My Favorite Part Was Dying

A burly nurse with a cold face stood before Gerard. He lunged at him, grabbing his arm. Gerard tried to break away from him but the nurse just slapped him across the face. The blunt force of it made his delicate cheekbone feel as if it had been snapped in two.

"Don't struggle, I don't want to have to subdue you." the nurse said in a gravelly voice. Gerard went limp in his strong arms and was carried in the direction of Robinson's office.

"Ah, thank you Andrew." Dr. Robinson said to the male nurse as Gerard was thrust into an armchair in front of the large wooden desk. Andrew nodded curtly and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Gerard raised a hand to his cheek and gingerly felt where he had been hit. Dr. Robinson surveyed him from behind the desk, a small smile playing on his lips. He seemed to be waiting for Gerard to speak, but Gerard kept silent. Robinson cleared his throat and broke the silence.

"We didn't get to finish our chat yesterday," he said calmly, the smile still hinted in the corners of his mouth. Gerard gave a tiny nod, wincing as pain shot through his cheek.

"Come here." Gerard's eyes widened as Dr. Robinson gestured for him to come closer. He stood slowly and walked around the desk to stand before the man. Robinson lowered Gerard's hand away from his face and inspected his cheek.

"That's going to be a nasty bruise," he said conversationally, although the severity of his stare suggested that the atmosphere in the office was the last place for a casual conversation. He dismissed Gerard with a wave of his hand. Gerard made his way back to his seat, feeling increasingly uneasy.

"Well, I didn't just have you brought down here to pick up our discussion from yesterday, I wanted you to see something." That cold, calculated smile that always stole over Robinson's face appeared again. Gerard tried to smile back but he was sure it came out more as a grimace. Robinson's smile grew wider. "Follow me," he said. Gerard stood with shaking legs. He felt like they might just give out under him. He followed Dr. Robinson slowly, like a man making his way to the gallows.

The doctor stood before one of the many bookcases lining the office walls. He pulled a thick old volume out, taking a small key from behind it. He then put his arm further into the bookcase, as though it had no end. Gerard heard a click and the bookcase swung back to reveal a hidden passage.

Oh you've got to be kidding me! Gerard thought as horror films flashed through his head. Dr. Robinson gestured for Gerard to go first.

"This passage has been here since the hospital was built over seventy years ago. It seems like such a cliche, I know. But it is classic." Robinson said in a relaxed voice that bounced off the dark corridor walls.

"Yeah, classic," Gerard agreed, "You see it a lot in the movies, although it usually leads to something horrible..." he muttered that last bit to himself.