22
AJ was just about going out of his mind in the hospital. He didn’t know how these people would put themselves in this situation. Being forced to listen to story after story of one drug addict after another was enough for AJ to realize that drugs were never the way to go. After sitting back and being a silent witness for most of these sessions today was supposedly his turn to have to speak out about why he was there.
Just thinking about that brought a smile to his face. Like the people that worked there would believe him if he said he was never a drug addict and that he had never even done anything more than pot. Wasn’t admitting you had a problem the first step in recovery? Hell yes it was and how did he know that? Because he had heard it repeated over and over again by countless people who sat there just like him, refusing to admit they had a problem. The only difference between them and him is that HE really didn’t have one.
He stayed up all night trying to figure out if it would just be easier for him to lie, say he had done crack and promise that suddenly he saw the light and he would never do it again, or if he should come right out and tell them the truth. That he had been set up.
It seemed like a classic no win situation that either way would result in him being stuck here forever. Things were sucking badly. The worse part was that no one was allowed to even visit him or call him. He was going out of his mind.
Maybe that’s how they wanted it. He also couldn’t help but wonder if the other guys believed him or not. Did they think he was doing drugs? Did his Mother?
“Alex...” AJ looked up into the face of the woman who was holding the session today. And staring back at him were many many glazed over eyes. They looked at him with a mix of contempt and pity.
“Yeah?”
“Are you ready to tell us why you are here today Alex?”
“Call me AJ…only my family and my closest friends call me Alex” He cringed at how defensive he sounded. Didn’t defensive people always have something to hide?
“Why are you here AJ?” The woman corrected while seeming not to really care about the answer to the question she was asking.
“I don’t know”
That brought a snicker from someone sitting in the back.
“You don’t know?”
“Well I know that I was drugged” He chose the innocent and framed route. He was not going to admit to doing something he didn’t do.
“Oh yeah sure you were” The same guy said who had snickered at him earlier.
“Look, I don’t care if you believe me or not. I was framed. I came to the hospital because I was hurt and the next thing I know I’m supposedly a drug addict”
“So you’re not a drug addict then?”
“Hell no… I’m not…” He stopped himself, “I mean not that there’s anything wrong with being a drug addict…well yeah there is I guess but I’m saying that me personally I would never do that” He wanted to bite his tongue wishing that the Carter babbling syndrome hadn’t chosen right then and there to surface on him.
“What? Are you saying you are better than the rest of us Alex?” Once again the guy in the back said that hissing his name, obviously trying to start a fight.
“No, I’m not saying that at all”
“Well that’s what it sounds like to me” Now the man stood up and started making his way over to AJ who was readying himself for the attack. The social worker stood up and scolded the man whose name was apparently Waldo; poor guy, no wonder why he was so hostile and defensive.
Suddenly another guy who had been silently watching everything made his way to the front where all the commotion was taking place and stood in front of AJ.
“Back off man! He didn’t mean anything by what he was saying” AJ took in a deep breath when he saw that for the first time since he had stepped foot into that hell hole that maybe there was someone on his side after all.
Waldo suddenly stopped in his tracks. As the much bigger man guarding AJ never let his eyes falter off of the crazed drug addict. Finally Waldo put both of his hands up as a sign of defeat, “Whatever man!” He said and then went and sat back down. The social worker nodded and sat down, “Very well done Waldo, I am proud of you”
AJ refrained from snickering at that one. Instead he looked over to the guy who had helped him out, “Thanks man”
“Not a problem Alex. It’s the least I could do”
“What do you mean by that?” The man looked around nervously “I’ll tell you later” He said and then walked off back to his room leaving AJ wondering what the hell that was all about. The session came to an abrupt halt shortly after the outburst of Waldo so AJ decided to try to find that guy and ask him what the hell he was talking about.
He could not get used to the place he was in and especially the stupid slippers he was forced to wear. For some reason they confiscated everyone’s shoes too afraid that the patients would use the laces to hang themselves. So they replaced his shoes with some lame ass paperish/styrofoamish type of slipper that swished when you walked which made it virtually impossible to sneak around the huge oval hallways.
He walked past his own room where his roommate was snoring away. He thought maybe his fame could have bought him a room of his own but everyone was to be treated equally in this place. So the lady who took his shoes, watch and all other personal belongings had said to him.
