Acid Rain by R.D Rhodes (ebook reader txt) 📕

us and I expected her to call out one of the guys’ names when she said-

“Aisha McGillivray?”

A jolt ran through me. I looked up at her, surprised. “Yes?”

“You’re on..” she paused and held out a sheet of paper in front of her, “Twenty milligrams benzodiazepine.”

I felt my eyebrows screw up. “Sorry? What’s that?”

“It’s just a mild anti-depressant,” she said casually, looking down at the trolley and picking out two red pills from a tube, “it’ll help you feel better and calm you down till you’re properly settled in.”

I checked about the room to see if the others were in on it, if anyone had overheard, but everyone was immersed in the TV and the nurses were busy chatting to each other.

“I’ve not even seen a doctor yet.” I said. “I think there’s been a mistake.”

The nurse rolled her eyes in annoyance, “Look, I’m just doin’ my job. This sheet is always right. It says here- Twenty milligrams benzodiazepine,” She showed me the board with her finger hovering above my name. “Now you either take it by yourself, or we will have to do it for you, and you don’t want that.”

I glanced at the mob slouched in front of the Telly again, then at the dead, unblinking eyes at my table, and then at the nurses at the food trolley. “Hazel!” I shouted.

She never heard. I got up and marched over to where they were standing. She watched me cautiously and I felt her partners’ eyes burn into my head.

I pointed. “That woman’s trying to give me medication.”

Sanders chestnut eyes shot at the older nurse then back at me. “That woman’s name is Jean. Yes, you’re on a low dose anti-depressant, just for a few days till the doctor can take a proper look at you. What’s the problem?” She looked at me like it was nothing out of the ordinary, like she was doing nothing wrong.

“What do you mean, what’s the problem?” My voice raised. “I’m just here and you’re expecting me to take these pills I’ve never heard of when I’ve not even seen a doctor yet.”

Kev stepped straight out from behind the trolley. I took a step back as Sanders spoke softly and stared me in the eye. “It was the doctor that recommended them, honey. It won’t do you any harm.”

I shook my head, feeling the anger rise up in my chest.

“I’m not taking them. Not till I’ve seen the doctor myself.”

I turned to go back to the table and as soon as I had there was a flash of movement behind me. My instincts kicked in and I leapt forward and ran out into the corridor, dodging the flailing set of arms. Shit! Shit! I need to get out of here, I thought, but I sprinted halfway down the corridor and realized I had nowhere to go, just bedroom doors to my left and barred windows to my right. I panicked. I turned my door handle, it wouldn’t open, neither would the others. I sprinted to the secure locked doors at the entrance, but they wouldn’t budge either. I turned around and backed against the doors, helpless, as the nurses calmly edged closer in a line of three, Sanders in the middle, Kev and Liz either side, like three demons coming straight for me. I quickly checked each one- wondering if I could take them- Liz yes, Sanders yes, but Kev? And all three of them together? It was impossible.

They kept getting closer. I didn’t know what they were going to do to me.

“Help!” I shouted. “Help, please! Someone!”

There was a commotion at the other end of the hall. I glanced over Sanders shoulder; a few patients had stepped out of the common room and were watching in a crowd.

The nurses closed in on me.

“Help!” I shouted to the other patients, “Help me, please!”

The nurses stopped a few yards away and Sanders stepped forward. Her eyes flashed. Her right cheek was twitching.

“What are you going to do to me?” I screamed at her. “What do you want? Come near me and I’ll fucking kill you.”

“We just want you to take the medication, that’s all.” She coaxed softly.

“I’m not fucking taking it. I told you already.”

I felt like a caged wild animal. I was terrified. I formed my fist into a ball and got ready to defend myself.

Sanders eyes observed me cautiously, she watched my eyes then glared at my hands.

“Fine. Do you want me to phone the doctor then? He’s really busy you know.”

I kept my back to the door.

“I’m not taking them otherwise.”

“Fine! Let me past then.”

I slid my back along the wall and she furiously stepped past me- her heels clacking louder than ever off the floor- and opened the door with her key and locked it behind her. Her heels traipsed away into the distance and I could hear my heavy breath as the other nurses remained watching me and blocking off the hall.

“Not a good start Liz, is it?” Kev sneered as he stood with his arms folded. His laughing eyes kept looking me up and down and he smirked creepily.  Liz looked at me in disgust.

“WHAT’S GOING ON THERE?” a voice boomed from behind them. I peered over Kev’s shoulders at a tall barrel-chested man standing at the front of the crowd with his hands on his hips.

Kev spun around, “Mind your own fuckin business, Larry! Get back to your breakfast, NOW! THE LOT OF YOU!”

Larry’s eyes drooped and his hands fell limply by his side. The gathering spectators retreated into the common room, leaving us three on our own.

“Wot did ah tell ya?” Liz shouted, her jowls thundering as she bellowed in a thick cockney accent. “Ah told ya that wan wiz gonna be trouble.”

“Just give me five