A Draining Appointment

8

Ugh why does Craig have to be such an ass? They were only trying to help me. And Rowen did. I don't feel any more pain. No idea how he did it but I am glad that they believed me. Me hitting the door of course. If they had found out that it was Craig that hit me and caused my bloody, broken, fucked up nose the police could've gotten involved. I really don't want that. I really don't need that attention. Besides maybe they won't believe me anyways. It's so fucking frustrating. It always has been wishy washy with what they believe and what they don't. I mean I guess he doesn't hit me a whole lot. Most of the time it's random too. No argument that sparks it. No alcohol to induce it. It's just random. I really don't know why.

This fucking sucks. Why do I go for guys like these? The burly men with the heroic façade that only goes skin deep? Maybe he just does this for attention? He always has been somewhat of an ignoramus outside the realms of sports, the gym, and sports management. When I realized a typical date is drinks after watching a game, I should've known it was a dead end. Fuck, sex could only go so far. It's like dating a roid infused teddy bear. Big, cute and cuddly on the outside. Nothing but fluff on the inside. And that's all it is….Fluff. He shares no emotion, no interest about me. Just sex and sports and beer. I know it's a stereotype but that really is him. But does that make me any better? Why don't I leave? Why am I trapped?

His sweat stained shirt and radiating testosterone is far from heroic or comfortable for that matter. The entire walk to the infirmary Craig carries Raina in his arms. She feels every step he takes and feels tiny pains in her mid-back and thighs. Blood stops flowing and dries around her face. She wonders if there is even a point of going anymore. Natalie and Gwen still loom behind them now with their phones pointed towards the sky to capture the snowflakes floating around them. Their emotionless faces both concerning and haunting.

I don't know why. It's just so addicting. I'm just addicted to how the world portrays me on the web. Ew gross. Who uses the word web anymore? I need to brush my hair really quick it's too ratty right now. And wow I need to put on make-up. I am looking hid-eo-us. Maybe that's why I'm not getting likes. I'm down to 30 today. I need to do something quick. Maybe I can put on one of those filters. That's it. Perfect. Oh what's this? Someone left me a comment?! "She looks like such a crack head. Clean up you dumb slut."

Natalie hides deeper within herself. Layer by layer she sinks into the constraints of her being where she may feel a bit safer. Where no one will judge, no one will comment, but still the thought resides with her that there is someone out there who thinks that little of her and how she looks. She gradually takes out her phone again and looks at herself in the camera.

Do I really look that bad? She thinks to herself shyly. A new layer of vulnerability forms and she sinks even deeper.

The group of them arrive at the small infirmary building at the front of campus. Automatic doors open before them and they walk inside. Nobody resides in the lobby and the nurse is seen sitting patiently behind the sliding glass window to the nurses' station. For it getting close to flu season, it was odd to see such an empty waiting room.

"Oh dear. What has happened" The nurse, an older lady in her sixties, walks out the office door and into the waiting area to examine Raina.

"Unfortunately, some kid refused to open the door for her and she walked right into it." Craig groaned.

"Well I guess they all can't be heroes like you." The nurse says with a hint of forced sarcasm that she's not falling for that bullshit. "We can bring her into one of the examining rooms. It's the first door on your left. I'll be right in.��

He carries her down the hallway and puts her down on the exam table minding the not to rip the wax paper upon doing so. The solemn stare and creased brow suggest that he did feel bad for what had happened. Even if he was unclear of why he had done it or how it even happened.

He sits down at one of the guest chairs and stares at just how beautiful she really is. Even in the dim light of the pale white examination room her eyes sparkle and hair glistens.

"I'm sorry Raina. I really don't know what came over me." Craig says defeated and exhausted. The testosterone and masculinity fades from his voice.

" You know that's not the first time you've done that to me." She says surely yet calmly.

"I know. But I won't do it again." He insists.

" I've heard that before Craig. I'm tired of this. You seriously need help. Randomly assaulting someone isn't normal. Why do you do it anyway?"

Before he can reply the nurse walks in. Latex gloves stretch around her bony wrinkled fingers. She holds alcohol wipes in her left hand. "This may sting a little." She states as friendly as she can.

She wipes the remaining dried blood from her face and packs gauze tightly up both nostrils. "Got you good huh?" She asks dodging the truth as much as she can.

"Yeah." Raina admits quickly glancing at Craig as he hangs his head between his legs.

"I'm surprised you aren't wincing. Do you feel any pain?"

