Death's Captive: Will she escape eternal confinement?

CHAPTER 24

Margie sits on an overturned milk crate on the roof with a cigarette in her hand. Nicole stands to her left, arms crossed over her chest, only uncrossing them to draw on the cigarette she has hanging from her mouth.

Nicole looks a lot less glamorous than the last time I saw her – I'm guessing it's the end of her shift because her makeup is smudged under her tired eyes.

"I suppose you heard it's over," she says to Margie. "We had a huge argument last week in the carpark. Prick! He's been avoiding me ever since."

"Do you still have feelings for him?"

"I don't know how I feel about him, Margie. I'm upset, but that could be because he's blaming me for what happened."

"Do you think you're to blame?"

Nicole scoffs. "Of course not! He's an adult who's responsible for his own decisions." Nicole draws on her cigarette as she looks at the fob watch attached to her scrubs.

The door to the roof swings open and Reeves steps through the breech. His eyebrows peak in surprise as he sees Nicole and he hesitates. He looks down at his cigarettes.

Nicole exhales forcefully.

"Relax Reeves, I'm going." Nicole stamps towards the door and pushes past him.

Reeves jumps back from the door and allows her passage. Reeves then looks towards Margie. Margie smiles and gestures towards an empty milk crate beside her. Reeves walks over and takes a seat.

"You can't avoid her forever, Reeves."

"I know, but I don't know what to say to her yet."

"She thinks it's over."

Reeves lights his cigarette and draws deeply on it. On his exhaling breath he says, "It is. But I think I should talk to her. We didn't end on the best of terms."

"Nicole thinks you're blaming her for what happened."

Reeves shifts uncomfortably. "Yeah, that probably wasn't a good idea, but it seemed accurate at the time. I felt like if she had said no to going out clubbing, none of this would have happened."

"But it did happen, and now you have to deal with the consequences."

Reeves chews on his bottom lip. He looks across to Margie. "There won't be any consequences."

Margie's hand had raised part way to her mouth with her cigarette, but it remains poised.

"I'm assuming Nicole told you what happened that night?"

Margie nods.

Reeves runs his hand through his hair, and his eyes look off towards the smattering of cityscape buildings in the distance. He looks down at his feet and his voice is hushed.

"Can I please ask that you don't say anything to any other staff members? I want to put it behind me, and if it gets out that Dr Matthews covered for me, you wouldn't just be ruining my career, but hers as well."

"Did she forge the incident report?"

Reeves falls silent. He draws on his cigarette before continuing. "She took care of everything."

"What about Nicole? What if she says something?"

"I don't think she will. That night doesn't put her in a good light either." Reeves looks at Margie and his eyes are pleading. "When I was with Nicole she helped me blow off some steam and relax. I didn't feel so pressured to succeed, but she's a hedonist and brings out the worst in me."