It's been almost four days since I sent Jonathan Sims to hell. At least, that's where I think he ended up. That's where I would imagine he'd end up, maybe even hoping he did. Considering everything he did in his life, I wouldn't be sad if he did. But, to my surprise, Tyler was right. I didn't really care about it anymore. He was gone, and that was all that mattered.
One thing I had started to notice was the amount of old people that I had to be there with at the end. I had no idea how many elderly people were actually still living in this city. Most of them barely know I'm in the room with them when I am there, let alone that they were dying to begin with. Most of the time they mistook me for a family member that would come to visit them or an old friend from their childhood. They'd sit in their armchair or lay in beds, telling me stories and memories from their lives or what they had for lunch that day. I've had some of them even give me candies that they had hidden in their rooms, genuinely thinking the staff had no idea they had it and were somehow getting away with something. It was all so random, but it was all very innocent at the same time. I will admit, it got to me how adorable these people could be, and how lonely their lives must be in these places sometimes.
Getting into these places was pretty easy. All I really had to do was pretend I was there to volunteer to come visit and hang out with the old folks, or even pretend to be a family member who's there to visit. After that, I just find out where my person is, take note of their room, and come back at night when there's minimal staff around. Helping these people cross over was usually very easy. They never really need or have violent deaths. More often than not, they are quite peaceful. I also never felt the need to use the deathface when I dealt with these people, it never felt right to do.
I imagined today would be no different as I climbed the stairs of Stonewall City Nursing Home and made my way through the spinning doors. The blonde receptionist noticed me right away, smiling at me as I approached the counter. "Can I help you?", she asks. I lean over and rest my folded hands onto the counter. "Maybe", I tell her jokingly, "I'm looking for my great great grandma, her name's Maria Jackson, I'm her grandson, Mason", I lie. She started typing on her keyboard while I took a quick look around the lobby. This place didn't seem that big, but it seemed like it was filled to the brim with the amount of residents and staff I was seeing roaming the halls. The receptionist looked back up at me, "You don't seem to be in our system as an approved visitor. Is there someone I can call just to confirm who you are? I know it seems inconvenient, but it's standard procedure to protect our residents". I tried my best to look convincing as I pulled out the letter I typed up that morning, which included Marias' granddaughter's name and her confirming I was who I said I was being. A complete lie wrapped up neatly in an envelope.
"I'm so sorry, I forgot to give this to you in the first place. I've been a little scatter brained since I found out how sick she's been getting this year", I tell her, even managing to get my eyes a little teary. She took the letter from me and handed me a tissue, "I know how you're feeling. I just lost both my grandparents last year". I took the tissue and wiped my fake tears away. "Do you think I could just go back to her room for five minutes? Just to say hello? I won't linger, I promise. I don't wanna cause you any trouble, I just miss her", I say, doing my best to sound sincere. She looked behind me and around the lobby before leaning in close to my ear. "Her room is in the Rose Wing, room number two zero two. In and out, ten minutes. If you get caught though, I'm telling them I tried to stop you", she said, winking and smiling at me. I smiled back and mouthed thank you to her and headed towards the Rose Wing, doing my best to hold in my laughter at how easy that was.
The amount of elderly people wandering around the halls was kind of comical to me. It reminded me of Dawn of the Dead in a weird way. The way some of them walked with their canes and walkers was about the same speed. The ones who had help by their sides walking with them were even slower. But the ones without any assistance at all were acting like they had an escape plan in motion, not listening to the staff as they started making their way towards the front entrance. As I entered the Rose Wing I heard a woman in a wheelchair arguing with one of the nurses about moving her chair back to the common area. She had herself parked in front of an emergency exit that had been painted to look like a big bookshelf. "This isn't a door, Ethel. It's for books and little collectables. There's nothing on the other side", one of the nurses told her. I watched the old woman look up at her in disbelief. "The hell it's not. I've seen all kinds of people bop in and out through this door, and I'm outta here the next time it opens!", she declared. The nurse looked so frustrated. I think she finally gave up as she just let the woman sit there, unwavering in her belief that she'd be free soon enough.
