Chapter
16 ? Green Wisdoms
When
Blake started his shift that afternoon, a safety lock was attached to the door
of room 4.11. One could hear the hysterical screaming from behind the door
through out the entire ward.
?
After
a quick look into the documents, Blake also knew why.
?Hmm."
He put the case sheet aside and looked at his colleague. ?Who is this guy who
brought him back?"
Theodore
Schmidt sipped at his coffee. ?Well, I assume it was Mister Kinney. He visited
him once in a while."
?Justin
had a visitor?"
?Two
or three times during my shifts." Teddy shrugged. ?Didn?t you ever seen
him? He?s cute."
Blake
shook his head. ?And the little one simply strolled out of here last
night?"
"Apparently
not only last night. Dr. Marcus said he went on regular excursions."
?Hmm."
Blake got up. ?How long has he been screaming like this? Have you tried talking
to him?"
?Sure."
Ted got up as well, clearing his cup in the process. ?He wailed and blubbered
something about wet butterflies in the basin."
Blake
raised his eyebrows. ?Wet butterflies."
Male
nurse Schmidt shrugged his shoulders. ?Maybe it was wet bees.?
?Ok."
Blake rubbed his forehead, inhaled deeply and took his keys off the board.
?I?ll go and look after him."
?Need
any help? The kid can really freak out if he wants to."
"Teddy.
It is only Justin."
Hmm.
Ted looked after his colleague and popped a peppermint between his lips. Nobody
could say he hadn?t warned him.
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????
Justin
didn?t know where the prince had gone, the door was closed and all the pulling
and rattling wasn?t helping.
?
Sometimes
people would come in, but if left, the white door was a thick wall again and
remained closed forever.
Justin
didn?t like it and had to cry a little.
Of
course he was captured now and the prince wasn?t in his bed anymore. Although
he was sure that Prian had slept in it that night. He knew it for sure.
With
a clumsy hand, he wiped over his moist eyes and then plodded to his bed and
curled up under the thin blanket. He closed his eyes and felt new tears running
down his face. Everything here smelled of beautiful prince and almond cake. The
mattress, the pillow and even the book hidden underneath it. Only the treasure
jewellery had disappeared. Exactly like Prian.
Blake
unlocked the door and smiled slightly as he heard the sobs under the blanket.
?Hello
Justin."
He
put the cup he brought in down on the bedside table, sat on the edge of the bed
and pulled the corner of the blanket back.
?Why
are you laying here? It?s not bed time yet."
Justin
tried to be quiet but the noises came out of his mouth anyways. He knew that it
wasn?t bed time yet, but he didn?t want to open his eyes either.
Blake
stroked the fair hair. ?Don?t you want to see what I brought you?"
Justin
sobbed somewhat quieter but kept his eyes shut.
The
male nurse took the cup. ?Look? Chocolate milk. It?s still warm."
Justin
liked milk. Especially with cookies.
?You
want to try it?"
Did he? Justin sniffled and rubbed his nose before raising his head. Yes, he
wanted to have the milk. He was very?
??thirsty."
Blake
smiled, wiped Justin?s face with a handkerchief and held the cup up with his
other hand. ?Here."
?Yes."
The blue eyes were wet, red rimmed and looked at the male nurse only briefly
before ten thin fingers took hold of the cup.
Justin
knelt down on the mattress and sniffed curiously into the cup. Hmm. The milk
was...
??of
course all dirty."
Blake
shook his head. ?There?s chocolate in it. It makes the milk brown."
?Yes.?? Justin looked back at the milk and then with
disinterest to the side. ?Certainly all dirty."
Blake
sighed and put the cup back on the bedside table. ?Doctor Marcus said you made
an excursion last night."
Justin's
eyes wandered up to the ceiling.
?Over,
on the other side of the street. To the big mansion."
Justin
curled his nose. Of course the prince?s castle was rather big and also really
beautiful.
?Do
you know the man who lives there?"
Did he? Yes, of course. They had introduced each other. Justin Taylor and
Prian. With a big P like Prince and Pudding. Justin smiled. He liked Prian.
Blake
smiled too. ?Is he nice? Nurse Schmidt said that sometimes he paid you
visits."
?Yes."
