billy answers, "Hello."
"Tomorrow? You can't give me anything at all until tomorrow?" The doctor asks into the receiver. "You're certain of that though? Multiple stab wounds?" A brief pause. "O.K., I'm anxious to see you in the morning. Thank you."
Billy hangs up the phone.
A little while later......
Billy approaches the nurse's station. "Is Bob back in his room?"
"Yes," the nurse on duty responds. "He's still afraid to go outside during recreation time with the others."
"Can't say I blame him," Billy adds before asking, "Have you seen anyone go in or out of my room lately when I have not been around?"
"No, Doctor," the nurse answers. "Why?"
"Someone left a note on my desk while I was out earlier. Was just wondering whom it might be from, that's all." Billy says flatly. "Who was on duty before you?"
"Oh, that was Nurse Claire."
"Thank you," Billy says before walking back to his office.
Bob is in his room stretched out in his bed, trying to take a nap. He starts having a nightmare about what happened to him the night he woke up to find his head had been shaved and stitched up. He flashes back to a bright light being shined into his eyes. A spotlight. Like a light from an operating table. There are flashes in his memory of people in the room holding him down until his arms and legs are strapped onto the table. He is kicking and yelling asking why everyone is doing this to him, but no one answers.
The faces of the people in the room remain blank at first as he stuggles to remember who they are.
Bob starts twisting and turning in his bed. He grabs at the blanket and pulls it up over his head in his sleep. The man now remembers someone leaning over him to give him sleeping gas, placing it over his nose and mouth. Just as Bob starts to feel the effects of the gas in his dream, he remembers the face of the man applying it.
It's Ray.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Billy gets up from his seat and walks to the door to his office. He opens it and peers out looking for Brad.
"Brad!...Brad!"
Billy sees the man appear around the corner at the end of the hallway. The guard is walking toward him.
"Brad, I need you to sit with Bob for a moment while I go do something." Billy is practically yelling down the hallway before the guard approaches.
"Sure, Sir. What's wrong?" The guard asks.
"I'll tell ya if I find out something." Billy quickly sprints off.
Billy is now in the Bob's room, laying on the floor. The doctor is reaching under the bed and finds the hole that Bob mentioned. With his hand all the way inside, he can't find anything in the mattress.
"Where are they?" Dr. Ramsey asks.
"What are you talking about?" Ray pretends to be confused as he is standing next to another security guard in the room. Greg is sitting on the other bed to the side.
"You know what I'm talking about guys. I want to know now. Where are they?" Dr. Ramsey gets up from the floor and walks over to Ray, staring at him. "Don't play games with me.""I don't know what you are talking about. I swear!" Ray is obviously agitated.
"Guard, I want this room searched from top to bottom, and....I want everything in here cataloged."
"Everything, Sir?" The guard asks.
"Everything. I want every piece of toilet paper, and every toe nail clipping on the floor logged in. Got it?"
"O.K. Sir. "
Billy lets himself out of the room as the guard grabs his radio and asks for assistance.
Billy has rejoined Brad and Bob in his office.
"Bob, we I didn't find the scissors or scalpel in your room. I just looked." Billy walks around his desk and once again sits down.
"Th..The....They were there. I promise." Bob starts to get upset and shifts in his chair.
"I believe you, Bob. I found the hole you were talking about, but they've been moved from the mattress."
"Fu...fuckers."
"Bob, I'm having your room searched right now. I, also, am having the guards catalog everything in your room so I can find out what's there."
"O...O...O.K." Bob rubs at the back of his head. "I ..I wanna know why they did this?"
"I do too, Bob. We will."
The guards start to clear out of the patients' room. A couple of confiscated items and lists of what else is there in their hands.
"C'mon. We need to go get this stuff to Dr. Ramsey," One of the guards says.
They leave the room single file, as the last guard turns back around to lock the door.
"Look guys, Dr. Ramsey is obviously suspicious of you now. It's imperative that you do not say a word or let on to anything. Got it?" Matthew asks.
"I don't think they will find out anything," Greg says.