I walked until I found room two zero two, Maria Jackson on the nameplate outside the door, and knocked on the door. I couldn't hear anyone, so I decided to crack the door open and take a peek. The room was dark and the curtains were drawn, no movement whatsoever. I crept in, slowly closing the door behind me. As I made my way into the room the only noise I could make out was from different bedside machines. Her heart monitor was particularly slow, and her oxygen machine hissed in the corner fueling the mask on her face. I sat in the chair next to her, hearing how weak her heart really was. I knew she didn't have long, maybe a few hours if she was lucky. According to the chart that was hanging from her bed it was just a waiting game now.
I rocked in the chair for a few minutes, just watching her sleep. She seemed so peaceful I wondered why I was even here to help her along the way. Her chest gently moved up and down with the rhythm of her strained breathing. In a strange way she reminded me of my own grandma, not that I cod remember much about her to begin with. But her long white hair reminded me of how mine used to always keep hers in a braid, and always refused to get it cut even a little bit. That's really the only thing I remember about her. My memory was interrupted when I heard people on the outside of the door. I jumped to my feet and locked myself in the small bathroom. I listened as two women entered the room and started checking on Maria. I heard bed sheets being replaced and monitors being checked, along with clipboards being moved around. When I heard trash bags being changed I started to panic. The doorknob jiggled and one of the women told the other that they needed the master key to get in. To my surprise they didn't bother trying to figure out if anyone was actually in here. They just took the trash and agreed to come back with the master key so they could finish cleaning. When I heard the door close I opened the door to make my escape. I took one last look at Maria in her coma like sleep as I tiptoed back to the door, kinda sad that I had to come back to do this. "See you later", I tell her, and walk out of the room.
I had parked myself in the vacant lot across the street from the nursing home and sat on my bike for a bit. The poor bastard that I stole it from never bothered to look for it, or even file a report. I'd had cops ride my ass for a couple miles and none of them bothered to pull me over. Whether it was luck or just straight stupidity, I'm still unsure. Tyler was impressed that I went through with it, but I used to steal shit all the time when I was alive. The only difference was I'd have to immediately sell that stuff just to eat or keep my veins full of drugs. This bike was just mine now, and I wasn't giving it up.
As the hours passed I watched the local businesses continue to prepare for Halloween. Alot of them were putting out pumpkins and hanging colored lights around their front windows. Some of the more ambitious people were putting out life size animatronics and fog machines to try and terrify their younger shoppers. It seemed to be effective as I watched a couple of kids run away when a life size Art the Clown turned and laughed at them. The looks on their faces made me laugh under my breath while I was smoking and I almost choked on the smoke. I watched city workers set up multiple stage lights and props for the entertainment for Halloween. Everything from fake dead trees to full size fake body parts were being set up and placed at random parts of the sidewalks. The most random thing though was the sprinklers that some of the city workers were attaching to street lights and under some of the small stages on the sidewalks.They always had something cool going on on Halloween, and there was always a theme. I finally saw what the theme was when they unveiled the sign on the back wall of the stage area. In big cursive letters read the words 'There Will Be Blood'. I wasn't sure how literal that was, but I suddenly got really excited for Halloween.
I had almost blown through my whole pack of cigarettes when I finally saw the night nurses start to make their way inside. After about thirty minutes the daytime nurses finally left for the day, making their way to their cars through the dark of the parking lot. I pulled my hood over my head as I got off my bike and started to walk around the block, working my way around to the back exits. There wasn't anyone in the back, so I tried the door furthest away from the windows. I pushed on the lever and the door didn't budge. Unfortunately for me, the door locked from the outside. Probably a security measure for the residents so they don't accidentally wander off. I had to find another way in.
I crept around corner after corner of this nursing home until I found Maria's room again. I didn't realize how big this place was until I had to literally trek my way around it. The grass under my feet crunched with every step I took, letting me know the season was definitely turning towards the cold of winter. I slumped onto the ground under the window sill and waited, the cold air around me freezing my breath. I didn't hear anything or anyone on the other side of the glass, just faint beeps and light breathing like before. When I glanced up into her room I didn't see anyone, just Maria in her bed, right where I left her.
