Changing my clothes had made mother so upset that she went away.
After the funeral, an important looking person who claimed to work for the government said I was going to live with my father.
I didn’t want to live with my father. I’d barely ever met him, and the few times I had met him, he and mother ended up arguing.
I didn’t want any of this. I didn’t want to think about funerals, or moving somewhere else, or clothing. I didn’t even want to think about my mother. It all hurt too much.
I just wanted it all to stop.
As if someone had hit a pause button, the memories playing out around me suddenly froze and crumbled to dust, leaving me in darkness.
It was peaceful in the dark. No strange questions or unpleasant memories. I couldn’t even feel my body anymore. Everything was quiet.
No, wait. It wasn’t quiet. I could hear someone speaking. The voice was soft at first, as if very far away, but the more I listened the closer it grew until it seemed to be speaking right next to my ear.
“It is the nightly custom of every good mother after her children are asleep to rummage in their minds and put things straight for next morning, repacking into their proper places the many articles that have wandered during the day.”
I knew those words. They were familiar. I’d heard them before, many times, though I couldn’t remember where.
So, I listened to the voice tell me a story. Each word was new but brought with it a sense of familiarity and comfort, like meeting an old friend for the first time.
CHAPTER 3
Auggie
I readthrough the first few chapters of Peter Pan before visiting hours ended. The same nurse, Newt, returned to tell me it was time to leave, but was nice enough to at least let me reach a good stopping spot in the story before escorting me out.
Normally, when I walked away from a reading session, once the book closed that was it. The book was done. Even if it wasn’t finished, there was no point saving my place since I probably wouldn’t see the same patient again.
This time, however, saving my place was as simple as hitting a button on my phone. The app marked my place for me, so I’d be able to open it right up to the exact same spot next time. Reading a digital copy wasn’t as satisfying as reading from a paper book, and it was harder on my eyes, but it did have its advantages as well. Now, I didn’t even have to think about it. I would definitely be coming back to finish the story.
On the way out, I patted the John Doe’s shoulder, in the same uninjured spot that the nurse had touched earlier.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be back. You’ve got one friend waiting for you.”
I was halfway out the door, with the many machines beeping at my back, when a new sound brushed past my ears. It was so quiet, I almost didn’t notice, and only caught my attention because of the direction it came from.
“Eli.”
My head snapped around to look at the patient lying in the bed. He didn’t stir again or make another sound. I half convinced myself that I’d imagined it until Newt stepped up next to me looking shocked.
“That’s the first new thing he’s said since arriving here.” He hurried over to the patient’s side, gently shaking his uninjured shoulder. “Sir. Sir, can you hear me?”
There was no response. The John Doe still remained unconscious.
“You heard that, too, right?” Newt asked me when I also returned to the bedside.
I nodded, staring down at the unconscious face, which now seemed to be a bit more strained, like the mind behind the flesh was struggling more than before.
“I think he saidEli. It could be his name.”
“Or maybe someone he knows,” Newt suggested. “I’ll have to check our files, see if anyone by the name of Eli has come through here.”
Now, I really didn’t want to leave, but visiting hours were over. Exceptions could be made for family members who wanted to spend the night with their loved ones, but I wasn’t this man’sfamily. I wasn’t even sure if I could count myself as his friend. Technically, we’d never met.
“I could look into it as well,” I offered, partially as a stalling tactic so I didn’t have to leave yet, but mostly out of sincerity. “I’m a detective. I can look into the old cases and see if anyone named Eli has been reported missing. How long ago did you say the fire was?”
While he was busy checking the monitors, Newt shot me a strange look. It was quick, like he was trying to hide it, but he couldn’t completely control the reaction.