“In here” He heard whispered as he walked past another door. He was at first hesitant to enter afraid that might have been Waldo in there but once seeing the guy who stood up for him standing there with his finger to his lip and pointing to the security camera, he decided to follow the guy into the room.
“Thanks for sticking up for me; I was sure that psycho would have beaten the crap out of me”
The man closed the door as much as he was allowed to, then turned off his light and motioned for AJ to follow him towards the window. Intrigued AJ followed.
“I know why you’re here” the man said slightly opening his blinds to let a little sunshine into the room. AJ just stood in silence as the guy continued to speak, “And I’m gonna get you out of here”
“I don’t understand” AJ said slowly backing up from the guy, beginning to feel like maybe coming into this man’s room was a mistake.
“You shouldn’t be afraid of me Alex McLean…I can get you out of here”
“How is that possible?”
“Because I’m the one that got you in here in the first place”
“Where the hell can Kevin be?” Brian asked losing his cool. He had refused to let all of this get to him. Absolutely refused but his cousin had been missing for awhile now and not only that but accused of setting that explosion, now he mysteriously disappears. It made no sense and he was growing impatient.
“I don’t know Bri…but I’m sure he’ll turn up soon enough” Howie answered.
“I hate not knowing anything, why are they keeping us in the dark about everything?”
“Not sure”
Howie looked down at what was left of his fingernails. He had pretty much bitten them down to their stubs which was kind of ironic because he had never really been much of a nail biter to this point.
Johnnie suddenly opened up the door which caused the three boys to jump. Nick who had fallen into his video game world was abruptly brought back to earth. “What’s going on?” He asked holding his chest to keep his heart from exploding out of it.
“It’s officially a murder case” Grimes answered walking into the room shortly after Johnnie and sitting on a chair.
“Jessica?” Howie asked not even recognizing the sound of his own voice.
“They think so…yes although there isn’t enough left of her to make a definite ID. They are going to be doing some tests”
Howie sank down onto the bed with his mouth opened wide. This couldn’t be happening. Not again.
“Kevin is now their lead suspect. We have to find him boys. By him fleeing…he’s making himself look very guilty” Grimes said so matter of factly that Brian had all to do not to go over and strangle the guy.
“Kevin would never do anything like that. They’re wrong” Nick said tears gradually welling up in his eyes”
“Are you sure he didn’t tell you boys where he was going?” Johnnie asked Howie, who only nodded in reply.
“Maybe he talked to AJ” Brian said, “Yeah…maybe AJ knows where he is”
“He wouldn’t even be allowed anywhere near AJ” Johnnie said dismissing Brian desperate attempt at a solution.
“No…maybe he did” Grimes was quick to answer, “Maybe Brian’s right…we should go down and talk to AJ”
Grimes stood up to leave the room and then turned to Brian, “Would you like to come?” He asked.
“I don’t think that’s a very good idea for them to be seen in public” Johnnie said almost stepping between Brian and the lawyer.
“I agree but no one will know. I just think maybe AJ will be a little more ready to talk to Brian then me” Grimes said convincingly which was enough for Johnnie to nod.
“I’ll be back” Brian said then turned to Howie, “Let me know if Kevin calls okay?”
“I will and tell AJ we love him okay?” Brian nodded and followed Grimes out of the room.
“What do you mean you’re the one that put me here?” Now confused and angry AJ wasn’t exactly sure if he should call for help or just start pummeling the guy.
“Look…I didn’t have a choice; they would have killed me otherwise”
“What? I’m confused…”
The man looked around his room nervously as if at any moment someone was going to come out of his closet and eat him. “It’s hard to explain but I know you’re not a drug addict, I know you were brought here against your will and I know that things are only going to get worse”
“Worse?”
“A lot worse”
“Did you drug me?”
“Yes”
“Why?”
“Because they would have killed me otherwise”
The guy now moved away from AJ and sat under the windowsill, the light shining on the top of his blond head. AJ hadn’t really allowed himself to look at the guy before but in this light he looked just like…
“Oh my God…” AJ whispered causing the blond to look up. He nodded, “My names Nick” He said then glanced down at the floor knowing that AJ knew exactly who he was afterall.
