Patient Twelve

Chapter Seven

Sweeney put his hand on the small of my back, and I took a step to the side. His fingers sent a shiver up my spine. I followed Sweeney as he walked to the last door on the left side of the hallway. He pulled out his own ring of keys and opened the door.

I took one small step before stopping. The walls were painted light pink. There was a huge bed sitting against the wall with crisp white sheets. Sheer white material was hanging from the four posts of the bed. There was a white dresser with a large mirror above it. A pink rug was on the cold cement floor.

Sweeney placed the bowl on top of the dresser. He turned around and shoved his hands into the pocket of his lab coat.

"Sit down," Sweeney said.

"I'm okay," I said.

"It's not an option."

I struggled to pull the IV pole across the thick carpet. I sat on the edge of the bed. It was so high that my toes barely touched the cold floor. Sweeney grabbed my arm and held it out to look at the IV.

"How's your pain?" he asked.

"It's been alright," I said.

He nodded before picking at the tape holding my IV in place. He pulled off the tape and then pulled the IV out of my arm. He pulled a cotton ball out of his pocket and taped it down to my skin. He pushed the pole to the side.

"There's a little bit of freedom," he said.

"It's not the kind of freedom I want," I said.

"I did you a favour. Be grateful."

Sweeney turned before he furrowed his brows and turned back around. I let out a scream as he grabbed my ankle, and he pulled my leg so that it was straight out. I yanked my leg back before kicking him in the shin. I cursed Ben for giving me a dress. Sweeney let go of my leg. I swung my legs underneath me so that I was sitting on top of them.

"What did you do to yourself?" he asked.

I could feel the tiny pricks of pain running up my legs.

"I was shaving my legs," I said. "I can't really see, so it's not my fault."

Sweeney pulled a small light out of his pocket. How much can he store in these pockets of his?

He flashed the light into each of my eyes.

"You're not going to do that anymore," he said.

"Do what?"

"Shave. At least not by yourself."

"I don't need to be supervised like this," I said. "This is all ridiculous."

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow. "If I didn't have Ben staying here you wouldn't be trying to run away?"

I swung my legs out from under me so I was sitting on the edge. I wanted to spring up off of the bed and take off running. Sweeney probably left the door unlocked when he came down. I have been on the track team for the past eight years of my life. I know I could outrun him, but Ben's words stayed in my mind. I need Sweeney's medication to stay alive.

"You better start behaving," he said.

"I don't think you have any confidence in yourself," I said. "That's why you have Ben here. You don't think you'll be able to keep me down here yourself."

"You think you're so smart," Sweeney said. He walked over to the dresser. I could see him in the corner of my eye, without turning my head. "A smart girl wouldn't have walked home alone at night with music on full blast."