Every one was there, at the funeral. All the cons, all the doctors, physciatrists and even the coroners. The cons were given special monitored access to the funeral. They were never normally allowed outside. But seeing as a man who played such a pivotal role in their lives died, they were allowed out to see him being put to rest.
It all went smoothly outside. The funeral took place on time and was a very moving ceremony for every one involved. But as the cons were led towards the hospital again, you could feel a sense of tension in the air, adrenaline building up and I didn’t think it was the prospect of their morning meal consisting of cabbage soup and mashed potato which was getting them excited. It seemed like they had been planning something and were about to execute it. By the time I had a chance to shout out to the security co-ordinator, it had happened. They didn’t have their boots on. They had to take them off to go outside. Guards were being attacked, property destroyed.
The command “FIRE ON SIGHT” was called by a commanding officer and the blood bath started. All you could hear was the sharp gunfire and screams from helpless cons. After five minutes of non-stop gunfire from fifty high security prison guards, three hundred cons were all grounded and killed. I couldn’t watch. Once they had started, they didn’t stop, they didn’t want to, they were enjoying it.
I came back here to pay my respects. I felt at fault for that massacre. If I came back and made peace with this place, maybe I would feel less to blame? As I drove up the long drive lined with tall, thin trees it reminded me of the first day I visited. I approached the huge double-door entrance to the hospital and entered. The smell of the clean antibiotic and the stench of rotted bodies had now mixed and it was a very eerie smell. Dead flies lined the walls and floors.
I made my way down the dark corridor. I could hear the crunching of the dead bluebottles as I walked down towards the staircase. All the signs were left as if the hospital was still in action. It was weird. I was half expecting Dr Monroe to shout out from nearby for some assistance in sedating a patient. I reached the stairs and made my way down to the bottom floor, which was sign posted ‘Secure Unit’. I pushed open the double swing doors and walked through. I used to work in this unit and knew the patients quite well. On either side of the corridor were chain-linked fences, which used to electrified to hold some ‘unstable’ patients. Some of the patients’ personal possessions remained in these cages.
It was pitch black down here now. All I had as a source of light was my small torch and I could see about eight meters in front of me. There used to be lights down here. They were blinding. We could see exactly what the cons were doing, and they used to stare at us while we were watching them. Their eyes looked so desperate and lost. For hours they stared us out, it’s all they had to do. I made my way further along the corridor. I approached a cage. It was once home to one of a patient I remember treating very well – Freddy ‘the fist’ Fawlkner. He was in for homicide. Inscribed in the wall was written, “You will be sorry” I wondered I would be. I decided to get out of this wing and make my way up to where I used to work- The Morgue.
It was just out of the end door and up the stairs on the right. I used to often make this journey, I knew it well. As I entered the door, it brought back memories. All the bodies I examined came flashing back through my head. I started to cry. What lead me into that depressing job? I continued on further into the room. There was the steel, cold, solid table I examined the dead, decrepit bodies on. I remembered it all. My routine came back into my head. Six years later and it was still as clear as anything.
I looked at my watch. Three thirty it said. Checking up time. That was when I checked all the freezers and entered them into the log. I walked over to the logbook. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read it, The latest entry said that the freezers were all occupied and was dated May 1st 2001. Today! I slowly placed the logbook back on its hook. I cautiously walked round the corner into the freezer area. All of them had name labels on them. I assumed there had been a mistake and they were left on there from the day the hospital was abandoned. But upon closer inspection, I could see that they were all dated today. This was all getting to be too much. I was about to leave but I thought I couldn’t leave without checking a freezer. Temptation had got the better of me. I slowly and carefully made my way over to one of the cupboard type doors. I grasped the handle and took a deep breath. I said to myself-
“There cant be anything in there, this place hasn’t been occupied since 1995”. The handle had some resistance on it and it took quite an effort to open it. As the door opened, I saw a lump. I didn’t believe it was a human, maybe a large rat? I pulled the trolley out and I could see the rat was not at all a rat, it was the corpse of a human.
I pulled back the white sheet and as I slowly brought it lower, the face of one of my patients appeared. It was Freddy. I was speechless. I couldn’t think straight. He died over nine years ago. I delivered him to the cemetery. I took a deep breath. I decided to leave now. I had made my peace.
As I walked away, towards the door, a voice came from the freezers
“Now your sorry aren’t you Sir!” It was the voice of Freddy. I almost fainted. It was impossible. I heard then the clunk of another freezer opening. Clunk, clunk, and clunk. More freezers opened, now I ran. Along the corridor. They didn’t want me there; I didn’t want me here. I had to get out of there. I ran and I ran faster. The morgue door opened. I ran up the stairs at the end of the corridor. Faster and faster they ran after me. Faster and faster I tried to evade them. I had the exit in sight. It grew closer and I could see the outside world. It was growing dark outside. I flung open the doors and jumped the stairs down to my car.
As I drove away I looked back up to the morgue window. The light was on. I drew a long sigh of relief. I looked up again. The light clicked out. I was lucky. I had tampered with something, which I should have left alone. I hadn’t made my peace but I had discovered something- I won’t be coming back here again in a hurry.