Justin started to rock back and forth softly and twisted a finger into his
blond hair. Of course the prince came to save him with the red cup and the
shiny...
??silver
sword."
?He
has a sword?"
Did he? The boy wrinkled his forehead. Actually Prian didn?t have any swords.
Only foamy soap and delicious...
??water."
?He
has water?"
?Yes."
?He
gave you water?"
?Yes.
My Prian."
?His
name is Brian?"
?Yes.
Prian."
"He
walked you home last night, right?"
?Yes."
Justin rubbed his ear. ?Of course don?t cross the fucking?fucking street alone.
Prian says.?
?He
takes you across the street?"
?Yes.
Holding hands with Prian."
Blake
smiled. ?He takes you by the hand, hmm?"
Justin
smiled too. ?Yeah."
The
nurse?s face grew serious again. ?Justin. Do you know Brian spoke to Dr. Marcus
yesterday?"
?Yeah."
Justin liked the white ceiling and wanted to paint yellow butterflies on it.
With a blue wax crayon. He giggled. Blue yellow-butterflies.
?Brian?s
worried because you leave your room without letting somebody know. He thinks
you shouldn?t cross the street alone."
?Yeah."
Of course the prince always became?
??
very angry."
"No.
He isn?t angry. He just wants us to take better care of you. So nothing bad
happens."
?Yes."
Perhaps he also could paint the dwarf. Without a cap and beard but with many
stones.
?That?s
why Dr. Marcus decided that your door should be locked with a key.? See?" Blake held the keys up. ?I put it
into the lock on the outside of your door and can open and close it."
Justin
looked at the shiny bunch of keys closely. Of course Plake was the tower guard
and would never let him free again because the princess had to stay in the
tower forever and ever.
He
looked to the side and bobbed up and down a bit. His belly pinched terribly.
"Justin.
It doesn?t mean you can?t leave your room anymore." The nurse tried to
touch Justin's shoulder but the boy flinched away. ?You have an alarm button.
Here, right next to the bed and another one next to the door. You push it and
someone will come to look after you. If you want to go for a walk or into the
community room, a nurse will go with you, okay? You just can?t go on your own
anymore. It?s too dangerous."
Justin
didn?t want to speak with Plake and made an angry face. He started to count
everything beautiful. Prian?s brown eyes, Prian?s strong fingers, the pear tree
in the castle gardens and the green frog underneath. ?Two, two?one." He
counted loudly and angry and pushed Plake?s fingers away. He hated the shiny,
tinkling key and he hated the alarm button next to the bed.
"Justin."
Blake tried to stroke the blond hair soothingly, but the boy turned his head
and shouted at him.
?Not
Prian!"
?No.
Plake. We?re friends, right? Plake and Justin."
Justin
stared in the direction of the window and bobbed around on his heels for a
little while, before giving a dark answer.
?Blake."
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????
At
3 am, Brian couldn?t bear it any longer. Cursing, he rolled off the mattress,
stomped over to the window, threw it shut, and stomped back to his bed to fling
himself furiously under the blanket again.
He
sighed, waited a moment, then closed his eyes contentedly, and-
?Rebbit-Rebbit'
?Fuck!?
He opened them again three seconds later, as the ubiquitous frog croaking could
be heard easily.? Even through the
tightly closed window.
Ok,
this was it. Kermit could make his appointment for the coroner?s inquest!
Grumbling,
Mister Kinney jumped out off bed again, trampled down the stairs with nothing
on except really fantastic fitting boxer shorts, and started digging through
the kitchen drawers in search of a proper murder weapon.
The
damn critter prevented him for the third night in row from getting his well
deserved sleep and in the life of every man there was a healthy tolerance
limit, which was exceeded at some point.
His
eyes sparkled evilly as he pulled a barbecue fork out of the cupboard and
decided instead in favour of a big meat mallet, before heading into the garden.
Fifteen
minutes and an unsuccessful frog hunt later, the terrace door was thrown shut.
The meat mallet landed with a clatter against the wall and Mister Kinney typed
one of his emergency numbers into the buttons of his telephone.
It
tooted three times before a young voice in correct Oxford English snuffled
through the receiver. ?This is the Institute for biological pest control,
you?re speaking to Michael Thomas E. Davis, how may I help you?"