"You don't think?? You better know that they won't. You hear me?" Matthew whispers, but loudly.
"Umm...." Greg starts.
"I knew you guys wouldn't be capable of this." Matthew quickly closes the door behind him and locks it.
Back in Billy's office, the guard that was initially with Billy in Bob's room enters the office.
"Sir, we have a few things here that they shouldn't have, but it's nothing really suspicious." The guard says.
The guard sets the items down on top of Dr. Ramsey's desk.
"This is it?" Billy runs his hands over the items as if trying to find something. "I thought for sure we would find something.""Well, Sir, there is something kind of odd."
"What's that?" The doctor asks.
"We found a spool of string. It looks like string that you would use to sew up stitches." The guard pulls the string out of his pocket and hands it to Dr. Ramsey. Billy takes it into his hand and looks it over.
"This is odd. Why would this be in their room?"
Dr. Ramsey gets up from his desk and walks over behind Bob.
"Just look forward, Bob. Don't turn your head."
"O..O..O.K." Bob complies.
The young doctor holds up the spool of string to the back of Bob's head and rubs the patient's head with his other hand.
"Looks like freshly healed over stitches."
"Are you thinking what I think you are, Sir?" The guard asks.
"Brad!...Brad!"
Billy sees the man appear around the corner at the end of the hallway. The guard is walking toward him.
"Brad, I need you to sit with Bob for a moment while I go do something." Billy is practically yelling down the hallway before the guard approaches.
"Sure, Sir. What's wrong?" The guard asks.
"I'll tell ya if I find out something." Billy quickly sprints off.
Billy is now in the Bob's room, laying on the floor. The doctor is reaching under the bed and finds the hole that Bob mentioned. With his hand all the way inside, he can't find anything in the mattress.
"Where are they?" Dr. Ramsey asks.
"What are you talking about?" Ray pretends to be confused as he is standing next to another security guard in the room. Greg is sitting on the other bed to the side.
"You know what I'm talking about guys. I want to know now. Where are they?" Dr. Ramsey gets up from the floor and walks over to Ray, staring at him. "Don't play games with me.""I don't know what you are talking about. I swear!" Ray is obviously agitated.
"Guard, I want this room searched from top to bottom, and....I want everything in here cataloged."
"Everything, Sir?" The guard asks.
"Everything. I want every piece of toilet paper, and every toe nail clipping on the floor logged in. Got it?"
"O.K. Sir. "
Billy lets himself out of the room as the guard grabs his radio and asks for assistance.
Billy has rejoined Brad and Bob in his office.
"Bob, we I didn't find the scissors or scalpel in your room. I just looked." Billy walks around his desk and once again sits down.
"Th..The....They were there. I promise." Bob starts to get upset and shifts in his chair.
"I believe you, Bob. I found the hole you were talking about, but they've been moved from the mattress."
"Fu...fuckers."
"Bob, I'm having your room searched right now. I, also, am having the guards catalog everything in your room so I can find out what's there."
"O...O...O.K." Bob rubs at the back of his head. "I ..I wanna know why they did this?"
"I do too, Bob. We will."
The guards start to clear out of the patients' room. A couple of confiscated items and lists of what else is there in their hands.
"C'mon. We need to go get this stuff to Dr. Ramsey," One of the guards says.
They leave the room single file, as the last guard turns back around to lock the door.
"Look guys, Dr. Ramsey is obviously suspicious of you now. It's imperative that you do not say a word or let on to anything. Got it?" Matthew asks.
"I don't think they will find out anything," Greg says.
"You don't think?? You better know that they won't. You hear me?" Matthew whispers, but loudly.
"Umm...." Greg starts.
"I knew you guys wouldn't be capable of this." Matthew quickly closes the door behind him and locks it.
Back in Billy's office, the guard that was initially with Billy in Bob's room enters the office.
"Sir, we have a few things here that they shouldn't have, but it's nothing really suspicious." The guard says.
The guard sets the items down on top of Dr. Ramsey's desk.
