medicine. You need to take this for your fever. I’ll be back in a few hours to check on you again. If that’s okay with you?”
I don’t want him to snap at me again. I walk closer and his face is still shrouded in the darkness of the room. He holds his hand out and I drop the pills in them before I pass him the water. I wait while he swallows them out of habit. You’d be surprised at the amount of people that will tongue or cheek it even though it’s only a fever reducer.
“I really didn’t mean to scare you,” he says once again.
“I’m fine. Get some rest and eat. It’ll help make you feel better. If you hear an alarm go off it’s just your IV machine. I’ll come change it when it’s time,” I remind him.
“No lights.”
“Yeah, sure. No lights. Goodnight, uh, whoever you are,” I tell him.
He chuckles and it’s the deepest chuckle I’ve ever heard. It makes my heart beat faster.
“Monster. You can call me Monster.”
Sure, because that’s not weird or anything.
“Umm, okay. Goodnight Monster.”
I walk out of the room and close the door behind me. It shouldn’t bother me that the man wants to leave the lights off, but as soon as the door is closed the light in the room filters through under the door. I wonder why he doesn’t want me to see him? I shrug my shoulders and go into the back room. I grab my bag of food and drop onto the twin sized bed Paul had brought in for me. I grab the remote control, flip on a comedy channel, and eat like I do every night.
Should it bother me that this is what my life has become? Some days I think that it should, while others I just don’t give enough of a damn to care. I’m safe and away from the things that haunt my dreams at night. That’s the most important thing to me.
Chapter 3
Monster
“How did it go last night?” Paul asks dropping into the chair next to the bed.
“Fine. Can I go now?” Paul sighs and pulls his glasses from his face. He looks over at me and replies, “Few more days. Was Kyza okay last night?”
“What do you mean? She came in and did what she needed then left. I don’t know shit about her man,” I tell him, but now he’s got me wanting to know more.
Yeah, I’m a nosey motherfucker. I watch Paul as he rubs his tired eyes. He obviously wears himself out doing this shit. He needs to retire and just say fuck it, but he won’t.
“She just seemed a little off today. She seemed a little more jumpy than usual.”
“That might be my fault. I didn’t know it was her and I kinda pulled a gun on her.”
“You what?” he snaps as he slides his glasses back on and stands up to his feet.
“Hell, I didn’t know. This neighborhood is sketchy as hell man.”
He shakes his head and runs his hand through his grey hair before he looks back in my direction.
“Can you do me a favor?”
“Depends on what it is.”
“I like Kyza. Love her as if she was my own. She’s hiding from something though.”
“And you want me to find out what it is?” I ask none too thrilled about this idea.
“Talk to her. She doesn’t have any friends that I know of. Most days I think I’m all she really has. She showed up here when she was nineteen and she’s been here since then. Why wouldn’t a girl like her want to get out there and do something?” he asks, but it seems as though he’s talking more to himself.
“Maybe she’s a simple girl?” I offer.
“You’ve seen her. She’s far from simple. How many girls do you know that look like her and still stick around in this shit?”
He’s right, I did see her last night. She’s gorgeous. Her long blonde hair is worn in dreads, her skin is pale white and pops with the makeup she wears. She’s far from someone that should be staying around here.
“Looks aren’t everything Paul. I’m sure she has her reasons.”
“I agree with you, but I’d still like to know. Maybe she has a family out there somewhere?” he says on a sigh.
“I’ll talk to her, but I’m not promisin’ shit.”
“Thanks Monster, I’m heading out. She’s out the front cleaning.”
“See you tomorrow doc.”
I watch him leave the room. He looks as worn down as ever. It makes me