Diamond in the Rough: Chapter 55

It was mid afternoon when Mitch was called to the infirmary for his physical.  "We'll be back to get you in about ten minutes, Laurence, and bring you to the med center," the guard had said.

Testa sat up on his cot, holding the book he was reading, and readying to start another chapter.  Mitch said, "You've not listened to my words."

"We've had this talk too many times," he said.  "I just want you to do your religious mumbo-jumbo stuff, and leave me the Hell alone."

Mitch, now sitting on his cot, opposite Testa, just smiled an off smile.  

Testa said, "What, something's to smile at?"

"You.  You are.  You are a comic-relief of a human being."

"Hmf.  Funny, I see you the same way."

"A caricature of the ultimate fool."

"Because I won't 'Heed your Message?'"

"Possibly.  Because you sneer at the wrath of God."  He stood, hearing the guards coming for him.  "The things you will experience in the next twenty-four hours, or less, will be heaped upon you tenfold for your insolence and blasphemy.  For your denial of The Messenger, and of The Truth, you shall surely suffer at the hands of The Lord."

The cell bars slid open.  Testa, studying Mitch's face, changed pallor.  Mitch's eyes were nothing but evil as they fixed on Testa's crystalline blue ones.  They seemed to bore through him, and a chill of fear went up Testa's back as he watched him go.  

In a soft voice, Jimmy said, "Good riddens.  Glad to be rid of you for an hour or so, crazy bastard."

Taking his book, he opened it, and began to read a few pages.  His eyes were becoming heavy, and he decided to lie down and read, knowing it might lead to napping.  Without Mitch's constant drivel, he might be able to catch a few winks.  

He was dozing comfortably, when something pinched his arm.  He attempted to ignore it at first, until he felt it, again stronger.  Opening his eyes, he spied a large beetle, fastened to his forearm, and clearly, it was chewing.

His panic was in his throat in seconds, to the point of his inability to scream or move.  Frozen with fear, he began to breathe too quickly, and his hyperventilating only lead to an escalation of his anxiety.  Paralyzed with terror, he watched the beetle break through the skin on his arm.  He opened his mouth to scream, but nothing came from his closing throat.  He immediately began to sweat, and shake uncontrollably, as he felt another bite.  Looking to the base of the bed, he saw another of the same on his ankle.  Trying to gain control of his long-standing fears, he began to move his hand toward his arm to brush the beetle off, but when a trickle of blood dripped down his arm, he thought his mind would snap.  He felt a searing pain go through his chest, and brought black in front of his eyes.  

He attempted, without success, to scream or call for help.  A third pinch pierced him on his upper shoulder, and his hands numbed, as he squeezed his eyes closed to escape his horror.  A lifetime of fear and disgust appeared in front of him.  

Heaped upon you, tenfold.  

The sharp agony in his chest rose to a peak, halting his ability to breathe.

***

Brody, who had been attempting for weeks to identify the source of the erased video tapes at Statesville, walked into John's office.  "I think I've got something," he said.

"Well, lay it on me.  What have you got?"

"I think I may have traced the times of these tapes to a guard who was on duty every time."

"Not bad, Brody.  Go bring him in for questioning and I'll join you."

"Not yet, I just want to check one more thing, but I'm pretty close."

"Sounds good.  If we get what we need, we can nail him."

"Laurence had to pay someone to do this."

"Probably.  Just keep at it, will ya?"

"Definitely.  Boss?"  Brody said.

"Don't call me boss, but yeah?"

"Anything we can do to find out where he was before he came back to Llanview?  Maybe there are some clues there?"

"Not bad.  Check into it.  No one has, not that I know of."

"K, I'll let you know."

Brody, leaving the door open as typical, left the office and John, wishing to close this chapter, thought back to his informant at Statesville.  Could he give me more?  Get close to Laurence and get more information?  The guy gave me the jitters just being around him, but . . . worth a shot, if he thinks he's getting a deal of some kind.

The phone interrupted his thoughts.  "Yeah, McBain."  His face fell.  "What?"  Directing his eyes skyward, John said, "Yeah, I'll be right there."

***

Jack was just getting home when his cellphone got a text.

Hey, Bud, you on your way?

He didn't answer.  Instead, he walked into the house.  "Yeah, Dad, I'm home."  

Todd came down the stairs.  "Hey.  Mom's on her way down.  She's changing Ray for dinner.  I expect Timothy with Sam any time now.  Wanna talk?"