"This is it?" Billy runs his hands over the items as if trying to find something. "I thought for sure we would find something.""Well, Sir, there is something kind of odd."
"What's that?" The doctor asks.
"We found a spool of string. It looks like string that you would use to sew up stitches." The guard pulls the string out of his pocket and hands it to Dr. Ramsey. Billy takes it into his hand and looks it over.
"This is odd. Why would this be in their room?"
Dr. Ramsey gets up from his desk and walks over behind Bob.
"Just look forward, Bob. Don't turn your head."
"O..O..O.K." Bob complies.
The young doctor holds up the spool of string to the back of Bob's head and rubs the patient's head with his other hand.
"Looks like freshly healed over stitches."
"Are you thinking what I think you are, Sir?" The guard asks.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Chapter Twelve
Billy arrives back at the institute and passes the nurse's station.
"Hey, Stephanie. You still here?"
"Yeah, twelve hours for me. Why are you back so early?" Stephanie pulls out the elastic from her ponytail, letting her long, black hair drop over her shoulders.
"I'm trying to figure out some stuff. Can you have one of the guards bring Bob to my room?" Billy asks.
"Sure, but the patient probably isn't awake yet."
"Then wake him," Billy says flatly.
The doctor walks down the hallway to his office and walks in. Billy immediately notices the photo of his parents has been moved, and stops. Cautiously, Billy looks behind the door and around his room to see if anyone is still there. Not seeing anyone, Billy quickly steps in and closes the door behind him before he makes his way to the desk. Billy picks up the photo and resets it. He sees the note tucked under it: GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM BEFORE YOU GET HURT LIKE THE OTHERS.
The guard taps on Bob's door and wakes up the three roommates.
"C'mon on Bob, your appearance is requested." Brad, the guard says.
Ray pulls the sheets down from around his face. "What's this about, Brad?"
"Dr. Ramsey needs to speak with Bob."
"M-m-me? Why?" Bob asks while sitting up in his bed.
"I'm not sure, Bob. He just wants you in his office right away."
"O-O-O.K." Bob slips his feet into green slippers that match the color of his pajamas. "I'm ready."
Brad unlocks the door and Bob joins him in the hallway. The guard locks up the door before the two head off to Dr. Ramsey's office.
"I wonder if we are in trouble?" Greg asks.
"I hope not," Ray answers.
Brad raps on Dr. Ramsey's door before entering.
"Here's the patient, Dr. Ramsey."
"Thanks," says Billy. "You can leave him with me, thanks."
Brad steps out of the office, closing the door behind him.
"I apologize for waking you up so early, Bob," Billy starts. "But I need to talk to you. I need to know more about what happened to you. Is there anything you can tell me?"
"I--I--I"
"It's O.K. Bob. I promise what you tell me will stay with me." Billy tries to reassure Bob.
"Well...I--I think Ray and G--Greg know something."
"You do? Why do you think this, Bob?" Billy asks.
"I found some things under the mattress." Bob says.
"On the floor?"
"N--N--No. In a hole, under the mat--mattress."
"Hidden? What did you find, Bob? Please, you've got to tell me."
"It...it..it was a scal...scalpel and some scissors."
"What?" Billys says louder than he thought. "What would they have a scalpel and scissors for..unless...."
"Hey, Stephanie. You still here?"
"Yeah, twelve hours for me. Why are you back so early?" Stephanie pulls out the elastic from her ponytail, letting her long, black hair drop over her shoulders.
"I'm trying to figure out some stuff. Can you have one of the guards bring Bob to my room?" Billy asks.
"Sure, but the patient probably isn't awake yet."
"Then wake him," Billy says flatly.
The doctor walks down the hallway to his office and walks in. Billy immediately notices the photo of his parents has been moved, and stops. Cautiously, Billy looks behind the door and around his room to see if anyone is still there. Not seeing anyone, Billy quickly steps in and closes the door behind him before he makes his way to the desk. Billy picks up the photo and resets it. He sees the note tucked under it: GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM BEFORE YOU GET HURT LIKE THE OTHERS.
The guard taps on Bob's door and wakes up the three roommates.
