tobadzistsiniMar 27
Memories of the patient in room 816 haunted her.
On January 1st, two years ago, a man with a chip on his shoulder and pistol in his jacket arrived at Morency Memorial.
His chip wasn't a government-issued, Israeli-made mind control chip but a vengeful one knowing his wife succumbed to cancer there.
Eight one six stepped in front of Carly out of nowhere at the precise time one Thomas Houlihan pulled the trigger.
816 didn't rush.
816 wasn't being heroic.
816 just was. 1/x
#wss366
Show threadtobadzistsiniMar 27
And 816 was at the right place at the wrong time.
Even if it was only the right place for her.
Her black coffee was cold but she needed the caffeine to function after a week of twelve hour days.
She blinked her eyes and replayed the scene of that patient bleeding out from his skull.
His blood was dark like her coffee.
Echoes of security wrestling the guy down rose to a long, insistent beep. 2/x
#wss366
Show threadtobadzistsiniMar 27
Mister Herrera in the ICU wanted a drink and the beep was his tapping out La Cucaracha.
Their little inside joke.
Carly never interacted with the patient. He was unconscious from the time he was brought in until that fateful moment.
One of the doctors told her how the cops and EMTs said 816 ate half a kilogram of homegrown magic mushrooms. He was unconscious when they arrived and only regained it on that day where he saved Carly's life. 3/x
#wss366
Show threadtobadzistsiniMar 27
After pouring out a ginger ale and Hector trying to flirt with her, Carly returned to her station. But she couldn't pick up her dogeared novel. Xavier dropped off a folder on her chair.
The folder's tab was labelled with "Lawrence Stipple. Room 816."
She thumbed through the documents, reading through the jargon to cut to the point. Nothing she didn't already know except for next-of-kin.
By lunch she got Bernie to take her shift and planned her day off. 4/x
#wss366
Show threadtobadzistsiniMar 27
Stipple's sister looked younger than expected for being twenty. Carly hoped she didn't look older than her forty eight years.
"Hi, I'm Carly." Half a beat later, "Your brother saved me."
"Ginny." She looked behind herself, "Come in."
Two cats inspected her sneakers as she got a lay of the land. Bookcases were a good portent. The flatscreen was off and dusty. Cat hair covered the couch and Lawrence Stipple waved at her. 5/x
#wss366
Show threadtobadzistsiniMar 27
Ammonium carbonate shook Carly back to consciousness. All this time she thought fainting people were old timey hyperbole, but looking up she saw both Stipples regarding her with concern.
"You'll be okay." Lawrence helped her up while Ginny watched. "You might say I knew this." He winked.
Before Carly could speak, Lawrence cut her off. "Yes. I am dead. Just not right now."
A cup of citrus tea clattered on the coffee table for a feline inspection. 6/x
#wss366
Show threadtobadzistsiniMar 27
"I am also unconscious in the hospital 812 days ago. It seems my #concerted effort to become unstuck in time actually worked." A skinny white cat curled proprietously against his leg and purred loudly.
Carly squinted, "You don't have a twin?"
"Nope. Broke the mold. Now I can #slip through time as easily as a banana peel." He pet the cat. "I'm glad you showed up."
Something thumped loud in the kitchen. 7/x
#wss366
Show threadtobadzistsini
Sprawled on the checkerboard tile was Ginny and barely breathing.
From the other room, "She's diabetic! Been scrimping her insulin because it costs so much."
Automatically Carly checked vitals and the counters for anything to help. She dug out a packet of sugar and sprinkled it in the girl's mouth.
Then called 911. 8/x
#wss366
Mar 27 at 6:07pmWeb
Show threadtobadzistsiniMar 27
After the paramedics did their work, Carly made sure both cats were safe and inside, a pretext to nose around and see if Lawrence was hiding.
She was alone.
Save for the cats.
When she got into her car there was a note under her wiper. "Thank you" was scribbled on loose leaf paper. "See you in 47 years." 9/9
#wss366
Show threadAsakiyumeMar 27
@tobadzistsini Another good one. I like the throwaway details you put into these, like tapping out "La cucaracha"
Show threadtobadzistsiniMar 27
@asakiyume 816 days from today (in the past) is July 11, 2025.
Show threadAsakiyumeMar 27
@tobadzistsini Math error/typo? 365 x 2 = 730, so that's already 2 years back from today, and then you'd have to go back another 86 days--which would take you back to Jan 1. So Jan 1 2024?
Show threadtobadzistsiniMar 27
@asakiyume hurf burf, i need to double check now
Show threadtobadzistsiniMar 28
@asakiyume Yup, I was a dope and being hasty.
Show threadSteven D. Brewer 🏳️‍⚧️Mar 27
@tobadzistsini I generally don't like time travel stories, but this one was good.
Show threadtobadzistsiniMar 28
@stevendbrewer I posted a revision. Would you kindly lend feedback on it, please?