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Chapter 1

Sidney

I opened my eyes and saw everything blurred, but I could see that I was lying in a hospital bed. I was definitely admitted. My body was still, my throat was dry, my chest ached. He looked like the living dead. I had no notion of time or the hour, nor did I know why I was here. I ran my hand over my chest and sighed, trying to ease the pain. I tried to move the other hand, without success. I looked over and saw that she was pinned to the bed and that's when I remembered why I was here.

My body warmed up and I started having a nervous breakdown, as if everything was happening again, as if I were experiencing the same episode. I started to move and two nurses entered the room. One of them put her hand on my head.

"Lord, it's all right!"

His words were useless, they only made me more confused and indignant. It wasn't okay, not for me! Disturbed, I took the nurse's hand strongly.

"Why did they tie me up?"

"Calm down, sir!" “She tried to keep me calm, even though I tried to fight anyway. I didn't understand what was going on, because the last memory I had was of being in a distant and dimly lit place. An abandoned street was all I remembered.

I felt my body going to sleep and I was losing strength, as if I no longer controlled my body and, without realizing it, I was sleeping again.

(...)

I opened my eyes, seeing that I was in the same place as always. I prayed inside myself that it was a nightmare, even though I knew it wasn't. I looked down at myself and saw that my hospital gown was covered in blood. I lifted the T-shirt, ran my hand over my abdomen and looked at my sutures, which were protected by pads. Now I understood why I was in so much pain. Once again, the nurse came in and stared at me for a while. That look embarrassed me; I don't know if it was because her gaze was deep or because she was very pretty. Her curly hair, full lips and her black skin undoubtedly made her divine. Even though she acted professionally, I could see that she had some apprehension, as if she was surprised by me and didn't know what to expect from me. She looked at me as if I were an irrationally rebellious patient and as if at any moment I was going to hurt her, which I didn't understand, because I could have many flaws, but I wasn't an aggressor, much less a woman.

“Good afternoon, I'm Nurse Adeline,” she introduced herself, standing closer to me. I looked her up and down and then looked around me, still not understanding what I was doing here. She stared at me having my attention again. "Can you say your name?" I need your data for registration.

" My name is Sidney Smith, I'm thirty-four years old, I'm a professional kickboxer… " I replied.

She nodded her head and started writing. I just couldn't take my eyes off her. I could see that she was sweet, but not naive and it made me more curious. I had already met other nurses or people who worked in health, but I don't know why she had my attention.

“The doctor will come later to assess you.

I nodded in agreement.

“You were stabbed and shot twice. Stabbed in the abdomen, shot in the chest and leg. It arrived in a very serious condition.

I listened to her, but that didn't worry me; I didn't care what happened to me, I had other matters to clear up.

"Do you know why you're here?" she asked suspiciously.

"Why the question? " I stared at her, not understanding what she meant.

" You were unconscious two days ago, you often have delusions... " She looked at me as if trying to read my thoughts and that didn't please her, maybe because if I opened her eyes she would never look at me the same way.

" So? " I got defensive, showing that I wasn't going to be my psychologist or something.

"If we know your history, we'll be able to evaluate you better." She looked at me as if she already knew I was stunned and that didn't please me, I never liked to show my weakness and it wouldn't be now that I would do that.

"You want to know if I'm crazy, is that it?" I raised an eyebrow, denying believing she thought I was crazy.

" I did not say that. " She dined it.

“Well, I guess that's the doctor's job… Your job, as far as I know, is to take my blood pressure, serve my meals, and bathe me. Right?

"It's much more than that, but its not relevant for me to tell you...." She answered me back, showing the end of her patience for me. Yes I know I was rude, but I didn't want to be analyzed, I had other plans. I just looked at her smiling sideways, thinking she was beautiful even though she was irritated with me and she showed an ironic smile, thinking I was stupid, and rightly so, but I didn't care. I already knew why I was in that hospital and I knew my end. The nurse finished filling in my details.

"In a few minutes we will serve your lunch. "

I just nodded and she left the room, making sure I wasn't her favorite patient right now.

Adeline

I left room number 15 with my nerves on edge. But what a rude patient! "Your job is to serve my meals and bathe me," I repeated to myself.

"I'll be happy to bathe you and pull your balls out, you idiot!" I muttered irritably.

“Pugging whose balls, Adeline?”

I look to the side and see my colleague, approaching me with a teasing smile. Susana, my colleague for a long time and we were friends.

" That new patient you and Maria told me he was cute and everything!" I rolled my eyes because after the guy's rudeness, I couldn't find the beauty in him or maybe I did, but my anger was much greater.