"No. It kinda went away. Kinda like a miracle." The corner of Raina's mouth rises up ever so slightly.

"Bleh miracles. If miracles existed I wouldn't be here and beefcake over there would have a brain."

"Uh excuse me?" Raina stutters in confusion.

"If beef cake over here were smart he wouldn't have hit you in the first place. Or at least would've been smart enough to not leave a mark." The nurse sneers.

"I…I didn't hit her. She walked into the door." Craig wakes up from his solemn trance to defend himself.

"I'm not stupid you know. As glued to those cell phones as you kids are, I do not believe it had you so distracted that you walked into a door so hard that you broke your nose. Besides I know an assault when I see one."

Raina listens in shock and she notices the lights on the ceiling flicker as the nurse talks. The nurse drones on how it is unacceptable, and she could report him to the authorities but all she hears a muffled voice and the clock ticking. She feels her heart quicken slightly. She can hear it beat loudly. The air around her feels still and lifeless even though the atmosphere around her is far from it. Should she be excited that someone's about to help her or should she be afraid that it's not enough. No witnesses to confirm, no real evidence. It could just irritate Craig and worsen things. She sees Craig start to get up to fight and argue with her but ends up just walking right out the door looking somewhat defeated.

"Well then?" The nurse looks directly at her with pale blue eyes so sorrowful that Raina swore they were lifeless.

"Ummm well what?" She shakes her head from her daze.

" Do…you… want me to call the police?" The nurse reaffirms.

"Umm no. No. I really did just walk into the door ma'am. I'm not very graceful." She sighs thinking maybe it would be the perfect time to get away from him for good. But again what if it isn't enough?

"Next time it happens I'm calling the police." The nurse gives in and hands her something. "Change the gauze in another couple hours. Should be better within the next day or two."

Raina walks out and rejoins Craig in the waiting room. He sits with a slouch and his leg bounces up and down rapidly like a child with ADHD. It's the first time she ever saw a look of worry resonate on Craig's face.

"Let's go."

"What…what do you mean? We have to wait for the police."

"No. I told her that I really did walk into the door."

"Wait really?" The color in his face returns and he makes a motion to hug her. Before he can embrace her she stops him.

"Yeah. But we really need to talk." She says already starting to regret what she said. No good conversation started with those words.

They begin to walk out of the clinic when the nurse reenters the waiting room. They could feel a cool breeze enter the room as the automatic sliding doors open. A couple of red leaves float into the room on a gentle brook of air.

"You two can't leave yet." The nurse demands.

"Wait. Why not?" Raina asks.

"No not you two. The other two." She nods and glares at Natalie and Gwen who had been sitting by themselves at the back of the waiting room.

"Why do you need to see us?" The two of them look up from their phones and say in unison.

"I have news about your parents that you might want to know." She says solemnly. " Come into my office and we can chat."

"Okay."

An unsettling chill settles in the room. The nurse still in the office doorway. The two girls shiver in their seats. It takes them a few seconds to gather the strength to stand. Steps towards the office eventually come and come in lifeless drags. Even more lifeless than when they had phone in hand. Uncertainty caresses their minds as they hesitate to enter the office. But before they knew it, a breeze pushes the office door closed and nudges Craig and Raina out.

***

Unnerving as a doctor's office is with all the needles and unnatural sterile smell, none can compare to an office with the nurse from LU. No one knew her name (or at least the students didn't). No one even knew if there was really anyone else that worked there. No one ever heard of a doctor having hours there and even if one did they would only probably be on campus a couple hours a week or a month. If a student got seriously injured and the nurse didn't have the proper supplies the proper protocol was for the school to send for an ambulance and take them to Liberation City Hospital which was only fifteen minutes away.

Her presence is always quite eerie. The way she hunched when she walked and creaked when she talked one might think she could croak or unhinge at any given moment. Oh, and everything on her desk was always a little too organized. Pens and pencils always lined up in a row. Papers stacked up neatly and files always stored away professionally. No computer was to be found in her office either. Walls were always bare and white minus a clock that hung above the doorway.

For a lady her age it was probably normal to play soft classical music in her office but to the two girls it seems out of place and uncomforting. Some sort of Beethoven or Mozart emerges from an old record player in the corner. The two of them could faintly hear the hum of frantic violins.

The clock reads 1:30 as Gwen and Natalie sit down in front of the nurse's desk. Still unsure of what this was about they mumble to themselves in tangents of anxiety. The twitching of their arms and light shaking of their legs indicate impatience. The nurse slumps in, closes the door, pulls up a chair and sits down across from them. The stern look on her face suggests a morbid affair.