"C'mon on Bob, your appearance is requested." Brad, the guard says.
Ray pulls the sheets down from around his face. "What's this about, Brad?"
"Dr. Ramsey needs to speak with Bob."
"M-m-me? Why?" Bob asks while sitting up in his bed.
"I'm not sure, Bob. He just wants you in his office right away."
"O-O-O.K." Bob slips his feet into green slippers that match the color of his pajamas. "I'm ready."
Brad unlocks the door and Bob joins him in the hallway. The guard locks up the door before the two head off to Dr. Ramsey's office.
"I wonder if we are in trouble?" Greg asks.
"I hope not," Ray answers.
Brad raps on Dr. Ramsey's door before entering.
"Here's the patient, Dr. Ramsey."
"Thanks," says Billy. "You can leave him with me, thanks."
Brad steps out of the office, closing the door behind him.
"I apologize for waking you up so early, Bob," Billy starts. "But I need to talk to you. I need to know more about what happened to you. Is there anything you can tell me?"
"I--I--I"
"It's O.K. Bob. I promise what you tell me will stay with me." Billy tries to reassure Bob.
"Well...I--I think Ray and G--Greg know something."
"You do? Why do you think this, Bob?" Billy asks.
"I found some things under the mattress." Bob says.
"On the floor?"
"N--N--No. In a hole, under the mat--mattress."
"Hidden? What did you find, Bob? Please, you've got to tell me."
"It...it..it was a scal...scalpel and some scissors."
"What?" Billys says louder than he thought. "What would they have a scalpel and scissors for..unless...."
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Chapter Eleven
Bob can now be heard snoring from under the blanket. His white, slip-on sneakers sticking out at one end.
Greg slides down onto the floor next to his bunk and reaches up under the mattress to retrieve the scalpel and scissors from the hole.
"I don't know how we haven't been caught," Ray says.
"I know." Greg stands up and walks over to the front of his room.
Matthew unlocks the door and extends his arm around it for Greg to place the items in his hand.
"Thanks," says the guard. "You've done your job. All you have to do now is keep your mouths shut."
"No problem," the two patients say in unison as Matthew closes and relocks the door.
Billy shuts off his laptop and closes the top.
"This is weird. I thought this type of stuff would happen in a big city like New York or Chicago, not a small town like this."
Billy gets up from the couch and brings his unfinished Diet Coke back to the fridge.
"All this stuff makes me feel like I need a shower."
The young doctor picks up a bag off the floor next to the fridge and heads for the bathroom.
A few moments later, the sound of running water starts.
There's a knock on Billy's office door, to which there is no answer. The doorknob turns slightly. The door is pushed open. There's a gloved hand opening the door, before a figure dressed in doctor's scrubs steps into the office. The figure looks around inside the office to make sure no one is in the room, then steps all the way in, closing the door.
The mysterious person walks over to the desk and sits down, opens each and every drawer as if looking for something.
A hand reaches for the picture of Billy's parents and sets the photo facedown. The figure stands up, reaches into the waistband of the pants, and pulls out a piece of paper. The paper is placed on top of the photograph of Billy's parents.
A moment later the the door is closed as the mysterious person leaves the office.
Outside in the hallway, Matthew walks up to the person in doctor's scrubs.
"Here's what you want."
The guard hands over the scalpel and scissors.
"Will they continue to cooperate?" The figure asks flatly.
"Yes, I don't think they will be a problem. They are too scared." Matthew grins as he walks past the figure down the hallway.
Greg slides down onto the floor next to his bunk and reaches up under the mattress to retrieve the scalpel and scissors from the hole.
"I don't know how we haven't been caught," Ray says.
"I know." Greg stands up and walks over to the front of his room.
Matthew unlocks the door and extends his arm around it for Greg to place the items in his hand.
"Thanks," says the guard. "You've done your job. All you have to do now is keep your mouths shut."
"No problem," the two patients say in unison as Matthew closes and relocks the door.
Billy shuts off his laptop and closes the top.