Brian
was a little irritated by so much politeness at half past three in the morning
and grumbled somewhat mistrustfully into the mouthpiece. ?Hhm. Kinney here. You
do home visits, too?"
At
the other end of the line a short typing could be heard. ?But of course Mister
Kinney. The customer comes first at our company. May I assume that there is an
infestation on your private property?"
?You
bet your ass it is!" Brian immediately felt 50% better and really well
supported by this company. ?I haven?t gotten any sleep in past three nights
because of all the fucking noise in the garden."
Typing
could be heard again. ?I see. Has the infestation expanded into your home
yet?"
Brian
blinked and then wrinkled his forehead. He surely hoped the damned toad didn?t
have any plans so far to set a foot/paw/fin/whatever into his house. But you
could never know?
?Not
yet! How fast can you be here?"
"Well,
Mister Kinney, of course none of our employees are in the office at this hour,
but, if you consider your situation quite urgent, I will execute this
assignment myself, if you would be kind enough to confirm your personal
information."
?Hh."
Brian grumbled again and passed his address to the friendly British guy at the
other end of the connection. ?And you should bring the poison for big animals.
The fucking thing is really persistent."
?I
can assure you, Mister Kinney, here at Biological pest control we are
absolutely up-to-date with the scientific research. Don?t you worry."
?Hmm."
?Wonderful.
Thank you very much for your call. I?ll be on my way."
?Great.?
Brian mumbled what could be interpreted as ?Goodbye ' for answer, before he put
the receiver down.
Damn
Englishmen. So much fucking politeness couldn?t be healthy by any means?
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-------------------
Fifteen
minutes later a young man in a tweed jacket entered Brighton?s courtyard on a
dark green Dutch bike, took his wooden box from the carrier and cleaned his
polished shoes on Mister Kinney?s doormat.
?Mister
Kinney, " He said with a firm handshake and small nod of his head. ?It?s a
pleasure to meet you. May I say, I?m really impressed by your stately
home."
?Yeah."
Brian examined the skinny guy in the doorframe more critically. Perhaps he
should?ve asked Santos with the big spade to come over to help. After all, the
fucking toad under the pear tree wasn?t one of the small kind.
?If
you could point me directly to the affected areas in your garden, please??
?Hh."
Brian closed the door behind him and led the vermin exterminator around into
the dark garden. ?It was over there the last time I saw it. I know it?s dark
but perhaps I could-"
?Oh,
that should be fine, Mister Kinney.? The busy Brit rummaged with both hands in
his wood case and in the next moment, switched on a handy 500 watt searchlight.
"I am very well prepared for situations like this. You wouldn?t believe
how often I'm stuck in some dark place."
?Damnfuckingshit!?
Mister Kinney stumbled haphazardly over a neglected garden hose and rubbed his
eyes.
"Upsa-daisy!
See? This is exactly the reason why I always use to say,? A smart forefinger
rose into the cool night air. ?A tidy house, a tidy mi-Oha!" The young man
stopped abruptly and whispered. ?Did you hear that? A pond frog. Rana
esculenta. My guess, it?s a fully-grown female."
Brian
couldn?t see any reason for the lowered volume. ?That?s really fascinating. You
have the poison gun in your fucking wood trunk now. So what?s the hold
up?!? I?d like to see the damned thing
dead before sunrise!"
?Sssh!"
Mister Davis brought a finger to his lips and shone his lamp as he searched for
the frog, while carefully stepping over the expensive lawn. ?Perhaps you would
prefer to wait in the house, Mister Kinney??
Amphibians are very sensitive creatures, you know?"
?Sensitive
my ass?? Brian mumbled and trudged in the direction of the terrace door.
Kermit
better enjoy his last three minutes on earth, because frog legs were definitely
on the menu tomorrow.
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-------------------
"Hello?
Mister Kinney?" At 4.20 am, a British vermin exterminator knocked at
Brian's terrace door and tried to peer through the mirrored glass. ?Are you in
there?"
Brian
rolled his eyes, stubbed out his cigarette and rose with great effort from the
sofa to open the door. ?Is it dead?"
Mister
Davis looked around in alarm. ?What?!"
?The
fucking frog. You got it, or what?!"
?Oh,"
The Brit smiled, blushing. ?But yes of course! A lovely specimen. Dark skinned
and a very distinctive back line. These are extremely rare."
