Page 34 of Sour
The young nurse shrugged. “Yeah, well, not today. Now come, let’s go, Ms. Carter.” The nurse grabbed her arm, and I shot to my feet.
“Easy, Ziggy,” Koven whispered. “It’s okay.” She looked at both of us and yanked her arm free. “Don’t fucking touch me,” she bit out. The man’s face drained of color
There’s the Koven I know.
“This way.” The male nurse motioned for Koven as he eyed me closely.
Dream grabbed the hem of my shirt as the two disappeared from view. My eyes fell to hers, and I noticed a fearful look on her face. “Happy?” She tugged my shirt again. “I–I don’t understand. BJ never misses a shift.”
My eyes looked around the dayroom. The staff was all either zoned out or occupied with other patients. Koven was getting her brain fried, and God only knew what Johnny was up to. “Hey Dream?” The white-haired woman looked at me. “I got a surprise for you. But we have to sneak out of here to get it, okay?”
Dream pondered for a moment. “Where is it?”
I grinned and grabbed her hand, helping her to her feet. “Just stick close, and whatever you do, keep quiet.”
The woman nodded silently.
“Good.” I guided her from the dayroom and in the direction of the showers. “I really hope you like it. I stayed up all night working on it. Just for you, cottontail.”
We walked cautiously through the asylum and into a different wing, bobbing and weaving around patients and staff until we finally made our way to the dark hall. The nice thing about the showers was that they were located in one of the abandoned bathrooms. Only a handful of patients still used them, which made last night a lot easier.
“Here.” I pushed the bathroom door open. “Go on in.” Dream flashed me an uneasy look, but stepped inside.
The bathroom was mostly out of commission, filled with chipped tile walls and floors, abandoned bathtubs, and only a single working shower. It was old as shit, and barely functional. And for the most part, it sat in complete darkness.
“H–happy?” Dream stuttered my name as she stepped farther into the bathroom, her hand gliding over the edge of a bathtub. I flicked the switch, and the entire bathroom slowlyflickered to life, revealing what she was standing next to. Or better…who.
God, I hope she doesn’t fucking scream.
Dream didn’t make a single sound. She just stood there, staring down at the partially flayed body as it sat in the bathtub, filled with water and blood. The corpse’s arm hung over the edge as blood softly dripped onto her shoe. Her arm reached out, trembling as her fingers touched the very spot on the man’s chest that once had the infamous tattoo.
“BJ,” she breathed. Dream slowly turned to look at me, her eyes red and burning with tears. “Is this my gift?” she asked. “Because I don’t like it.”
My head shook. “No. That’s not your gift.” I walked over to another tub and reached in. “This is. Close your eyes.” She didn’t move. “Dream, I can’t give you your gift until you close your eyes.” A tear fell down her cheek as she shut her eyes. I lifted the creation and walked over to her. Her breathing increased as I stood directly in front of her, smelling her fear. “I’m not going to hurt you, Dream. We’re friends.”
“You killed BJ,” she whimpered.
True.
“An unfortunate incident, but necessary. BJ tried to hurt me. And he’s already hurt both you and Koven. You don’t deserve to be played with so roughly.” I gently wiped her tears away while she flinched at my touch. “None of you do.” Dream exhaled as if relieved by what I said. “Now, put your hands out.” Her palms shook as she did what I asked, extending them out. “Here.” I placed the gift into her grasp. “Open your eyes, cottontail. But don’t judge me, I’m not exactly an experienced seamster.”
Dream slowly opened her eyes to see the gift I had made just for her, a small rabbit, handsewn with medical stitches and made entirely of BJ’s flayed flesh. Her big hazel eyes scoured over the eerie stuffed critter.
“What is it?” she asked cooly.
Well that’s embarrassing.
My arm reached out, and I tapped the flimsy makeshift ear. “It’s a rabbit. I made it just for you, cottontail. Well, Johnny helped.”
Dream stared at the human-skin animal and noticed the stomach. I had used the large chunk of BJ’s chest, the piece with the tattoo she was so fond of, to create the main body. And by the way she stroked the etched ink, I had a feeling she liked it.
“You did this, for me?” Dream’s eyes lifted, filled with tears. I nodded. “Oh Happy!” She hugged the fleshy rabbit tight, stroking every inch of it while mumbling to herself. “I’m going to name him Schmoocums.”
“Well, that’s a mouthful. Not BJ?” I playfully asked.
The woman shook her head with the biggest smile, giggling at her new toy. “Nope. Schmoocums, ‘cause it’s a name that makes you smile. Just like yours.” She booped the bunny’s makeshift nose made from BJ’s nipple. “Thank you, Happy.”
“Anything to see that smile, cottontail. That’s what friends do. But now, I need a gift from you, friend.” She stroked the rabbit’s ears. “I need to knoweverythingabout Koven and Dr. Sabel.”
