Page 31 of Visions of Darkness

A peace had settled into the atmosphere from her side of the room.

“That’s likely it. You should feel much better in the morning.” The nurse moved back for the cart she’d left by the door and pushed it over; then she pulled the long curtain that hung from the ceiling across the room to give us privacy.

“I’m Jill, the RN on duty tonight. I’m going to get you cleaned up and changed, if that’s okay with you.”

Her tone was soothing, riddled with compassion. Goodness spilled from her like a sieve.

“I don’t mind.” It was a bare mumble from my thickened tongue.

She helped me back up to sitting, and she carefully peeled my long-sleeved red T-shirt up and over my head.

“Anything you need, you ...” Her voice faltered when the bandage covering half my back and my right shoulder came into view. Sympathy gushed from her spirit before she managed to finish her thought. “You just let me know.”

I forced a nod.

“I’m going to need you to lie face down.” She guided me onto my stomach so she could get to my back.

I didn’t have the energy to wince when she began to peel the tape from my skin.

A soft gasp escaped her lips as she exposed the wound inch by inch, and she whispered under her breath, “Oh my God.”

She’d frozen with the bandage only halfway loosened, the weight of her horror heavy as she stared at my back.

Unease twisted my stomach, the most vulnerable part of me exposed, so misunderstood.

I wanted to weep.

Finally, she gathered herself, and she swallowed deeply as she murmured quietly, “We’ll get this cleaned right up. Don’t worry.”

She removed the rest of the bandage, then retrieved something from her tray. “This might sting a little,” she warned.

It did, but again, I couldn’t move. Couldn’t do anything but remain motionless as she tended to me.

After she applied a new bandage, she helped me into a pair of pajamas. She shuffled me around and drew up my covers, shushing me in a motherly way.

“There you go, sweetheart. Get some rest.”

She pushed back the curtain, then moved over to Jenny, her voice coated in the same compassion. “Wake up, Jenny. You need to take your meds before you go to sleep.”

Jenny groaned as she stirred, exhausted as she sat up to accept two paper cups: one with water and one with pills. She tossed them back and chased them with a drink.

“Thank you,” Jenny mumbled.

“Of course.” Jill tossed the paper cups into the trash, then pushed her cart to the door. “You two get some rest. Let us know if you need anything.”

Jenny offered an almost inaudible “’Night.”

Jill slipped out, leaving the door open a couple of inches. A sliver of light streamed through the crack, barely illuminating the room enough so that I could make out Jenny’s silhouette where she was tucked beneath the covers.

She rolled onto her side, facing me, her words garbled and slurred. “Do you think it’s weird they make me take pills when that’s the reason I’m here?”

It took every last ounce of willpower to focus on her in the dim light. I was so drained I could no longer move my limbs. “No. They just want to help you.”

She nodded against her pillow. A few seconds of silence passed before she muttered, “Thank you for earlier. For letting me talk. You made me feel a lot better.”

“It was nothing.”

“It felt like ...” She paused, her brow twisting in the shadows. “It felt like something.”

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