The Watcher

Two men were having a serious conversation in the hoariest necropolis in town. The area's blanket was bleak, its air and ground both smell of death. It was grey, spectral, and ancient trodden with a big iron gate protecting the area. They were standing just right in front of an obelisk with an epitaph saying, “Gone cold, gone now”. A simple moniker “Sin – a monster known to man” was inscribed just below the quote.

“Will you help me?”, ask the man in plain black shirt.

“Depends on the terms”, replied the man in a white coat.

The man paused for a moment before he took a small envelope from his black pockets and handed it over to the other man.

“The terms and conditions are written there, including the plan.”

The envelop was old, dusty, and crispy so when the man received it, it stained his white sleeves. He unfolded the wrapper and silently read the letter within. He was immersed with the contents and his mind was trying to imagine every word in the letter. He somehow got a feeling that he will be in trouble, and that it will be difficult to get away from it. Faking an identity? Invading privacy? Illegal research? You name it, the man studying the letter literally had the guts to do all sorts of illegal activities just for money.

“I want you to execute the written plan”, said the man in black.

“Are you well-prepared for the consequences?”, asked the man in white.

“Always”, replied the man while tidying up his black pockets.

The man in white coat had never received such a well-gathered response before. He tried to cover up his astonishment by unconsciously kicking a rock just underneath his shoes. The small rock landed harshly on an unknown tomb. They both waited for the next event. The old upper-right corner of the tomb’s epitaph started to corrode. The man in black shirt patted the shoulders of the man who certainly regretted his actions.

“Nice one, you now have additional work to do”, said the man before he went away.

The man in white coat slowly walked to the accident area and found the name of the dead laying underground. “Marco Dmitriv…” Soon after he pronounced the name, the wind blew softly that caused the hair at the back of his neck to stood up. Little did he knew; it was the least among all the tombs he would ever dare to disturb.

The janitor can be seen walking on the pavements approaching the apologetic man. He stopped by a small room, went inside, gently arranged his cleaning tools, and went out with a heavy hammer in his left hand and an epitaph in his right hand. He walked fast with a grumpy aura. This made the man standing just beside the unfortunate tomb feel more remorse while tucking in some empty air into his pale fist.

“Good day to you sir, I am so sorry, this was an accident”, said the man trying to look innocent.

But he received a grouchy moan as a response. The janitor started to destroy the remaining part of the epitaph in order to replace it with a new one. Even without any instructions from the family members of the dead or even more from the wrongdoer, the janitor seemed to know just what to do and he did it so as soon as possible.

“May I ask about this dead man, who is he? Is he famous or a VIP of some sort?”, asked the man.

But then again, the janitor just uttered silence. He looked so unbothered and it appeared like he couldn’t waste time to talk to a stranger.

The man decided to let the janitor have his own peace. Maybe he was just unfriendly or to put it more bluntly, the janitor just wants him to disappear as he was the reason for the additional and unsought labor. The man went his way and into his car but before he could enter the driver’s seat, he noticed an envelope with a note saying, “Forgot to give you your new ID. Use it wisely.”

He went in the car, investigated the papers inside and found the name BEN FORD. He continued scanning the papers while trying to practice his new character as an intern nurse.

Ben started the car engine but before he drove away, he managed to take a short glance at the cemetery one last time. The janitor can be seen just standing and staring back at him like it was really waiting for his final departure. Ben just shrugged the eerie vibe off his shoulders and turned on the car radio instead. Fortunately, his favorite music was the one currently on air.

---song lyrics—

Tiny baby

Trying to cry, punch, and maybe

Trying to hide away some maybe

But oh, daddy has come home….

Dear mommy

Trying to smile, dance, and maybe

Trying to hide away some maybe

But lately gone numb…

So daddy

Come home with some honey (don’t be mad)

Tear away the grudges for maybe

Look inside the belly and you’ll find your kind….

Life is so not ordinary

Could let you wonder with so many doubts

Could let you celebrate with certainties

But certainly, could let you suffer for some time

But suffering is sweet (not always)

But suffering is sweet (not always)

Just lately I’ve been there… (wither with me)

Given that he is a psychiatrist himself, he just couldn’t wait to observe more people. The intern nurse arrived just 30 minutes early on his first day at the hospital or so he thought. He always loved the thrill; it makes him feel so alive.

The main hallway suddenly smell like molten iron as there was a patient with broken bones riding the rolling bed pushed by scurrying nurses heading to the emergency room. Nurse Ben caught the facial expression of the patient. He was throwing fading glances aimlessly, probably going numb due to the extreme pain. While examining the interiors, Nurse Ben saw a group of new interns gathered in the nurse station. He immediately hurried to it. As he approached the doorway, he slowly walked in as he heard a domineering voice.

The head nurse was standing in front of the group and nurse Ben needed to tip toe his way to see the source of the powerful tone. She was so small for her voice. “Though she barely reached 5 ft., the head nurse undoubtedly has the impression of a general soldier”, Ben thought. Her stare landed on him and he was shaken. Those gazes nearly cracked his spine.

“I only hate one thing, latecomers!”, the head nurse exclaimed while looking intently at the intern.

“I am so sorry ma’am, but I think I got the wrong schedule. I thought I was 30 minutes early”, stated Ben as his defense while still maintaining his composure.

Ben aimed his stare at the head nurse’s name attached on her uniform. And it said, BELINDA HUNTER.

Her name suits her…

He roamed his eyes until it reached Belinda’s eyes. Belinda on the other hand seemed to be the type that never accepts apologies for any incompetence. There was a short silence and Belinda continued her lecture discussing the hospital rules.

Soon after the meeting, Ben and the other interns were tasked to familiarize themselves with the rooms, the patients, as well as their health records.

Meanwhile at the human resource department office, a call got in.

“Hello, good day. I’m calling because I saw a post that you want people to fill in the vacant position of a janitor. I was planning to email my CV and application letter this day. Is the position still available?”, said the voice from the other line.

“Yes it is. We’re looking forward for your email. Thank you”, replied the staff.

And after that, the call ended.