"This is weird. I thought this type of stuff would happen in a big city like New York or Chicago, not a small town like this."
Billy gets up from the couch and brings his unfinished Diet Coke back to the fridge.
"All this stuff makes me feel like I need a shower."
The young doctor picks up a bag off the floor next to the fridge and heads for the bathroom.
A few moments later, the sound of running water starts.
There's a knock on Billy's office door, to which there is no answer. The doorknob turns slightly. The door is pushed open. There's a gloved hand opening the door, before a figure dressed in doctor's scrubs steps into the office. The figure looks around inside the office to make sure no one is in the room, then steps all the way in, closing the door.
The mysterious person walks over to the desk and sits down, opens each and every drawer as if looking for something.
A hand reaches for the picture of Billy's parents and sets the photo facedown. The figure stands up, reaches into the waistband of the pants, and pulls out a piece of paper. The paper is placed on top of the photograph of Billy's parents.
A moment later the the door is closed as the mysterious person leaves the office.
Outside in the hallway, Matthew walks up to the person in doctor's scrubs.
"Here's what you want."
The guard hands over the scalpel and scissors.
"Will they continue to cooperate?" The figure asks flatly.
"Yes, I don't think they will be a problem. They are too scared." Matthew grins as he walks past the figure down the hallway.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Chapter Ten
The new link pops up on screen with newpaper articles listed. Billy opens the first article to see the headline : PATIENT'S LIVER DISCOVERED MISSING.
Reading more...Mickey Walls, age 26, was found dead in his Bangor Mental Health Institute's hospital room last Tuesday. Cause is still yet to be determined. Mr. Walls was admitted to the care of the institute at age 5 with severe behavioral problems. Never becoming able to function in a normal society, Mr. Walls spent most of his life under treatment.
...Tuesday morning while doing rounds, a nurse discovered the young man's body in an upright position at his desk. A pool of blood was reported to have been at the man's feet. Although the autopsy has not been released officially, we have a source that states it was discovered during the autopsy that the patient's liver had been removed.
"What the Hell?" Billy can't believe what he's reading.
The doctor clicks the back button to return to the list of articles. Billy clicks on another headline...
SECOND PATIENT FOUND DEAD AT B.M.H.I.
...Just last week we reported about a patient, Mickey Walls, 26, found dead at the Bangor Mental Health Institute. Today, we have learned there has been a second body found lifeless at the hospital. Gregory Miller, age 31, was found in his room on the floor. The body was discovered by a nurse delivering dinner to the patient. Mr.Miller was serving time at the facility after it was determined he was not fit to stand trial for the murder of his mother. Mr. Miller is a native of Bangor. ...
...Our inside source is reporting something has turned up during the autopsy that will link this to the death of Mickey Walls. As soon as we know more, we will get it to you.
Billy gets up from his sofa and walks over to the fridge. Opening it to see a half-filled carton of milk and a couple of two liters of Diet Coke, he realizes he never stopped on the way home to get food.
"I guess it's just me and Diet Coke for dinner again."
Billy closes the door and makes his way back to the sofa, pulling the laptop to him.
"What kind of place is Maine anyway? Maybe all those Stephen King stories aren't fiction."
Billy again goes back to the list of articles and sees a new one just posted.
CONNECTION IN B.M.H.I. DEATHS REVEALED
Billy clicks on the link and begins reading.
...The Morning Star has just learned the deaths of Mickey Walls, 26, and Gregory Miller, 31, are said to be connected. We now know that during the autopsy performed on Mr. Miller, it was discovered his right kidney had been removed. It has been determined that the missing liver of Mr. Walls and the missing kidney of Mr. Miller were both surgically removed after their deaths. The removals have been said to be done with textbook precision, leading authorities to believe it may be someone on the inside with surgical experience. At this time security at Bangor Mental Health Institute has been stepped up. We will report more as soon as we know it....
"I can't believe this!" Billy says out loud. "This is weird....wait..." Billy grabs his two liter of Diet Coke and downs some before placing the bottle back onto the coffee table.