" They're dead." She blurts out.

"Uh.. Excuse me?" Natalie tries to speak up from the electric shock she received from the statement.

"They're all dead. Your fathers and mothers." She blurts out again this time staring at Natalie, head slanted, with her lifeless blue eyes.

"I…I don't understand. I talked to my parents this morning. They both seemed fine." Gwen mutters.

"Is this a fucking joke?!! You've got to be shittin' me." Natalie wails, tears exploding from her eyes.

The nurse slants her head toward Gwen with the same creeping eyes. Her head moving on a swivel almost as if her head wasn't attached to her spine. They could hear the cracking of multiple vertebrae.

"They are both dead. Found them earlier today lying on the floor. Gashes across the stomachs, one throat cut, an eye popped out. Knives found next to both bodies." She retorts almost emotionless.

As the girls try to comprehend what she was telling them, the nurse walks to her desk and opens one of the drawers. Both are still in disbelief until the nurse walks back over and hands them photographs of the bodies.

"Your dad was found with burns all over them. The oven burner was still hot when they found them. A pot was also found on the floor. And then your mom was found with her hand still in the garbage disposal."

"I…can…can…can't believe this. Why wouldn't the police have called me? How do you know all of this?" Gwen manages to get out as tears flow freely down her face.

"They contacted me when you both didn't pick up your phones. Guess they call the medical staff on campus right after. Told me they were found not more than a couple hours ago."

Gwen wipes her face with the sleeves of her sweatshirt while Natalie buries her head in her arms. They do not embrace for there is still a sense of uncertainty that it was not real. That their parents were still alive and well and they would see them in a couple weeks for winter break.

"Who was it that called you?" Natalie asks still not convinced.

"Officer said his name was Cass." The nurse replies blandly.

"That's…..that's… that's my uncle. Why didn't he call me?" Natalie wipes her face again and sniffles.

"Look, I am truly sorry but this is real. They are gone." The girls look up towards the nurse to see she her arms open wide. An odd sentiment for someone so emotionless. For someone so strange.

The girls hesitate but ultimately give in, to not be rude. Her embrace is stale and a little cold. The musty smell of nonenal decay lingers on the nurse as it normally does with older people. Her white scrubs begin to blot with the two girls' tears. They could now hear the solemn harmony of Clair de Lune playing on the record player.

That's when Natalie picks her head up from the nurse's shoulder. You can't have two different artists on an old record like that. My…my… dad used to always tell me that that was the downside to records. He couldn't jam out to AC/DC and Metallica alternatively. He…he had to finish one album and switch it to the next.

She almost wishes she hadn't picked up her head. She glances over to find a pair of spider-like tentacles protruding silently from the nurse's back. She could see the needle protruding from the end slithering towards her.

I…can… barely stand. My…heart isn't….even…beating fast. I..can't….break free. Too strong…or too weak? Each word…I…think…drains….me. Can't… do much… more. Ahhh. That pinched a lot. I now feel….energy…emotion?...being…sucked out…I…I…feel..cold….I….feel….nothing….

"Now, now dears. Let it all out of you. It's okay to grieve." The nurse says solemnly.

The spider tentacles now found their way into the backside of both girls' heads. The needle sticks into the back of both of their necks. Right between the cerebellum and the brain stem and up into the amygdala and pituitary gland, drawing pure emotion like a nurse draws blood.

They feel no pain except for the pinch of the long needles slowly inching into their brains. After that sensory deprivation kicks in. A floating feeling of nothing floods through both. No emotions, no thoughts, just the feeling of floating and a slight hint of cold. They both shut their eyes in exhaustion and release. Release of the thoughts of their parents. Release from the thoughts of their lives.

"Oh yes he will be very pleased that I stole them from Him. I will be rewarded greatly. You can't get much purer than that." The nurse smirks and dances around lightly.

She pulls out her extra appendages surgically and watches the girls thud to the floor. Not a single drop of blood or stream of spinal fluid leaked onto the floor nor was there any marking that the tentacles even penetrated their skin.

"I'll let him take the bodies. Much too heavy for an old lady like me." She rambles. "I should probably clean the place up a little for when he gets here. Oh, he'll be so thrilled." She exits the room towards the janitor's closet with a new hop in her step.

And as the two girls finally float into everlasting blackness, the last thing they hear is the quiet flittering keys of classical piano music and the ticking hands of the clock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick…..Tock.