Halloween Candy Read Online Free PDF Page A

keys for him like he was a baby – he started on the basic rounds with one of the psych techs. Sharps check, whites check, laundry baskets rolled out as more staffers arrived, coffee in the vending room, twice-told jokes about the boy who 43

    grew trees on his back, complaints from Shaw and Rogers about their treatment, a backed-up toilet on 2, followed by basic bed check – Rance had the sniffles, and Layton quickly checked his temp only to find a high fever and then, oh shit, the day was screwed. Harper arrived and began a mini-quarantine to make sure it wasn’t anything worse than the flu –
    six ended up in Rance’s room, all with fevers, all beginning to moan about the demons who were scratching at them or their skin falling off, or any number of odd complaints. Diarrhea on the floor, dripping, spitting, and Layton going between them with juice and toast, just hoping for once they’d all get the plague and die.

    When he finally got to Nix’s room, he unstrapped him. “I thought Shaw would’ve done this by now, damn it,” Layton said, muttering to himself, but Nix laughed.

    “That’s the first time you’ve ever said anything that made sense, Mr. Conner,” Nix said, “and now, if you don’t mind, a little privacy?”

    Layton nodded and turned his back. He watched the wall, and tried to ignore the pissing sounds coming from the toilet in the corner.

    “All done,” Nix said.
    44

    “Glad to see no writing on the wall today,” Layton said, turning.

    Nix had a face that was a genetic mix of wise child and prematurely old troll – Layton had never noticed ‘til now that Nix had a scar on his chin, or that he was beginning to go bald. His blond hair receded from a point on his crown. How old was he? Layton thought he was forty, but he might’ve been mid-thirties. It was on his chart, but who looked at the charts anymore? Administrative bullshit.

    “She finally stopped,” Nix said, getting fidgety. His face became stormy – his brows twitched, his lips curled, his skin began wrinkling with nervous spasms.
    Needs his meds.
    “You sleep okay?”

    “Not really,” Nix giggled, his fingers beginning their familiar snapping --
    Where the fuck is Rogers and the med cart?

    “Couldn’t sleep – “

    “At all?” Layton asked.

    “The baby kept me up, so I had to wander.” Nix said, and then went to the sink and began washing up. He shook like a drunk. Where 45

    the hell was the med cart? Layton watched him in the steel mirror. “I went out and had a drink or two and then made friends.”

    “Oh did you,” Layton nodded. He glanced at the open door. The squeaking whine of the med cart wheels echoed along the green corridor. Somewhere a fly buzzed. Out the window? He glanced outside, through the bars and glass, past the pavement, the fences, to the river and the valley – God, he just wanted to be there. Layton went and sat down on the mattress. It was clean –unlike other patients’ rooms.
    “Another night on the town?”

    Nix turned slowly, his face shiny with water. “Oh yes. I met someone and we spent the night together.”

    “Well,” Layton grinned. “Not a total loss then.” Stretched his arms out, and hopped up again. Nix was an easy patient for the most part; violent when he was on the outside, but inside he was pretty much a kitten. Nix never went for the eyes. He spoke sensibly except when he went into some delusional talk. Layton went to the sink and brought up a towel for him.
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    Taking the towel, wiping his hands slowly, Nix said, “Not a total loss at all. But then…that baby was still wailing. She hadn’t changed him, that’s why. She doesn’t know how important it is. See, the thing is, she can understand all this movement, this jumble of molecules, but he’s just a baby, his mind hasn’t quite sorted it out. She thinks because he’s a baby he’s better at it. I had to change him myself.”

    “Is that how you got the safety pin?”

    “The what?”