"Why is this linked as related to Peterson? No way!...They've moved on to K.M.I.!"
....
Reading more...Mickey Walls, age 26, was found dead in his Bangor Mental Health Institute's hospital room last Tuesday. Cause is still yet to be determined. Mr. Walls was admitted to the care of the institute at age 5 with severe behavioral problems. Never becoming able to function in a normal society, Mr. Walls spent most of his life under treatment.
...Tuesday morning while doing rounds, a nurse discovered the young man's body in an upright position at his desk. A pool of blood was reported to have been at the man's feet. Although the autopsy has not been released officially, we have a source that states it was discovered during the autopsy that the patient's liver had been removed.
"What the Hell?" Billy can't believe what he's reading.
The doctor clicks the back button to return to the list of articles. Billy clicks on another headline...
SECOND PATIENT FOUND DEAD AT B.M.H.I.
...Just last week we reported about a patient, Mickey Walls, 26, found dead at the Bangor Mental Health Institute. Today, we have learned there has been a second body found lifeless at the hospital. Gregory Miller, age 31, was found in his room on the floor. The body was discovered by a nurse delivering dinner to the patient. Mr.Miller was serving time at the facility after it was determined he was not fit to stand trial for the murder of his mother. Mr. Miller is a native of Bangor. ...
...Our inside source is reporting something has turned up during the autopsy that will link this to the death of Mickey Walls. As soon as we know more, we will get it to you.
Billy gets up from his sofa and walks over to the fridge. Opening it to see a half-filled carton of milk and a couple of two liters of Diet Coke, he realizes he never stopped on the way home to get food.
"I guess it's just me and Diet Coke for dinner again."
Billy closes the door and makes his way back to the sofa, pulling the laptop to him.
"What kind of place is Maine anyway? Maybe all those Stephen King stories aren't fiction."
Billy again goes back to the list of articles and sees a new one just posted.
CONNECTION IN B.M.H.I. DEATHS REVEALED
Billy clicks on the link and begins reading.
...The Morning Star has just learned the deaths of Mickey Walls, 26, and Gregory Miller, 31, are said to be connected. We now know that during the autopsy performed on Mr. Miller, it was discovered his right kidney had been removed. It has been determined that the missing liver of Mr. Walls and the missing kidney of Mr. Miller were both surgically removed after their deaths. The removals have been said to be done with textbook precision, leading authorities to believe it may be someone on the inside with surgical experience. At this time security at Bangor Mental Health Institute has been stepped up. We will report more as soon as we know it....
"I can't believe this!" Billy says out loud. "This is weird....wait..." Billy grabs his two liter of Diet Coke and downs some before placing the bottle back onto the coffee table.
"Why is this linked as related to Peterson? No way!...They've moved on to K.M.I.!"
....
Friday, April 27, 2007
Chapter Nine
Ray and Greg are sitting on the lower bunk in their room, looking voer at Bob. Bob has pulled the blanket up over him, huddling underneath. As soon as they all heard the scream down the hall, Bob hid, and has stayed there since.
Ray flicks his cigarette into an ashtray setting on the tile floor.
"It's very quiet out there now," Ray says. "I wonder what the scream was all about?"
Ray takes another puff of his cigarette.
"Yeah, me too," Greg says. "Hey, maybe someone else just lost their mind."
Ray and Greg laugh.
Bob's voice is heard muffled from under the blanket. "That's n-n-not funny."
"I'm qonna try to head home again." Dr. Ramsey says while walking toward the door.
"Now?" Claire asks.
"What is your problem, Claire?" Billy asks.
"We know George died from a stabbing. Why do we need an autopsy?"
"Well, we might find something that will lead to who did it." Billy says flatly.
"Are you looking for anything else?"
Claire keeps the questions going.
"We won't know until we get the autopsy back, Claire." Billy places a hand on the door, "Now if you're done, it's been a long day."
The doctor pushes open the door and walks out before waiting for an answer, letting the door close on its own behind him.
Claire picks up the phone at her desk and dials a number.
