Obscurity

Dr. Meyable is trying to convince mother to put me in a machine so he can have me and make me his. What a creep. Mother is too sad for my loss she can’t think properly. I know that because I see she gives a little nod to Dr. Meyable.

I hear the word ‘brain’. I freeze.

Dr. Meyable wants to brainwash me into thinking I love him. Disgusting man. Why can’t he leave me alone? I need to escape. He is after me.

“M-Mr. Faulkner, where are you going?”

Dr. Meyable is checking me out as I stand. I shiver.

“Where am I going? Where am I going? Going, going, going…”

I ask that disgusting man. Disgusting man, I must escape. Mother looks sad. She knows that if I don’t escape, that man will take me.

“Mr. Faulkner please sit down, we are not finished.”

Disgusting. He wants me to sit on his lap. Disgusting, disgusting, disgusting he is. I must escape. I must leave.

“Going, going, going… Finished.”

And so I run.

And run.

And run.

I don’t stop because I know – I can see Dr. Meyable chase me.

Disgusting. He thinks we’re playing ‘chasey’. He thinks we’re lovers.
What a disgusting man. I must escape.

I feel a sudden hand grab me. This is the end. He is going to put a ring on my finger. I feel nauseous at the thought. I turn around, expecting to see the horrid man. Instead, I see a young woman. I didn’t know Dr. Meyable was a woman.

“Are you alright?”

“I can’t marry you!”

She looks at me. She laughs.

“Of course we cannot marry because we just… I love your eyes.”

I look around. That’s strange. Dr. Meyable is not chasing me anymore. I can’t see him anywhere anymore. The white walls are clean. The white walls are empty. And for some reason my shoulders feel lighter.

I look at this woman. She starts to button up all my shirt buttons. I watch her.
She counts each buttons.

“One, two, three, four, five.”

She frowns. Then she unbuttons each buttons.

“Six, seven, eight nine, ten.”

She smiles.

“Nice to meet you, I am Audrey.”

“I’m Jet.”

She nods and unbuttons the buttons on my next shirt.

“Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen.”

She smiles again. I like that. I watch her unbutton another shirt underneath the second shirt she unbuttoned.

“Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty- three, twenty-four.”

Even though I have no more shirts to unbutton, she grins at me.

“Twenty-four,” she sighs.

She’s staring into my eyes. I feel funny. My fingers twist.

“I see you’ve met Audrey.”

I turn around. It’s Dr. Meyable. That disgusting man. He is slowly making his way to me. Mother is following behind.

“Yes, Doctor. I also met Jet.”

Audrey smiles. Mother looks at Audrey.

“Care to introduce yourself to Ms. Faulkner, Audrey?”

Dr. Meyable asks Audrey. Disgusting. Not only does he want me, he wants Audrey as well! I won’t let him have her…

Audrey nods.

“I am Audrey.”

Mother says nothing. Mother’s face scrunches up again. I almost laugh.

“I am a patient here.”

Audrey adds.

“Sort of.”

Mother’s mouth opens to the shape of a little ‘o’. She nods and smiles at Audrey. Even though she is my mother, I do not like that kind of smile.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Anne Faulkner, Jethro’s mother.”

Audrey stares at mother. Mother looks uncomfortable. Audrey suddenly touches mother’s shirt. Mother flinches.

“Your button is undone.”

Audrey fixes mother’s shirt. What a nice person. I like nice people.

Dr. Meyable looks at his watch.

“Audrey, we have to go now. Mr. Faulkner needs to get his scan.”

I cringe. I don’t want Dr. Meyable to take me. I don’t want to leave Audrey.
I turn to her. I must bid my lover adieu.

“And so the cylinder lights the frame so its straight whistle.”

Audrey smiles at me.

“Okay, I will see you later.”