Brian
raised his eyebrow and looked around. ?Hmm. And where is it? Buried?
Burned?"
?Of
course not, sir. The Rana esculenta is protected by the conservation of
nature."
?Protected.?
Mister Kinney wasn?t really fond of a term like that.
?That?s
right. These species are extremely rare in our country and worldwide. They
are? threatened by extinction. Therefore
I suggest," The young man entered unasked and opened his wood case.
"You lay out a species-appropriate pond. Here are the schemes." He
pushed a couple of paper sheets into his client?s hand.
Brian
blinked, unable to cope. ?A fucking pond!?"
?Well,
a water place with sandy sub-ground, so the frog will have the possibility to
hibernate and spawn next spring."
Brian
blinked once again before his eyebrows contracted darkly. ?What the hell?! I
will not dig any fucking pond for the fucking frog! I called you to dispose the
damn thing!"
Mister
Davis remained completely calm, confronted with such an emotional outburst.
?I?m really sorry Mister Kinney, but I am afraid I?m bound to the laws of
conservation and the Rana esculenta is-"
?What
do you mean fucking bound?! You?re a goddamned vermin exterminator! It?s
your fucking job to kill these things!"
?Well
actually,? A forefinger lifted for the second time that night, ?I am not only
an? exterminator but also an honorary
member of Pennsylvania?s biggest association for nature protection and
landscape conservation."
Brian
growled.
?And
if you may excuse my bluntness,? The Englishman conjured a little business card
out of his tweed jacket, "I am also the leader for the reduction of
aggressions in your daily life. A tester hour is for free."
Brian's
death stare slowly melted a little hole between Mister Davis? eyes.
"Well
then," The young man cleared his throat, adjusted his jacket, fetched his
wood case and nodded politely with his head. ?I think I?ll find the way out
myself. And please don?t hesitate to consult me for any support or advice
concerning the damp biotope.?
Mister
Kinney remained motionless, stared after the man till he had disappeared from
the door, threw his pond plans on the floor furiously and slammed the terrace
door shut. Finally, he slumped on the sofa for a necessary sedation-cigarette.
?and
it seemed to work wonderfully too, until a metallic sounding 'Rebbit-Rebbit'? easily echoed through the mirrored glass
doors.
Damnedfuckingshit.
??????????????????????????????????????????????????
-------------------------
On
October the first there were oatmeal and raisins for breakfast and Justin threw
both on the floor because he wanted toast with cream cheese.
On
October the second it rained in front of the window and Justin painted a
beautiful prince with a water droplet on the nose.
Miss
Eterson wanted to hang it up but Justin tore the picture in half and furiously
knocked over the box of crayons, before he hid under the table for three hours.
On
October the third it was Friday, there was pudding for dessert and Justin has
thought about Christmas so much that he crawled under his bed to cry.
On
October the fourth he decided it was very comfortable under the bed and
listened to the radio there the whole day. It was silver and the little buttons
shined pretty in the darkness.
On
October the fifth two tall men came and lifted the bed up so that Blake and male
nurse Schmidt could pull Justin out from under it.
He
screamed and wanted his butterflies and yellow wings because one didn?t have to
use doors if they had yellow wings. He didn?t get any butterflies, but a
syringe that stung and bit and made his eyes heavy like stones.
Justin
thought of Prian?s belly-button before he fell asleep.
On
October the sixth many people came. Dr. Bruckner, Miss Eterson and the man with
the MARCUS nametag. Everyone chattered and chattered and nobody gave Justin the
big key for the wall door. Justin looked out of the window and counted every
white beet he ever ate at the prince?s beautiful castle.
On
October the seventh Nurse Sherman asked whether Justin had to do wee-wee into
the toilet. Justin said "Fuck?fucking pissing." and made a big yellow
puddle in the middle of his room.
On
October the eighth, Justin combed his blond hair for three hours; crying.
Then
he beat his head so hard against the mirror that it broke into a thousand
shards.
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In
the afternoon of October the eighth, nurse Blake didn?t go to his car in the
parking lot after his shift, but walked across the street to ring the doorbell
at the splendid door of a former Playboy mansion.
It
took almost five minutes until someone opened it for him. The man in the
doorframe was tall, handsome and dirty from head to toe.
