Sapphire Eyes ~ 10 Chapter Challenge

Four Years Before the Letter ~ Part 2

Jimmy ~ Mirna

Jane Doe. That's what the stupid chart says, hanging at the foot of the stupid hospital bed. It's the name they give people like me. The nobodies.

Maybe it's a good thing. As long as they don't know who I am, they can't put me somewhere. I'll wait for my chance to break out of here and go back to where I really belong.

My nurse leaves the room finally. Maybe this is my chance. I sit up, but I force myself to stay in the bed until I know she is really gone. If she sees me going for my clothes in the corner, I'll never get out of here.

I slump back into the pillows. It's a guard change. And even worse, my new guard isn't a nurse, or a doctor. He's dressed in a yellow polo shirt and khakis. A social worker. He comes in. Doesn't even bother to knock or wait for an invitation. That's how pathetic I am. I can't even control who comes to visit me when I end up in the hospital after having the fits on the side of the road. Like it matters anyways. The only visitor I would take is Tequana, but she isn't coming. That was painfully obvious the moment I woke up alone in the ambulance without my backpack. Tequana probably took my stuff and split as soon as she realized where she would be going if she stayed with me. The worst part is, I can't blame her.

"What do you want?" I snap.

The man doesn't miss a beat. He steps forward and holds out his hand. "Hi, I'm Jim Horton." What? No I'm from social services spiel? Who is this guy?

"What the hell is that?" I say, eyeing his outstretched hand.

"This is a handshake." I can't faze the guy. He even smiles at me. "Well, not yet anyway. That would require another hand. Currently it's a wannabe handshake." He looks at his hand and then back at me with that strange grin on his face.

"Why would I shake hands with you?" I cross my arms.

"Because that's what people do when they meet."

I catch a whiff of something—it reminds me of the McDonald's I didn't get to eat—and I spot a plain white bag in the guy's other hand. Did he bring me food?

"Yeah, whatever," I say under her breath, but I can tell this guy's type. He'll stand like that all day, so I might as well get it over with. I hold my hand up.

He takes my hand and shakes. "It's nice to meet you...?" He cocks his head and raises his eyebrows.

"Like I'd actually tell you my name." I pull my hand away and eye his bag of food. The smell of roast beef is starting to fill the room.

"That's too bad. If you don't want to tell me your name, I'll just have to give you one. Hmm ..." He gazes into my eyes, but I don't look directly at him. "How about Sapphire."

"Sapphire?" I spit the word in his face.

"Sure, Sapphire, for your eyes. Sapph for short."

"That is lame."

"Too bad. You gave away your right to complain the second you chose to make me pick your name for you."

I scoff, even though I've never met anyone who thought I deserve a name, let alone give me a name. "What'd you say your name was? ... Jimmy? Why are you here, anyway? You're not a doctor, and you're sure as hell not a social worker."

"How can you tell?" He smiles that same weird smile.

"All those assholes always give you their title, like it's something to be proud of. I'm Mary from Child Social Services, where we screw over every child who has the good fortune of falling into our care. I can't wait to screw you, too." I cross my arms and roll my eyes.