Back and Forth

REPORT BY ANANDA, FRONT DESK

Audio Recording

It was a pleasure to come back to the desk of the hospital. Me, sitting as I keep watch of the front door along with the security guards, monitoring who comes in and out. Me, the man with glasses who also writes cursively when it comes to keeping track of patients who are admitted here or released.

I came to this country for work, and eventhough this position wasn't something I had hoped to be in the first place, I was grateful I had a job at least.

The only cost of this job was really the time I had to spend here. Working nine to five isn't easy, then again what job is? Get here in the morning, work until the late hours, sleep. Repeat.

The front room around the front door was empty at this point. The hours were late and it seemed it was going to rain outside. Just above me, the light was getting dimmer, flickering on and off. The door opened and I saw a young man, a few years younger my age, step inside with a stripped shirt, and had blond hair.

'Stripes' came up to the front desk. "Good evening." he said in a polite tone. "I understand visiting hours are still around?"

Normally visiting hours here last until 9. Looking at my watch, it was going to be 15 minutes to 9. I told him the remaining time he has for visitors.

"I will not take long" he said.

"Which patient are you visiting?"

"72"

"Are you family?"

"Yes, but not blood-related."

I was disturbed by a call on my walkie talkie. "Attention front desk. I request a health and care paper right away, for Patient 72.

Stripes looks at me with a worried look. I guess it's understandable, being concerned for an acquiantance that has been in this mental hospital for who knows how long, in a time where a lot of strange things have been happening.

By the time I arrived at Patient 72's room however, I noticed the patient himself.

Same face as the guest in front.

I went back to the front, not fully comprehending what I had just seen.

For some reason, the hall became longer than when I first passed through here. My eyes were focused in front, not looking down. I felt my foot crashing into an obstacle, as I felt to the floor. I heard a voice, asking me if I was alright. Looking at the shoes in front of me, I deduced it was an employee.

But when I looked up, it was the same face again.

The employee with the face looked at me in confusion, asking me if I was alright.

I ran back to to the front desk, resting my head. I then recieved a knock on my desk. It was one of the employees, next to him was a young man with the face before. The patient. 77 was written on his clothes.

"I found him in the garden." The employee said as I somewhat had relief. For a second I thought I was going insane from looking at the same person. "Say, you should get some sleep." He then took Patient 77 back to his room.

"Yeah, no kidding." I said. Thanks for stating the obvious.