"Sure.  I guess."

"How was your session?"

"Great.  I mean, typical.  You know, as good as it could be."

"All right.  What about Jenna?"  Todd could see a change in his son's face right away.  "Was she there today?"

"Yeah, she was.  She's . . . really nice, Dad."

"Uh hmm.  Sounds good."  Todd said, starting to putter around the kitchen and organize things for dinner.  "Wanna talk about her?"

"Nothing to really say, except I really like her.  She's really cool."

"She must be, she's taking a shine to you, right?"

"I guess so."

Todd pushed his son gently in the shoulder, and ruffled his hair.  He said, "Want to help me get things going here for dinner?"

"I guess.  What are we having?"

"How about that tuna casserole that Sister Rebecca Katherine made?  How long did that take?"

"It was pretty good, even though it looked like slop."

Todd thought about it.  "Pizza, again?"  he said.  

"Yeah, sure, never enough pizza."  Jack said.

"Why don't you ask Jenna to come out here?  Lots to do, with the family theater and all?"

Jack was quiet a moment.  Then he said, "Yeah, maybe sometime."

Blair came down the stairs, Ray in her arms.  "Will you look at this, Daddy?  Another tooth!"

"Wow, big guy, you're getting old.  But wait, when you get really old, you'll start losing those teeth!"  Todd said.  "So weird.  Humans.  We revert backwards."

"Yeah, diapers."  Jack said.

"All right you two, come on.  Let's set up the table.  Sam and Timothy will be here any minute."  Blair said to her "boys."

***

"Bea, Dear, come, let's pack this suitcase for ya."

Bitsy was hesitant, but helped Sister Rebecca Katherine place the suitcase onto the bed.  

"There!   Quite the heavy one."

Bitsy nodded, and began getting her few things out of the drawers and packing them into the suitcase.  Sister Rebecca Katherine helped, and by the time they got everything in, they realized that they needed a case about one third of the size.  The nun said, "Oh Dear, look, we've not even filled it."

Bitsy smiled and went to get her drawing materials.  Putting them in, she put her hands on her hips as if saying "done" and Sister Rebecca Katherine said, "It's not quite a bit of help.  I'll go to the discharge office and get a different bag.  All right?"

Bitsy nodded.  Sitting beside her too-big luggage, she hugged herself.

The sparrows, they are late.  They come every day at this time, I think.  

I must remember to ask Todd, when I see him again, about his face.  I want to know about the accident and how my Angel got hurt.  Will he come see me soon?  

I love Blair, and I love the baby.  He is so precious, a pretty little piece of them.  But I am scared.  I have to leave Sister, and I will miss her.  

She has helped me so much.  I wonder, can she come with me?  Can I bring her to The New Place?  I wonder what The New Place is like.  Bigger?  Colder?  People who hurt me?  I am afraid.  But Todd thinks it is where I should go, then I should go.  Even when he was little, he wanted to protect me.  So, I should trust him now.  

What is that sound?  My sparrows?  Coming back for me?  I hear them on the roof.

Sister Rebecca Katherine came back into the room, with the smaller suitcase, and Bitsy was lost in her own thoughts.  Trying to get her attention, the nun met with a vacant stare to the ceiling.  She called out, "Bea, what is it?"

She herself looked to the ceiling, and when she directed her attention back to the woman, her arms were outstretched to the heavens as if calling for God.  The nun was struck with a wave of emotion, as she watched Bea rise from sitting to standing, with her hands pushed toward an invisible sky.  She took one of Bitsy's hands.  "Bea, sit down, dear."

Bitsy, now swaying, her lips in a curved smile, ignored the nun.

"Bea."

Bitsy made no attempt to respond or to stop.  She continued reaching, until finally, her face darkened, and she collapsed to the bed, wringing her hands and rocking.  The nun said, "Bea, it is all right.  You are all right."

Bea began rocking faster and the nun called for a nurse, while praying quietly in her mind.  Todd was so right about her, she needs so much more than we can give her.  So much more.

After a needle was given, Bitsy got a distant look in her eyes, and then looked up to the nun, and smiled.  Taking a small slab of white board off the side table, that she had received from another of the nuns, she took a marker and wrote.  They won't take me, Sister.  I'm too heavy still.  What would make me light enough to go with them?

Sister Rebecca Katherine could not even think of something to say before Bitsy's eyes closed and she fell over quietly into rest.    

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