"I tried," Claire begins. "I swear, but he won't listen. The autopsy is being done...I know...but I couldn't change his mind....No, changing the file won't matter. I know, but don't yell at me. There's nothing I can do now, so just be prepared. People are going to find out what happened to George."
Claire slams down the phone.
Dr. Ramsey has walked back to his apartment on Penobscot Avenue. It's a small studio on the second floor.
He pulls off his backpack and tosses it onto the floor, next to his shoes and hiking boots.
Billy casually walks across the room to the sofa facing the window and sits down. The sofa fabric torn in the back as if someone started to peel it off then changed their minds.
"I can't believe this day. Is this for real?" Billy asks out loud before looking up toward the ceiling. "Please tell me this is some kind of bad nightmare, and I'm gonna wake up soon. What the Hell have I gotten into?"
Billy sets his feet up onto the coffee table. The table's legs taped on with duct tape, because the screws have long ago been lost. He reaches for his laptop on the phone stand next to him. He flips up the screen and turns it on, the blue glow coming to life.
"What was that paper again?"
The young doctor signs in.
"Oh yeah."Billy types in Magic City Morning Star into the search engine to find the link.
He is surprised by the paper's latest article. It's about a dead body found at The Katahdin Mental Institute.
"Wow. That didn't take long. Gotta love technology."
The story is pretty basic with few current details. George Peterson. Age unknown. Found stabbed. Dead on arrival.
"What's this?"Billy notices the link at the bottom for "Related Articles".
"Related articles?" How can this be related to anything?"
Billy clicks on the link.
Ray flicks his cigarette into an ashtray setting on the tile floor.
"It's very quiet out there now," Ray says. "I wonder what the scream was all about?"
Ray takes another puff of his cigarette.
"Yeah, me too," Greg says. "Hey, maybe someone else just lost their mind."
Ray and Greg laugh.
Bob's voice is heard muffled from under the blanket. "That's n-n-not funny."
"I'm qonna try to head home again." Dr. Ramsey says while walking toward the door.
"Now?" Claire asks.
"What is your problem, Claire?" Billy asks.
"We know George died from a stabbing. Why do we need an autopsy?"
"Well, we might find something that will lead to who did it." Billy says flatly.
"Are you looking for anything else?"
Claire keeps the questions going.
"We won't know until we get the autopsy back, Claire." Billy places a hand on the door, "Now if you're done, it's been a long day."
The doctor pushes open the door and walks out before waiting for an answer, letting the door close on its own behind him.
Claire picks up the phone at her desk and dials a number.
"I tried," Claire begins. "I swear, but he won't listen. The autopsy is being done...I know...but I couldn't change his mind....No, changing the file won't matter. I know, but don't yell at me. There's nothing I can do now, so just be prepared. People are going to find out what happened to George."
Claire slams down the phone.
Dr. Ramsey has walked back to his apartment on Penobscot Avenue. It's a small studio on the second floor.
He pulls off his backpack and tosses it onto the floor, next to his shoes and hiking boots.
Billy casually walks across the room to the sofa facing the window and sits down. The sofa fabric torn in the back as if someone started to peel it off then changed their minds.
"I can't believe this day. Is this for real?" Billy asks out loud before looking up toward the ceiling. "Please tell me this is some kind of bad nightmare, and I'm gonna wake up soon. What the Hell have I gotten into?"
Billy sets his feet up onto the coffee table. The table's legs taped on with duct tape, because the screws have long ago been lost. He reaches for his laptop on the phone stand next to him. He flips up the screen and turns it on, the blue glow coming to life.
"What was that paper again?"
The young doctor signs in.
"Oh yeah."Billy types in Magic City Morning Star into the search engine to find the link.
He is surprised by the paper's latest article. It's about a dead body found at The Katahdin Mental Institute.
"Wow. That didn't take long. Gotta love technology."
The story is pretty basic with few current details. George Peterson. Age unknown. Found stabbed. Dead on arrival.
"What's this?"Billy notices the link at the bottom for "Related Articles".
"Related articles?" How can this be related to anything?"
Billy clicks on the link.
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