At age 70 Rachael had been volunteering at the university hospital for ten years. It had been that long sense arthritis had made it to painful to continue in the position of Battle Field Triage Coordinator for the medical division of a private security firm. Though she had received offers for several jobs that would have suited her well, she decided that retirement was in order and there could be no better way to spend retirement than in a hospital being useful.
For the past ten years Rachael has resided at the Autumn Grove apartments. More akin to a self-contained community than an apartment building, Autumn Grove offers a small theater, a common room, and a market. A middle aged man named Lucas works at the market and Rachael makes a point of visiting each afternoon. Today however, the market is closed. Not an uncommon event, Lucas sometimes closes in the slow hours of the afternoon.
Later, after an early dinner and a glass of wine, she set out into the long halls of Autumn Grove. Shortly she arrived at Lucas' door. That he was slow to answer was no cause for concern but the silence behind the door gave her pause. In the time he had been at Autumn Grove, Rachael had never known Lucas not to have music playing. Sometimes it was rock, other times jazz but, it was always there. With a not so subtle sense of trepidation, she set her hand upon the knob. It wasn't a surprise to find the door unlocked. Like so many times before, she let herself in.
The hydraulic spring pulled the door closed behind her so she didn't notice the heaviness in her arms but, as she turned her eyes felt heavy and her cheeks seemed to fall in on themselves. The sensation reminded her of swimming and she thought of her childhood. Recovering herself, she tried to call out to Lucas, but found her lips unresponsive. Suddenly there was a man before her, a stranger. No, there were four men. One on the floor, two examining him, and one paying intense attention her. Or was it two on the floor? Maybe two looking at her? The lights were strange. Too bright and shifting. Then the stroke took her and she was nothing, to even herself.
At age 70 Rachael had been volunteering at the university hospital for ten years. It had been that long sense arthritis had made it to painful to continue in the position of Battle Field Triage Coordinator for the medical division of a private security firm. Though she had received offers for several jobs that would have suited her well, she decided that retirement was in order and there could be no better way to spend retirement than in a hospital being useful.
For the past ten years Rachael has resided at the Autumn Grove apartments. More akin to a self-contained community than an apartment building, Autumn Grove offers a small theater, a common room, and a market. A middle aged man named Lucas works at the market and Rachael makes a point of visiting each afternoon. Today however, the market is closed. Not an uncommon event, Lucas sometimes closes in the slow hours of the afternoon.
Later, after an early dinner and a glass of wine, she set out into the long halls of Autumn Grove. Shortly she arrived at Lucas' door. That he was slow to answer was no cause for concern but the silence behind the door gave her pause. In the time he had been at Autumn Grove, Rachael had never known Lucas not to have music playing. Sometimes it was rock, other times jazz but, it was always there. With a not so subtle sense of trepidation, she set her hand upon the knob. It wasn't a surprise to find the door unlocked. Like so many times before, she let herself in.
The hydraulic spring pulled the door closed behind her so she didn't notice the heaviness in her arms but, as she turned her eyes felt heavy and her cheeks seemed to fall in on themselves. The sensation reminded her of swimming and she thought of her childhood. Recovering herself, she tried to call out to Lucas, but found her lips unresponsive. Suddenly there was a man before her, a stranger. No, there were four men. One on the floor, two examining him, and one paying intense attention her. Or was it two on the floor? Maybe two looking at her? The lights were strange. Too bright and shifting. Then the stroke took her and she was nothing, to even herself.
(post is archived)