Part 16 (2/2)
”You've made too much noise, Matthew. They're coming and they look very angry.”
Panicked, Matthew stared at his cell door, paralyzed with fear and the knowledge of what they would do to him when they arrived.
”You better return to your bed before they arrive. You know what they'll do if they find you on the floor, buried in the corner. Hurry, Matthew. They're almost at the door.”
The two guards arrived at Matthew's cell only moments later. The head guard turned to check the clock on the wall and slurred, ”It's only ten and he's raving like a maniac. I hate this son-of-a-b.i.t.c.h. After the trial, they should have taken him straight from the courtroom and ga.s.sed him.”
The second guard only nodded in silent concurrence.
Turning back to the door, he slid open the metal plate covering the viewing window. He slammed the intercom b.u.t.ton and hissed, ”What the h.e.l.l are you doing in there?”
The speaker next to the window crackled and sputtered, but Matthew understood every word by the tone in his voice. ”I'm fine. Leave me alone.”
”What?” screamed the guard, ”Leave you alone?”
”I'm sorry... really... I'm all right.” Matthew's tone was conciliatory. ”I won't need your help.”
”You won't need my help? I should come in there and kick the living s.h.i.+t out of you, you f.u.c.king perverted little toad. Shut up and don't disturb me or any of the other guests or you'll find yourself bound and gagged,” raged the guard. ”You know what drugs they'll give you, don't you? You don't like the drugs, do you, s.h.i.+t head?”
Nausea swept over him, but he remained calm. ”No... please. I'm all right.” He did his best to sit up straight and smile, even though his insides were twisting and his brain burned with a fire fueled by his panic. Still, he managed to look directly at the observation window.
The silence that followed suspended time for an eternity. Finally the metal plate slammed with an audible crack. The hiss and crackle of the speaker discontinued.
”They're leaving, Matthew. You did a fine acting job. There won't be any drugs tonight. You'll be able to talk with me all night long. Won't that be fun?”
Matthew wrapped his pillow around his head and cried into it to m.u.f.fle the sound. But nothing could stop IT. He drew his legs up into a fetal position again and listened. Tick... tick... tick. It relentlessly echoed ever louder in his fevered mind.
”Nurse, there was an episode with Matthew last night at ten. Did you get any additional details?”
”You have everything there, Dr. Collins. The guard was off duty at seven this morning. He left the report in the slot. There was no need for medication and Matthew remained quiet for the rest of the night. After questioning the supervisor, there was no new information to be added to the report.”
”Thank you.” Still distracted by the report, he asked, ”Erin, how long have we worked together?”
”I don't know. Maybe three years...could be four. Why?”
”Matthew really disturbs me. We've never encountered a case like this before. Other than his delusions about that blasted wall clock, he seems quite rational and somewhat normal. Now he insists that when the clock stops ticking, his life will be over. I need to understand him and why this new element to his delusion has surfaced. I just can't find a way into his head.”
”He resists all attempts to cooperate with you,” she answered. ”He could be using the clock as a way of avoiding the reality of what he's done. He is, after all, a premeditated ma.s.s murderer. Perhaps we should remove the clock. If he can't converse with it, he can't use it to evade your therapy.”
”That's very insightful, Erin. You should have continued your education. You'd make a d.a.m.n fine doctor.”
Blus.h.i.+ng, Erin replied, ”Thank you, Doctor. That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said about my work. While we're on the subject, may I say something about Matthew?”
”Go ahead.”
”Matthew frightens me. He's restrained when we see him, but he makes my skin crawl. You saw the dampness on his trousers yesterday.”
”Yes, it was unsettling.”
”Doctor,” she continued. ”I didn't buy that story about him having his hands around your neck. It doesn't fit his killing profile. You've seen that G.o.d-awful weapon that he made. He paralyzed people and then, while they were still alive, he wrapped them in silk cloth and stored them in garages or bas.e.m.e.nts. He placed them in any out-of-the-way place he could find where they eventually died. He even sliced off their ears to eat them.” She began to shake uncontrollably. ”He's a monster.”
Putting an arm around her shoulder, he guided her to a chair where he helped her to sit. ”Don't dwell on the details, Erin,” he comforted. ”We have him in our total control. Just relax.”
”I think he was imagining that he was killing me when he got his erection and e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed.” Pausing to regain her composure, she continued, ”Did you see that wicked smile on his face when I dropped my tray?”
”No I didn't. I had my back to you when I heard the crash. When I turned around, you were bending to pick up your tray. That movement grabbed my attention. I only noticed Matthew slightly. When I saw that he was securely bound, I returned my attention to you. I wanted to be sure that you were all right.”
”I'm sorry, Doctor. I just can't keep myself together when I'm near that man. If you wish to replace me, I'll understand. I'd almost welcome it.”
”Enough of that talk. You're a professional. You need to detach yourself from what he's done. You can't dwell on it or it will drive you crazy. Let's try a new tactic. We'll install observation cameras in his cell and monitor him for a while. His resistance might diminish if we leave him alone for a while.”
”Do you think the warden will go along with it?”
”I've already obtained approval. I spoke with him last week, but was unsure when or if I should try to install the cameras. My plan will be to observe only and then we can a.n.a.lyze any behavioral patterns that we can utilize to ultimately develop a new therapy protocol.”
”Matthew? Can you hear me?” the voice of Dr. Collins snapped and crackled from the intercom. ”I know you're awake.”
Remaining perfectly still, Matthew ignored the voice. It had been a month since they came for him. He was enjoying his drug-free life. Keeping his breathing slow, he feigned sleep.
”Matthew. It's Dr. Collins. I've come to talk with you.” Even through the distortion of the cheap speaker, he'd heard every word and had reacted. Dr. Collins saw Matthew's body tense and become rigid under the sheets. ”I know you can hear me, Matthew. I only wish to speak with you. There won't be any drugs.”
Matthew turned on his bed and faced the window. He stared intently, hoping to see through the one-way gla.s.s. Lost in thought, Matthew was trying to figure out their game when IT called to him.
”They're all out here, Matthew. They don't have any carts or the gurney with them. I believe that they are telling the truth.”
”How would you know? You haven't even spoken to me in two weeks.”
”Did you miss me, Matthew? I had things to do. I can't be with you all the time.”
”It's never stopped you before...”
”Before what, Matthew?”
”You know... before they quit giving me drugs.”
”Matthew. We've had this discussion many times. I am not a drug-induced hallucination. You should know that now, especially since you have had no drugs for a month. Don't make me stop counting. You know what that means.” ITs laughter pierced to Matthew's very soul and he shuddered involuntarily.
While Matthew conversed with the unseen ”IT”, Dr. Collins began to formulate a plan. He was going to surprise Matthew with having the wall clock stopped. It would prove once and for all that the clock was inanimate and that his therapy should continue.
”Guard, can you stop the clock?” Dr. Collins asked as he hooked a thumb towards the wall clock.
”What do you mean, Doc?”
”Just what I asked-can you stop the clock?”
”Well, I guess so. I'd have to find the circuit breaker, but sure, Doc. I can stop the clock.”
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