One and the Same
5
Sam nods, his gaze moving into the distance, "There are always people like that, they think moving past the pain means forgetting about it. They get angry because they don't want others to forget either. But somethings it is necessary... it is necessary to..." Sam's voice trails off.
Margie looks up as Sam stops moving. Albert sees the old man curl protectively around the box. It looks like he would fall apart at the slightest touch. Albert gently touches the frail shoulder his voice soft, "Dad?"
The old man doesn't respond his face is devoid of any emotion, his eyes are cloudy.
Albert face drains of color, as dread curls in his stomach, "Dad!"
He shakes the man but life doesn't return to the body.
Memories of blood flash in Albert's mind and he jumps towards the door.
Margie whines as if urging Albert to hurry.
"Attendant! I need assistance!" Albert yells into the hall.
Two men in pink scrubs rush from a desk several doors down. Albert follows them into the room. His dad has already started clawing at his arms. Margie steps aside when she sees them and the nurses reach Sam just as he starts going for his face. Albert snatches the box from his dad's lap while they pull Sam up and move him to the bed. A woman in a white coat taps on a syringe as she enters. She quickly finds a vein on Sam's arm and injects him with a liquid. Margie nuzzles Albert's hand as they wait for the tranquilizer to kick in. He pets her but he can't stop thinking about how he almost let it happen again. When Sam's body relaxes, the men tuck him in while the woman leads Albert into the hallway.
"It's best to let him rest for now." She pulls off her gloves, "He hasn't been sleeping well lately, thanks to those riots, so he probably won't wake up until this evening maybe not until late tonight. Go home, Mr. Wick, it looks like you need some sleep as well. When he wakes up we'll make sure he doesn't take a downward turn again."
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