The End of the World
Kevin Gong
"Nurse Cole, it's time to feed our patient. Nurse Cole!"
"Huh?" Charmela snapped out of her daydream. "Yes, Doctor Steinman. I'm sorry,
doctor." She watched the doctor look at her sternly as he slowly slipped out of
the room.
Nurse Cole had just been thinking of the patient. "Hello, Mr. Mental", she said through
the plastic ceiling. "Here comes lunch." She lowered a sandwich with a rope. The
dim light from the upper ceiling played tantalizingly over the bacon lettuce, and
tomatoes. Catching sight of it, Mr. Mental swiped at the rope to try to pull himself
up, but Nurse Cole was ready. The string fell to the floor, atop a pile of others,
each representing a different meal.
Mr. Mental had just been admitted a month ago. One of the doctors had found him mumbling
just outside of the hospital. It had been quite a struggle to get him into the maximum
security mental treatment room. He kicked and yelled. It took 4 doctors and 3 security guards to contain him until a nurse could arrive with a hypo.
The patient looked thoroughly deranged. His pointed chin rested on the back label
of his shirt. The shirt itself looked two sizes too small. His long, bony body
was draped with awkwardness. He wobbled whenever he moved. His fingers fumbled
whatever they touched. He would often collapse without warning.
His hair looked more like fur. A large beard smothered his face, partially hiding
his facial features. Round, glazed eyes looked at nothing. His twisted nose, and
slit mouth added to his strange appearance.
During his stay, Mr. Mental had not uttered a single comprehensible word. He was
so violent they had finally had to lock him up indefinitely. No person had claimed
responsibility for him, and no identification could be found in his clothes. He
soon, therefore, was coined with the simple name, Mr. Mental.
Treatment had been both difficult and ineffective. It was hard even to keep him still
long enough to examine him. Sedatives only kept him under for a few minutes. And
though tests could possibly have been squeezed into that time, no doctor would take
the risk.
Nurse Cole often wondered what went on inside of Mr. Mental's head. She stared down
through the plastic ceiling. Mr. Mental sat on the pile of string, biting his feet.
Furniture lay strewn all about. The radio lay open in the corner. The TV was smashed to bits. The bed had long since been torn to shreds. Charmela shuddered as Mr.
Mental emitted cries of pain and anguish.
He leapt off the floor and began to pound on the walls. The whole building shook.
Suddenly, gas entered the chamber. Mr. Mental shuddered and fell in a heap, his
moans fading as his body crept off into unconsciousness.
Nurse Cole shook herself. She quickly stepped out of the observation room into the
cool hallway lights. After standing just outside the door, collecting her thoughts,
she walked quickly towards the cafeteria. The food was horrible but it was quiet
and a good place to think.
In the cafeteria the calm atmosphere soothed her mind. She looked out of the window
at the place where she had first seen Mr. Mental. She sipped her black coffee and
began to think about Mr. Mental again. Is he scared? Is he angry? Is he sad?
What could possibly be going on in his head?
After finishing half of her coffee, she decided she couldn't take it anymore. Jumping
out of her chair, she strode back toward the observation room. She had to find out
what he felt. She didn't know what she was going to do, but she would find out,
somehow, what he felt.
Nurse Cole knew something was wrong as she opened the door to the observation room
and heard - nothing. With her right hand she slowly let the door swing shut as she
cautiously entered. She peered down into Mr. Mental's room.
It was empty.
Nurse Cole stood still for several seconds, in shock. Questions raced through her
mind. Images of Mr. Mental's rantings and ravings flashed through her memory. She
could she his anguished faced clearly now. He was standing in a strange room. He
was accelerating - away from the earth. And suddenly, his face took on an expression Charmela
had never seen in him before - his face was calm and serious. Suddenly, a flash
of blinding white light interrupted Nurse Cole's daydream. She opened her eyes.
They served their purpose for perhaps 2 seconds.
The earth was gone.
Copyright 1987 by Kevin Gong. Unauthorized duplication,
posting, or publication is strictly prohibited.
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