Ray

They drove in silence for a while. The inside of the Caretaker's car was spotless. May's eyes darted around the seats, looking for some clue about his personality, identity, anything. She saw something small underneath the backseat and lunged for it.

"Aha!" But her face fell. It was a ripped Splenda packet.

She threw it down in annoyance.

The Caretaker glanced down at the lonely paper. "I need another pack,' he said to himself.

May thought of something. "What do I call you?"

"What do you mean?" They turned a sharp corner.

"I mean," May recovered from being thrown sideways, "do you have a name?'

"I am your Caretaker," he said.

"Doesn't answer the question," she mumbled.

"I will think of an answer." He said it with what sounded like genuine seriousness.

May examined his profile for the first time. From the side, he looked less human. His jaw was overly sharp, his lips overly full. Everything was just slightly too much. None of it made him unappealing. She whipped out her phone.

"What on earth are you doing?" The Caretaker blinked as May took a series of photos from different angles.

"I want to see how photogenic you are?" She considered. "Do you not show up in pictures. Wait--that's vampires."

He grabbed the phone, one hand on the wheel.

"Hey!" She struggled with him but he deleted the pictures with inhuman speed.

When he gave the phone back to her she was panting. "I was just---curious. I had two semesters of film school." Her eyes were saddened. "It's cool the way the camera loves some people."

"I left you the best one," he said. "The others were incompetently taken."

"Gee thanks," May looked at the screen. It was a perfect photo of his profile. She saved it.

"We're here," the Caretaker pulled into the parking lot behind the hospital.

May reached for her mask.

"You don't need that," the Caretaker said.

May looped the mask securely around her ears and cast him a look of loathing.

He turned off the engine. "You're only causing yourself inconvenience."

She did not reply.

In front of the big double doors, May paused. She had trouble with doors the most. She felt the familiar tightening sensation in her chest, the gaping hole that froze her in place.

"They open automatically." His tone was flat.

May looked up at him.

"Just walk," he said commandingly.

She obeyed, hesitantly stepping through the doorway as a blast of cool air swept her hair back. " "Does he know?" She wondered. "So what if he does." The feeling in her chest remained as they stepped into the elevator. The Caretaker pressed 4.

"Wait," May registered where they were. "What happened to the big desk? We're not supposed to get on the elevator until they know who we are."

The Caretaker's tone remained flat. "We can skip all that. My gift to you. Your friend is on the fourth floor," he thought for a second, "currently attempting to revive a man who's lungs have given out and---" his eyes refocused, "he failed."

There was silence. Then, DING!

The Caretaker led her out of the elevator, down the hall and to the left. They arrived in front of an unassuming looking door.

"Is this?" May was a little afraid.

"He's in there," the Caretaker said. "Want me to open--"

"No," May said quickly, and grasped the handle.

When they entered, the room had a sole occupant. A young man May's age was hunched over on the edge of a tiny bed, his shoulders shaking.

"Ray," May's voice shook and she ran to him.

"May what the hell are you doing--" Ray's words were muffled by May's jacket. She clung to him and he hurriedly wiped away his tears. "My scrubs are gross." Ray caught sight of the tall man leaning against the doorway. "Who's the bozo in the hat?"

May let go. "He's--uh---new friend."

"Ok…" Ray looked unconvinced. "How are you here? I didn't get any calls or notifications? It's not safe to be here right now."

"I know," May said. Then, more quietly. "Hugging you was worth it."

He sighed and rubbed her shoulders with brotherly affection. "But May really did you sneak past the orderlies? How--" He was cut off and his face took on a dreamy expression.

May turned to see the Caretaker grinning. "What are you doing to him?" She demanded.

"Just getting him to focus on what matters."

"Stop it," she said almost hysterically. "People's minds shouldn't be messed with."

"Alright, alright." The Caretaker released him, and Ray's face normalized.

"May, I haven't heard from you in weeks. Are you okay?" Ray sat down again, pulling May to a seat beside him.

"Yes." May swallowed, she hated lying to him. "What about you? Did you lose a patient?"

"My fourth today." Ray tried to swallow. "New reality. We're going back into full lockdown again, did you see?" He looked at the Caretaker suspiciously. "What's your name?"

"Um--" May was cut off.

"George," "George Armbrecht." The Caretaker smiled broadly.

"Armbrecht...German? That's a German hat isn't it?"

The Caretaker looked vaguely pleased. "It is. Popularized by Edward VII after he visited Germany in the 1890s."

"You know, I was a history major in undergrad. I was obsessed with the Edwardian Era for a solid two years." All threatening notes were gone from Ray's voice.

The Caretaker stood up straight, as if remembering something. "Ah...the time before the Great War--"

"Ah hem." May cleared her throat loudly before the Caretaker could launch into what was clearly going to be a very long and ruminative speech. She turned back to Ray. "Have you eaten yet?"

"Yes," he said, just as his pager went off. "Sorry," he checked it. "I gotta go. Patient's crashing." He gave May a quick head kiss and rushed out the door.

The Caretaker let her sit in silence for a few minutes. Then, he asked inquisitively, "boyfriend to be?"

May uncrossed her arms from where they had been cradling herself. "No."

"He doesn't seem very interesting. Although I would like to explain to him just exactly what history books refuse to cover about the Edwardian period---"

"Jesus Christ!" May had had enough.

The Caretaker laughed softly. "Doesn't exist."

"I don't CARE." May stood. "You are INSUFFERABLE." She paced up and down the room in a rage. "Seeing Ray was supposed to make me feel better."

"Did it not?" The Caretaker asked expectantly.

"Screw you," she spat at him. "What exactly are you that can manipulate people's minds? Is it a new power? Could you always do this? Have you spent millions of years running around playing with people? Are you playing with me?"

He grabbed her by the elbow mid-stomp. As she looked up at him, she could see his whole body tighten.

When he spoke, his voice was deeper than she had ever heard it. "I cannot manipulate you in any way. I cannot play with your mind, or alter your decisions. And I cannot hurt you."

"But you would if you could." May wished she hadn't stuttered the words.

"Yes," he replied.

They stood breathing in the charge between them. The Caretaker cocked his head to one side. "Do you want to see who I am?"

"Yes," May said.

He shrugged, a steely glint in his eye. "Just remember it was your decision."