Midnight Dreams & Nightmares ~ A short story collection

Plague Hound

A nurse leaving the room woke me from my sleep. I blinked a few times and looked around. The main lights were off, but the boy in the bed next to mine was still busy on his phone—meaning it wasn't midnight yet.

Realising I needed to pee, I sighed and sat up straight. For a moment I closed my eyes as I waited for the pain to reduce to a more manageable level. I pulled the covers away and got out of bed. My fluffy slippers were further away than I had expected and the two steps on the cold floor made me shiver. I slipped them on and turned back to my IV stand. The computer that managed the flowrate was plugged in and I wiggled the power cable out, letting the battery take over. Grabbing the pole, I slowly made my way to the bathroom.

I'd barely taken five steps and I already regretted not getting my bathrobe—it was so cold. Still, I didn't want to turn back around to grab it from the chair so I just kept on going. Trembling, I opened the sliding door and turned on the blinding light. With some effort, I managed to lower my pants and sit down.

My right hand hurt from the IV, the skin covered with small bruises that peeked from underneath the bandages.

I wish I wasn't sick.

The cold becoming too much, I finished up as quickly as my tired body allowed and shuffled back out to my bed. I wasn't even halfway through the room when nurse Beth appeared next to me.

"Robin, everything okay?" she whispered in order to not wake anyone.

I nodded. "I just ... needed to pee. I wanted to go ... by myself."

She smiled. "Well, let me help you get back into bed at least."

I crawled underneath the covers, still shivering from the cold. She tucked me in and went to grab an extra blanket from the closet. As she draped it over me, she spotted something on the ground.

"I think you lost something." She bent down and picked up Mister O—my purple octopus plushie.

"Thank you," I said as I happily took him into my arms.

"He should keep you extra warm." She gave me another smile before going back to the other side of the bed to plug the IV's computer back in. "Is there anything I can get you?"

I shook my head. "No thanks, I'm good now. Thanks for the extra blanket and getting Mister O."

She gently patted me on my woollen hat. "Okay then. I'll be here all night, so don't hesitate to call me if you need anything."

I nodded and relaxed in my cocoon of warmth. She walked over to check on the other kids and I realised the boy next to me was now fast asleep.

Wait, if she's on the night shift it must be past midnight now. Just how long was I on the toilet?

Exhausted from my little trip, I dozed off before I was able to answer myself.

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