I quietly tried to slide the window up so I could slip inside, stopping each time the wood creaked. It finally opened enough for me to slide my body through it, landing on the linoleum floor and lightly hitting my head on one of the metal legs of her bed. I held in my pain and tried not to say a word, only managing to let a grunt escape my mouth. I stood up and looked at her. She didn't look like she had moved at all, not even just to readjust herself in her sleep. I silently walked over to the cracked bedroom door and looked down the hall to the nurses station. Three nurses crowded around the desk filling out paperwork and readied themselves for their evening rounds. They chit chatted so loudly I was surprised they hadn't woken up the entire hallway. I closed the door as quietly as I could and blocked the doorknob with a chair, preventing anyone from entering.
I pulled the other chair up to the side of her bed and held her hand. Her hand was surprisingly soft, like she hadn't had to lift a finger in her entire life. I laid my head down on the edge of the bed next to her hand, breathed in deep and exhaled slowly, trying to see her life as it used to be. A mist flowed through the darkness behind my eyes and showed me what looked like her happier memories. I watched her make her way through school through many years of torment from bullies, but still managing to graduate with flying colors. I saw her meet the love of her life and marry him on a rainy day in May, but still managing to have the best day of her life. I watched in awe as she had her children in parental bliss as each one was placed into her arms. I felt every bit of happiness that she did with each first step they took on their tiny feet. Unfortunately, the memories took a darker turn as I watched her find out her husband died in a car accident with a drunk driver, her pain and anguish radiating through my entire body. I felt my eyes start to tear up as I watched her struggle and do unspeakable things just to keep her kids fed and a roof over their heads. Things that I have done that I shouldn't have, but didn't have much choice either. Men treating her like a piece of scum for them to enjoy then toss aside like she was nothing, tossing a few dollars her way like it somehow made up for them being worse than demons roaming the earth.
I could feel myself getting slightly angry with everything this poor woman had to go through, her memories starting to feel like they were burning their way through my eyes. I felt the mist start to overtake my face, the darkness changing my face to the face of death. I let go of her hand and put my own face into my hands trying to take deep breaths to calm myself down, the tears making their escape from my eyes. I thought she wasn't far from making her way into the afterlife when I felt a hand start to rub my head.
I slowly lifted my head to see that Maria had woken up from her coma like slumber. The glisten in her eyes made me wonder if she was right there with me in her memory flow. We seemed to stare at each other for an eternity before she finally spoke. "Are you okay sweetheart?", she asked me in a very soft voice. I sat up and wiped my eyes, "I think I should be asking you that. Seems like you've had a rough time just trying to survive this life you were given". She just smiled at me and patted my hand with hers. "Not at all. I very much appreciate everything I've ever done on this earth and everything that came because of those decisions", she told me, "they were all worth it for the love that I got to experience because of those things. Life has a way of balancing itself out in the end". She laid her head back down on her pillow and continued to stare at me, not really saying much. She seemed like she knew why I was there, not needing to address the obvious reasons for my being here. I rested my head on the bed again, somehow comforted by the fact that she didn't feel afraid of her inevitable end.
"Are you mad at them because they aren't here? Your kids?", I ask her. "No. In truth, I didn't want them to see me like this. I don't want their last memories of me to be in this place...looking like this", she said, lifting her arm to show me her IV. She was so small, her skin seeming almost see through from her age. I could hear her breathing starting to slow, as if she was slipping back into sleep. She weakly touched my face, rubbed my cheek, "why did you do this to your face?", she asked me. I pushed her hand away and laid it on her stomach, "didn't have much choice in the matter", I told her, "sorry it's not what you were probably expecting to see tonight". "Everyone has a choice, but it's okay sweetheart", she said, "I knew who you were the minute I saw those eyes of yours. I've been waiting for my escort for days now". I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to decide if it was just her mind making it up or if she really did know why I was here.
"I hope it was worth it", she said.
