Chapter 3

Billy

Sitting on his bed, Billy held the bed cover tight to his chest. Ready to pull it over his head if anything was to happen. He could hear footsteps outside, coming from Max’s room. The steps stopped outside Billy’s room for a few seconds before they continued down the corridor. Listening carefully, he recognised the heavy footsteps belonged to Max.

Billy froze, he was too scared to do anything. It took him several minutes to build up the courage to climb off the bed. He slowly walked to the big metal door, on the other side of the room. Putting his ear to the cold metal, he listened carefully to see if he could hear anyone in the corridor. There was no sound outside. It was dead quiet.

Standing back, he looked down at the food hatch on the door. All the rooms which were occupied by patients had this facility. It was a small opening built on the bottom of the door. Staff would use this when the patient needed to be isolated from the others. They would slide the tray of food through the hatch, not requiring to open the door and enter the room.

The hatch was unable to be opened from the inside. You only had access from the outside. When Billy first arrived at the hospital, he discovered a way to block the locking mechanism for the hatch. That means he had access to unhitch it from the inside when needed.

When he heard someone walking in the corridor, he would open it slightly to check if his father was coming to see him. He would come every week in the beginning, but as time passed, he would come less. Now he only sees him on Christmas Day. He would come to bring him his Christmas present. And maybe stay with him for an hour.

Wondering if he still had access to it. He went on his knees, with his fingers he tried to slide the small door across. It was stuck, or they had fixed it. He forced it more, but the sharp metal corners were boring into his fingers. He needed something to push it hard. Seeing his Nike trainers besides the bed, he slipped them on. Sitting with his back to the wall, he aimed the heel of his Nike on the edge of the hatch. The first two hits were not hard, on the third time Billy struck the metal as hard as he could. It screeched along the door, making him grit his teeth. He managed to open it. He just sat there for a few seconds. Scared that Max heard the noise.

Lying on the ground, he slowly moved his body towards the opening. When he had a view of what was outside, he closed his eyes tight. Taking a deep breath, he slowly opened them. As his sight gradually focused. In front of him was John with his eyes wide open. Staring straight at Billy, they were lifeless. Blood was running down his face. Forming a pool of blood, around his head.