Jack In The Box

Riley

I looked at myself in the mirror the next morning and realized that I looked haggard and exhausted. I didn’t remember the last time I had any proper sleep. Jackson Wolfe had been on my mind. I’d played out my first meeting with him and there were a few scenarios that I imagined it would play like and all that came to my mind was Agent Starling and Hannibal Lector and it didn’t help because then I kept rolling from side to side all night until my alarm went off at five-thirty a.m.

I stared at the bags under my eyes and decided to dab some concealer, apply some compact powder, and a nude shade of lipstick. Nurse Maddy who was also my good friend in the faculty said that darker shades always suited me but wearing heavy makeup wasn’t even allowed in the hospital.

I heard the shower turn on in Ken’s room which was my cue to prepare breakfast for him. I cooked fried eggs on toast since that topped his list of most favorite breakfast of all time. My brother was a low maintenance guy, if you told him you were too busy and made frozen pizzas for dinner every single day, he wouldn’t complain.

Leaving early today. See you at dinner.

I left a small note for him beside the breakfast plate, pulled on my canvas shoes, grabbed my bag and made my way outside in the chilly weather.

Once I reached the hospital, it was quite easy to find Dr. Bennett’s office. I knocked once and stepped inside the office to find a young doctor leaning against the desk with his back to me, ruffling through a file. I cleared my throat. “Dr. Paul Bennett?”

“Yes?” He turned his full attention to me. “You must be...”

“I’m Nurse Riley Frazer. Just transferred to the C wing. I’m guessing Dr. Aaron told you about me?”

He smiled knowingly. “Yes, of course, Nurse Riley. Please have a seat.”

“You can call me Riley.”

He passed me a lady-killer smile. Dr. Bennett was tall, probably six foot three, lean with wavy raven black hair, caramel brown eyes that reminded me of honey. His face was sculpted and had a sharp jawline that could cut through glass. He had the kind of face that would have the people passing on the street to stop and look back twice. If Aaron had warned that the new ‘trainee’ looked like he was fresh out of fashion tv, I would have at least tried a little harder at my makeup skills.

Screw you, Aaron Shaw.

I bet the nurses on the floor wished this doctor took advantage of them. I knew some who would.

“Earth to Riley?”

I’d totally spaced out. “I’m...I’m sorry...Doctor. You were saying?”

Dr. Bennett chuckled and pushed a few papers towards me. “Read it carefully. You don’t want to sign something you’re not ready for.”

I laughed. Was that supposed to be a joke?

papers. It had the patient’s name on it with all the other information and my name printed down below for a signature. It read that the patient was going to be under my care from here on and he was going to be my responsibility. I signed it without hesitation. I’d done this a lot of times. A mentally insane wasn’t going to make me run for the hills. Plus if Paul Bennett, trainee slash-Aaron’s errand boy

warn you. Jackson is nothing like the other patients around here who may be mentally ill but are still easy to handle. I’m suggesting you think wisely before signing anything

gave Aaron my word, and I have previous experience of working in a mental institution so I know it

“If you say so.”

going to help me

cut off by the phone ringing on his desk. He sighed, “This thing never stops ringing.” Putting the receiver to his ear, he said, “Dr. Bennett speaking, may I know who this is? Oh no, is that right?” He passed me a worried look. “It’s an emergency? Okay then. Yes, okay...well,

for his desk and retrieved a pair of keys. “Tell you what. It’s not exactly safe to be going to his room alone so either

don’t need to worry. I’ll be fine Paul...Oh, I’m sorry...” I laughed.

handed me the keys. He continued to stare at my hair.

work I just have to tie it up in a bun so it’s hardly

purple cotton candy that I used to have at the fair when I was little.” He said, smiling at

Someone compared me to prune the other

He laughed. “Seriously?”

totally working those charms and like I’d been possessed by a daring

quickly looked at his ring finger and found no band

and passed

could make their first move. Get outta here. It’s not like we were going to hold hands or kiss in the backseat which I’d clarify I’d totally love, but Paul seemed nice. And it’s his genuine sweetness and

That’s all

pad. He checked his watch. “Well, unfortunately, I’ll have to cut our conversation short because duty calls

I laughed. “Right.”

his arms through the coat, making his way towards the office door. He stood back for me to pass through. “Are

Thanks.” I said, staring at the key of doom. Room

turned serious, “He’s not on his best behavior today so I gave him some meds. He’s mostly asleep by now. If he

you can call Nurse Laila. She’s the supervisor

shook my head, “Thanks for

I’ll see you around.” He said and swaggered

to find Room 606. It was right at the end of the hallway. A man in a patient’s uniform was peeking through the little transparent see-through part of the door. He was grinning at me, showing all his teeth. He was saying something that I couldn’t hear. Then again, he could be reciting a nursery

before. The windows had bars and a man was sleeping soundlessly on the bed, he was wearing the sky-blue patient’s uniform. His hands were tied to the bed railing with a robe. His face was shut with a mouth restraint. From the looks of it, I should’ve been running for the hills but I was overcome by a wave of sympathy and guilt. I saw a

comic book character, he’d definitely be Archie. The desk across from the bed was flat on the

from doing so. I didn’t want to rob him of the little privacy that he had in here. If he