In lieu of Halloween - my favourite yearly celebration - I thought it would be the perfect time to share a sneak peak of my current project, The Collectable's. It's a creepy eerie thriller, something I am not used to writing. It's completely out of my comfort zone and it is quite challenging, but am really happy with the evolution of a single little idea and the way the charachter's are appearing to me as I write. It is almost like they are telling me their story and I am just putting it on paper.
I have 7 charachters with their own tales to tell, yet they all intertwine with one another. Nothing is ever truly explained and lets the readers imagination come up with their own idea's and thoughts; though, everything falls into place just at the last minute.
I am not quite sure if it is going to be a book, a novella or a compelation of short stories that intertwine with one another. I'm more focused on the charachters and their stories. Once I have them all on paper the flow of everything will be decided.
The charachter you will be meeting is Rebecca, she is the first charachter in the book/novella. This is where the story starts and where Rebecca's tale begins.
Night Shift
She opened her eyes; everything was blurry and it was hard
to focus. She went to brush the sleep
from her eyes but her hand seemed to be restrained by something. She tried moving the other hand but it seemed
to be restrained as well. What’s going on? Where am I? She tried wiggling her arms free of
whatever it was restraining them but there was no give and the leftovers of
sleep were making her disoriented and difficult to grab her barring’s. She stopped trying to free her hands and took
a few deep breaths to collect her thoughts.
As her eyes focused she realized (the obvious) that she was in a bed but
she was still in her uniform from the
previous nights’ shift, yet she couldn’t remember even going home let alone going to
bed. She tried remembering what happened
the previous night but nothing in her memory seemed to resurface or want to
resurface. As her eyes came into focus
she looked at the ceiling noticing the water marks and cracks that went from
one said to the other. This isn’t my room, she thought. Where
am I?
She looked to her left; there was nothing
against the yellow wall. She had no idea
where she was yet for some reason she knew she had been here before but she
didn’t know why. She noticed there was
light coming in from somewhere behind her.
She moved her head along the pillow straining her neck so she could see
where it was coming from. Her eyes greeted a window, but the window had metal
bars running the vertical length of the window. Panic rose to her throat making it hard to
breathe. She lifted her head as much as
she could and realized that not only were her hands restricted but her legs
were as well. Thick leather straps held
her by both wrists and ankles down to the thin mattress covered in a single
white sheet. She tried squirming her way
out, knowing it was no use and no matter how much she tried she would never get
herself free.
She began to scream, she screamed until one of the nurses
opened the door. “Calm down Rebecca, we
don’t want to have to sedate you again.”
Sedate me? “Jo,
what’s going on? Why do you have me
strapped in like this and why are you talking to me like I’m a patient; like
I’m crazy?”
“It’s for your own safety. You were on first rounds last night and then
you started screaming, you wouldn’t stop.
We had to sedate you to calm you down, you just kept mumbling ‘the girl…it’s
true…the picture’. We didn’t know what
you were talking about, you weren’t making any sense. It was a relief when you fell asleep; but
then you woke up again talking nonsense and again talking about ‘the truth.’ We tried to get you to explain what had
happened but you just began to scream and we then had to sedate you again.”
She was confused. She
didn’t know what Jo was talking about. What
was true? What girl? What picture?
None of it made sense. She looked
at the older nurse with pleading eyes.
“Do you not remember anything at all?”
She shook her head.
“Well maybe it’s for the best.” She said patting her arm “Now
get some rest.”
“Rest? I want out of
these restraints so I can go home!” She
said trying to sit up but the restraints were making it next to impossible.
“The doctor thinks it best that we watch you for a few days.
“
“What do you mean a few days? That’s ridiculous. Come on Jo, undue these restraints and let me
go home.”
“I’m afraid I’m under strict orders Rebecca.” Jo said shaking her head sullenly
“Strict orders?!?
Come on; Jo I’m a nurse not a patient, there is no point in keeping me
here.”
“I’m afraid I feel different” said Doctor Macivoy from the door way. “After last night you gave us all quite a scare.” Now at her bedside, putting his hand on her
shoulder. “Even the patients were
frightened. We just want to make sure
that whatever it is that scared you so much don’t happen again. Once we are
satisfied you are free to go.”
“I haven’t signed myself in here therefore I can leave when
I want. I know how it works.”
“I’m afraid as an employee you don’t have a choice for the
next 72 hours. We have to keep you here
for observation, we are obligated not just to our patients safety but to yours
as well. If we discharge you and
something happens to you in the allotted 72 hours, we are responsible. I’m sorry Rebecca but I can’t let you leave.”
“At least let me out of these restraints”
He looked at Nurse Jo.
“I’m sorry Rebecca but I can’t do that.
You could’ve really injured someone last night including yourself I
think it’s best you remain in the restraints.”
Rage, fear and nausea released through her veins. She was confused, she didn’t understand why
all this was happening. What happened? She started to struggle and wriggle around
trying to get out of the restraints. Her
wrists and ankles were starting to feel like fire from her fight against the strength
of the restraints.
“Please just undue the restraints.” She said pleadingly.
“I’m sorry Rebecca but I can’t”
She started to panic. Is
this how they feel, the patients? Scared
and confused? Angry? We don’t listen to them so why should I
expect them to listen to me? Listen
to her about what, she didn’t know. What
she did know was that she wanted out of there; fast. She again started pulling with her ankles and
wrists despite the fiery pain. “Let me out of here” she said in a high pitched
voice which didn’t sound like her own.
“Let me out! You can’t keep me here!”
“Rebecca honey please calm down.” Said Nurse Jo with worry
in her eyes.
“I will not calm down.
You have me tied to a bed against my will like I’m a crazy person. LET ME OUT OF HERE!” Knowing, that screaming, was just going to
make the situation worse but she didn't care, she wanted answers and she wanted
them now!
Out of the corner of
her eye she saw an orderly enter the door and hand something to Doctor
Macivoy. A syringe; more panic rushed
through her. “No please no. I promise I
will calm down just don’t sedate me.”
Tears now drowning her face, but she knew he wouldn’t listen.
As he leaned in to stab
her small bicep with the long pointy needle she lifted up her hips trying to stop
the needle from making contact with her skin.
It worked for a few seconds but he was coming at her again this time she
tried thrashing her upper body around but that just made the doctor more
angry. She was screaming for them to get
away from her but she already knew how the scenario was going to end.
Doctor Macivoy instructed the orderly to hold her down. His weight on her made her feel more helpless
and made her attempt to thrash at them even more obsolete. She felt the prick of the needle in her bicep
and the effects of the sedative working almost instantly.
Doctor Macivoy and the orderly left the room but Nurse Jo
stayed behind. She placed her bum on the
edge of the bed and stroked Rebecca’s hair.
She didn’t understand what had happened the previous night to the young
nurse. She was hurt that she couldn’t
help her. She really cared for her and
didn’t like to see her. She would hate
to see the job get to her like it did to so many.
Rebecca, facing Jo, curled up as much as the restraints
would allow – ignoring the pain in her arm from the syringe – and just cried. Why is
this happening? Why am I being treated
like I’m crazy? “I’m not crazy.”
She whispered.
“I know you’re not sweetie.” The sound of the old nurse was comforting and
made her happy that she stayed behind.
Every second she was getting more and more tired and she could feel the
heaviness of sleep around the corner and as it crept closer so did the memories
of the previous night.I hope you enjoyed! Please keep in mind it is the first draft and there will be changes before the final draft is finished. Rebecca's tale doesn't end here, infact what happened to her explained in the next part of her tale. Stay tuned.
Happy Halloween boils and ghouls.
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