The Old Man And His Chains
"What do you long for?" It was a simple enough question that could be answered in a variety of ways and have just as many reasons. The old man looked up wearily from his worn down wheel chair. The nurse smiled at him her brown eyes filled with friendliness.
"So?" She prompted him slowly as she squatted down just in front of him.
"Come on, Mr. Beatrix you have to have something you long for. Something that can make Greeley Manor more like home for you." she softly said. Mr. Beatrix thought about it. Yes, indeed he did long for a lot. He longed for his beautiful wife and their laughing son running through the small home with unfinished cabinets and dirt floor. He longed for the comfort of his own bed with the starch sheets and overly plush pillow cases. He had found himself wishing for these little things more and more since he'd moved in here 3 months ago. He also wished for things like better food and not being aroused by the much younger nurse who sat in front of him with worry filling her eyes.
Mr. Beatrix? Are you alright? she asked raising her hand in front of his frail wrinkled face.
"I long to be free." The old man whispered quietly.
"Free of what?" Of everything he thought. Free of the memory of his son Nathanil who hadn't lived past the age of 6. Free of the beautiful wife he had found hanging by a rope tied to the shower rail. Blood dripping from her arms into a puddle going down the drain. Free of the feeling of blisters left by digging his wife's grave. Freedom of the pills, drinking, and nightmares that haunted him for years until he met Janet. Sadly she died only two years after they had met. Soon after Emanuel Charles Beatrix, widowed twice no children to speak of and a terrible drinking problem was wheeled into Greeley Manor by his niece Maybaliene and taken into the personal care of Nurse Claire Parks.
"i Believe you call them:life" he said before sliding into bed with the knife he had hidden from tonight's dinner. He hummed the old wedding song as he slid the knife into his chest and finally sighed his last breath while the blood poured out.