Patient Twelve

Chapter Twenty Five

"What could I possibly do getting changed in my room?"

"I don't know, and I don't care." Oliver crossed his arms over his chest. "Get changed before I do it for you."

I set the scrubs down on the bed next to Colin. Oliver's eyes were locked on me as I pulled apart the different pieces of the scrubs. I slipped on the bottoms and used my dress to hide my body. I turned around and covered my chest after taking off my sweater and dress. I put on the boxy top.

When I turned around Oliver's hands went into my hair. I jumped back, and he curled his fingers tighter. The hair pulled my scalp and burned. He pulled my hair up into a bun and tied it back with an elastic. He grabbed the cap off of the bed and secured it on my head. He pulled my glasses out of his pocket and I put them on.

Oliver took the brake off of the bed with his foot. He wheeled the bed that Colin was lying on down the hallway. Oliver made me hold onto the head of the bed to help him steer down the hall. We passed the examination room, and through a set of double doors.

Marcy used to watch a lot of hospital drama television shows when she was in high school. This room reminded me of the operating rooms in those shows. It was cold and a shiver ran up my spine. A flat metal table was in the middle of the room. A large mirror was spread across the far wall. Trays, tables, and poles were scattered around the room.

This must have been the room that Oliver dragged my body into while I was unconscious. I could almost see myself lying on that table as Oliver dug my eyes out.

Oliver turned around. He opened a drawer to one of the cupboards and was searching through them. My eyes dropped down to Colin's body. A corner of a red phone case was poking out of his pocket. I looked back up at Oliver to see his back was still turned to me. I pulled the phone off of him and slipped it into my pocket. Oliver turned back around, and I pulled the hem of my shirt down to hide the lump in my pocket.

My heart was beating so fast that I could hear it pounding in my ears.

"Let's get him on the table," Oliver said.

"I need to go to the bathroom," I blurted out.

If I could slip out of this room and into the bathroom, I could call the cops. They would show up before Colin would lose his eyes, and we would both get out of here.

"No," he said. "This won't take long."

"Please," I said.

"Get his legs, Kitten," he said.

I looked over my shoulder to the set of double doors. I could take off running, but I learned that I was already getting out of shape. I couldn't run as fast. My room and the bathroom did not have locks on the doors either. Oliver would be able to barge in before I could make a phone call.

"Diana." Oliver's voice brought me back to reality. "Come on. Hurry up."

I held onto Colin's legs as Oliver pulled his body onto the table. He handed me a pair of gloves and a mask. I put them on as Oliver stripped the clothes from Colin's body and put a gown on him.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror on the opposite wall. Most of my face was covered with the mask and cap. My eyes became even more noticeable as they were the only thing visible on my face.

The wheels on the IV pole squeaked as Oliver brought it over to me. He made me prime the line with saline as he inserted the IV into Colin's hand. I had memorized the steps from the textbook, but I fumbled as I tried to do it. I could hear a slight chuckle come from Oliver. I struggled, even more, when he passed me the supplies to put in a catheter.

Once he was prepped, I tried to avoid looking at Colin. Oliver pulled out a scalpel and my stomach twisted into a knot. I held onto the pole to stop myself from falling over. I kept my eyes locked on the cold tile floor. I was tempted to plug my eyes as I listened to the operation. I could hear a slice and popping noise.

The procedure did not take long, and my eyes were locked on the floor. I didn't look up until Oliver started speaking.

"Lift his head, Di," he said.

Colin's eyes were covered by a pad of gauze. Oliver's gloves were covered in blood. I could see two jelly-like balls sitting in a plastic bag on the cart. I had to fight back the taste of bile in my mouth when I realized it was Colin's eyes.

Oliver pulled off his dirty gloves and dropped them in the bag over the eyes. He picked up a rolled-up ball of gauze.

"Come on," he said. "Hold his head."

I placed my hands on either side of Colin's temple. I lifted his head slowly to prevent the gauze from falling off of his face. The gauze was hiding the inevitable truth I would have to face. Oliver wrapped the gauze around his head.

He made me help transfer Colin back over to the bed. He wheeled the IV pole over and pulled it next to him as we pushed Colin out of the operating room.

Colin's phone was like a heavy stone in my pocket. I would be able to excuse myself to the bathroom and call the cops. Colin lost his eyes, but at least we were going to keep our lives.

I grabbed the blanket from the bottom of his bed and covered him. Oliver pulled two sets of handcuffs out from a drawer. He clasped one side around Colin's wrist and secured the other side to the bed. He did the same thing with the other pair of handcuffs.

My hand moved over the phone. Oliver turned his back to me as he was filling a syringe full of medication.

I took one step back with my foot. I was about to ask to go to the bathroom again when the ringing started. My pocket vibrated as the ringing continued. Colin was receiving a phone call.

Oliver looked over his shoulders and furrowed his brows.

"What-?" he started.

I turned and started running to the bathroom.