A DARKER PLACE: By Joshua Scribner
Saturday, January 23rd, 2010I hover in the corner of the room, watching you, Amy, my little cardiac nurse. You fill me with joy.
The old man on the bed grips your hand, like if he lets go he lets go of life. He’ll forget the power he felt later and just remember that you were nice to him. Your patients don’t realize, you don’t realize, that your touch contains magic, heals, a gift that developed with you over the years.
Calmly, you wait for him to sleep. You’re so beautiful. I have such wonderful plans for you.
Your patient’s eyes close. His grip recedes. You quietly walk out of the room. Parker sits at the station. He gives a shy smile, then looks down. Time for me to whisper to your mind.
“Look at him. He’s such a cute guy, yet so sad. Because of his quietness, everyone takes advantage of him, runs over him.”
You sit in a nearby chair, notice Parker looking at you again, decipher the expression on his face. He doesn’t know what to say. I whisper some more.
“He’s so nice. It would be so cool to be with him. He’d never ask you to be more than you are.”
You look at Parker again. He’s turned away. Suddenly, cute doesn’t describe him. He’s much more than that. You find yourself wanting to run a hand through his hair, to taste his kiss. You want to let him touch you. Utter rapture nearly overwhelms me, but I press it down. I have work to do, feelings to nourish.
I whisper, “You’re so incredible, the best nurse in this hospital. You deserve someone who will treat you right, someone who wants you, loves you, for exactly what you are.”
Parker looks up. Your eyes meet. You share a smile. I’m so happy I think I might explode.
I whisper, “Ask him. Just to see. How wrong is it just to see?”
You hesitate, but come around. “I was going to take my break in ten minutes. Want to come with me. We can go up to the gas station and get coffees.”
I’m laughing, but not in a way that can affect you.
Parker seems to have lost his breath a little.
You giggle.
Parker nods, clears his throat, then says, “Yes.”
I’ve locked you in. It will be easy from here on out. The thrill that has overcome me is indescribable. Because now people will die.
I will be there night after night, when you get coffees with Parker. When he starts to tell you bad things about his wife, I’ll whisper bad things about your husband. Remember when you wanted to be a nurse but were afraid to try it. Remember how David said you were good enough, helped you study, supported you without a complaint. I’ll tell you he only wanted you to be a nurse because he didn’t think being married to a waitress was good enough for him. Remember when you wanted to try a more challenging area of the hospital, but thought the nurses there were smarter than you. Remember how David said you were wrong, that you would blow them away and rise to the top. Remember all the days you came home crying, wanting to quit, and he reassured you, encouraged you to press on, told you to believe in yourself. I’ll just whisper that he wanted you to improve because you can never be good enough for him.
Oh, and then there’s your dark spells, when you get mean, irrational and unfair, when you lash out. I’ll help you figure out a way to blame those on David too. When he tries to get you to challenge the logic of your accusations, I’ll tell you he’s arrogant, and always has to be right.
Parker will be waiting in the wings. He’ll never make you be more than what you already are. He’ll never challenge you. He can’t. He’s simply not that smart. You’ll stop growing. You’ll start to miss David and lament when you’ve hurt him too much to get him back. Then you’ll regress, and so will the powers inside you. Your touch will cease to heal. People who would have lived will die. I will relish in victory.
Why? Because I’m a scorned cupid and like to make the world a darker place.
__________
©2010 Joshua Scribner
Joshua Scribner is the author of the novels Mantis Nights, The Coma Lights and Nescata. His fiction won both second and fifth place in the 2008 Whispering Spirits Flash Fiction contest. Up to date information on his work can be found at joshuascribner.com. Joshua currently lives in Michigan with his wife and two daughters.