"And isn't it beautiful?" Susana smiled teasing me again. She was funny and very spontaneous. She was a large woman with curly hair that didn't go past her shoulders.

"Only they didn't tell me he's tied up and he's a boor!" - I put my hand on my hip.

" Calm down, he must not be himself. You know people react the way you do! But what is his name and what is his profession? "

I looked at the protocol and quoted. Susana smirked, finding it interesting. I didn't understand the reason for this interest in him. I accepted that he was handsome, yes, but his behavior was unbearable; my face did not hide.

"So, Adeline, have you seen the new patient?" Maria asked, smiling.

I faced her with a face of few friends.

"She says he's a boor," Susana said, laughing.

" Serious? Damn, it's a shame... He's so handsome. I'm not one to appreciate patients, but that one is an exception." Mary shrugged.

"Oh, isn't he so handsome!" I protested and two laughed.

" For Adeline to tease him, it's because it's something serious! Of the nurses, she has the most kind. "

The three of us laughed at the same time. Not to put myself off, but yes, I was one of the most patient nurses in the hospital.

"Speaking of patience, Adeline, by all that is holy, will you stop by to see the patient in Room 5?" Susana pleaded, and I knew why she was running away from the patient. He did not judge her, as the patient was not easy to deal with.

"Today you buy me dinner," I said jokingly.

"I'll do whatever you want!" Susana appealed, putting her hand on her chest.

" Take advantage of Adeline, your time has come for blackmail of all kinds! " Maria laughed at the two of us.

I just nodded, showing a roguish smile and walked to room number 5.

As I was about to enter the room, I saw two of my colleagues accompanying two seriously injured men on a stretcher. One, by his attire, looked like a policeman and the other a common citizen. I stayed a while paying attention to the corrido, but soon I turned my attention to room number 5 and entered.

"Good morning my daughter! said Celeste, a lady with gray hair and her wrinkles on her face made her life experience clear. "

“Good morning, Mistress Celeste. "

" You look nice! She complimented me with a smile. "

" Thank you very much! I said, running my fingers through my curly hair. " How it feels? It's better? The doctor said that tomorrow you can be discharged...

" No! I have pain in my head, stomach, intestines... " She stopped and thought for a few seconds: " My teeth and fingers hurt. I can't be discharged! "

- All right, later the doctor will evaluate you... " I said approaching her with a pressure measuring machine.

"Send him over now," he growled. " Who guarantees that soon, when he passes by, I won't already be dead?

I controlled myself as much as possible not to laugh, showing only a smile.

"Don't worry. If it depends on your disposition, the lady will still live another thousand years... "

I measured her blood pressure, gave her the anesthetic and changed the serum. Mrs. Celeste was the neediest patient I knew and maybe that's why she complained of any pain. She always called for attention.

(...)

Nine o'clock at night, I was with Maria and Susana in a small bar in the city. A closed place, but beautiful, with furniture made of wood. Maria had already ordered a few glasses of beer. Of the nurses, she was the funniest and most spontaneous.

" Guys, you don't find a handsome man in this bar!" She complained.

I showed a smile, finding it funny.

"You're the one in need of a man, Adeline!" She's been single for a long time...

"And I'm fine with that." Also, after the last one I had, I want a break! I said seriously.

" That's in the past, my friend " Maria looked at me, finding my concern a drama.

"I just don't want it to happen again." Last year was a horrible year, my mother passed away and my sister… Well, my sister is a drug addict, she lives on the streets. And I still did myself the favor of having a boyfriend who… Let's go! He arrives!

The two looked at each other and showed a mischievous smile.

"What it was? "

"You never had a fetish with a patient?" Susan asked.

“Of course not, it's patient… Someone sick.

The two laughed.

"Not a dying patient, you moron!" Mariu laughed. “A patient like Sidney or like Marck.

"Who is Marck?" I asked wrinkling my forehead and not having the slightest idea who it is.

“He's one of the new patients too. He was admitted the same day as Sidney! You don't know because he was in the other section of the hospital,” Maria explained.

"This one is pretty too!" said Susan. “And it looks like he's going to be in the hospital for quite some time before he recovers.

"Don't tell me that this Marck also has his wrists tied in bed?" I asked.

" No! This one looks pretty good looking!" Replied Susana, laughing.

One of the things I wondered was what Sidney had gone through to have delusions so bad at night that he had to be tied up. One of the doctors told me that, when he arrived at the hospital, he was in an aggressive and compulsive state. I had already tried to get out of bed, even without being able to walk. He was a stubborn and troublesome patient.