Just as I was going to ask her what she meant, I heard a very small pecking sound at her window, and then a cooing. I turned to find that a white dove had landed on the window sill and was watching us. "He's here", Maria said happily, gesturing him inside, "they never leave the window open for him, even when I begged them to. They always said I was imagining him out there, but I knew better". The bird glided over to her with ease and landed on the railing of the bed next to her. The bird continued to coo at her while it looked all over the room. As soon as its eyes landed on me though, it came to a stop, as if it was staring straight into my soul. The familiarity was undeniable. I'd seen this bird before, when I had died before. Its presence alone seemed to bring light straight into the room, almost glowing in the low light of the room.
"Such a pretty little guy", she said as she stroked the bird's smooth feathers. The longer she stared at the bird, her eyes seemed to sparkle. And the slower her heart started to go. The beeping started to get further and further apart, her breaths becoming more and more shallow. "Maria, I think it's time to go", I tell her. The bird gave me a sideways look, then flew back towards the window. "I know dear", she said, "it's a miracle in itself that I managed to live this long". I almost felt bad that she had to go. She was probably one of the sweetest old ladies that I had ever come into contact with. "I hope you find something peaceful on the other side waiting for you", I tell her, "I have no doubt you'll end up in a beautiful place". She smiled one more time before closing her eyes, "I already see it". Two streaks of tears made their way down her cheeks, "and it's beautiful". I held her hand one last time, "it's okay Maria, you can let go now". She smiled to herself as she took one last deep breath.
And in that last breath, she was gone.
Out of the corner of my eye a bright white light flashed. Just as quickly as it flashed, it disappeared along with the dove. I couldn't hear her heart anymore and her heart monitor started beeping from her flatline. I knew then that I had to go before the nurses came running. As I started to pull the chair from the door I heard the CODE BLUE alarm start to echo through the halls just outside the door. "Shit", I whispered to myself. I quickly put the chair back where I had found it and made my way back out of the window, pulling it back down just before the nurses burst into the room. I listened as they tried to bring her back, but I knew their efforts were in vain. They called the time of death after ten good minutes of chest compressions and CPR. While they discussed how to go about who to call and when to call them I made my way away from the window and around the building. I felt a few tears escape my eyes again as I walked back to my bike, but quickly wiped them away. There's no point crying about it. I barely knew that woman before tonight, yet somehow felt like I'd known her for years. I guess that's what happens when you run through decades of someone's private memories in a matter of seconds.
I sat on my bike for a few minutes and watched the night life go by for a bit. All manner of people were out tonight, everything from people simply going home from their long work days to the ones who are only out to party. Some of the girls heading towards one of the bars gave me some looks and stared me up and down, followed by a course of giggles and blushing. When I flashed them a smile they gave me those familiar eyes that told me the feelings that just run through their bodies. The more I thought about how good these girls were looking to me, the more I didn't wanna go home quite yet. I pulled out my phone and dialed Tylers cell. It ran for a good thirty seconds before he finally picked up.
"What up my dude", he said, sounding winded. "Where are you at?", I asked him. I heard him shuffling around in the background, "I'm just finishing up my latest death clock. Motherfucker just didn't wanna go down. What's up with you?". I sighed, "I'm going out for a drink. Wanna meet up when you're down?", I ask him. As I started to hear muffled screams in the background of the call again, he stopped talking to me, "hang on a sec", and I heard him put the phone down somewhere. I stopped talking and had no choice but to listen to him finish off whatever he was doing. I listened as some poor soul seemed to either get stabbed or get his throat slit, I couldn't really tell. All I really heard was a fearful scream, gurgling, and then silence. I heard him pick the phone back up, "I could go for a drink. Where should we meet up?". "I'll text you the address, but just try to be quick. I have a desperate need for something strong tonight....and then something soft if I can make it happen", I tell him. It was quiet on the other end of the phone until he finally put two and two together, then he got really excited. "Awe dude, are you trying to get laid tonight?", he asked, the excitement in his voice leaving nothing to be questioned, "nevermind. I'm ready to go now. Text me", and he hung up. I texted him the address of the closest bar to me and sped off towards the bar, knowing I was in for a good night.
ns216.73.216.143da2
and then Add to home screen.