?Hello.
Are you Brian Kinney?"
Brian
looked at the blond man on his doormat critically. ?Yes. What do you want?! I?m
busy."
?Yes.
I can see that." Blake smiled. ?Gardening? Looks like a ?big
project."
Brian
wiped a dirty hand across his forehead. ?I?m digging a fucking pond."
"Wow."
Blake nodded and looked to the side. ?Ah look?my name is Blake. I work over on
the other side of the street."
Brian's
facial expression changed in a fraction of seconds, but he didn?t say a single
word.
?I
am a nurse in Justin?s ward."
?Hmm."
Brian looked to his shoes and rubbed his neck. ?Plake."
Blake
laughed briefly. ?The former Plake. The P was revoked and I am punished with
the bad B."
Brian
couldn?t find the humor in it.
?But
you?? Blake gestured a little nervously. ?Ahm?you?re still Prian. Just
in case you?re?well you know." He looked away and rubbed his neck too.
Brian
wasn?t sure what to say and wished he had his cigarettes.
?I
don?t know how well you know him. Justin I mean." Blake shifted
uncomfortably from the right foot to the left. ?According to what I?m told you
visited him sometimes and I know the little one likes you. He smiles when he
talks about you."
Brian's
face remained blank but he rubbed two fingers over the door knob. ?And?"
The
nurse looked at the other man directly. ?He?s not well. He?s suffering under
the new? rules."
Brian
tore his head up sharply. ?And what the fuck should I do about that?"
?You
could visit him."
Brian
held the look a moment before he looked away and shook his head. ?I have to go
now. I?d like to get done today."
Blake
pressed his lips tightly together and nodded. ?Yes. Of course. I just wanted
to?" He took a step back and turned to go. ?Good luck with the pond."
Brian
slammed the door shut and cursed at the croaking frog in the garden for the
next hour, while trying to lay out the gigantic black foil without any folds.
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--------------------
On
October the 11th, Justin still had a big white bandage on his
forehead and pushed Doctor Cameron?s bell again and again and again.
He
knew that there were far too many lines to actually build the word Prian but he
didn?t like all the other words and rang and rang and called the prince name
loudly until the syringe bit into his arm and his eyes grew heavy like stones.
When
they opened again, Justin wasn?t in the community room anymore and a big
Tuna-Cheese Sandwich lay on his nightstand because it was, of course, supper
time.
"Yes?"
Justin still felt tired and rubbed his left ear weakly. ?Of course Justin
hates? hates...tuna." And he looked at the stupid fish sandwich for a long
time. Until his eyes were quite wet and blurred and he sobbed loudly. He then
pushed his face back into the pillow but it didn?t smell like Prian anymore and
of course he would never be able to eat meat from boxes and sit on a high wall
again like the egg in wonderland.
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-------------------
In
the evening of October the 11th, Brian stood on the terrace and
smoked his second cigarette while Santos watered the last of the plants at the
edge of the pond.
And
even though he hated the damn pond quite as much as the damn frog, which sat
croaking in it?s middle, he couldn?t ignore the fact that together they looked
astonishingly nice. Slantwise between the crippled pear tree and the stupid
hydrangea.
When
Santos looked over to him and smiled seductively, Brian threw his cigarette
away, went back into the house, put his jacket and shoes on, grabbed a box of
pasta from the kitchen cupboard, and left his playboy castle to cross the
street.
Seven
steps over black asphalt, through a big iron gate and a heavy entry door, 248
steps upstairs and straight ahead over the stinking corridor of ward four.
Without looking to the left or the right, directly to a door that wasn?t green
but was marked with the number 411.
"Mister
Kinney." Nurse Schmidt put a tray down on the cart and smiled broadly.
?You haven?t been here in a while. It?s nice seeing you again." He brushed
a hand through his dark hair.
Brian
didn?t even look at him. ?Is his door locked?"
?What?"
Nurse Schmidt seemed a little confused. ?Oh, you mean Justin's door? Yes, of
course. Twenty-four hours as ordered. Only God knows what could?ve happened if
it weren?t for you Mister Kin-"
Brian
didn?t have any desires to hear stories. Neither about himself nor about God.
?You have the key?"
?Absolutely!"
The nurse smiled proudly. ?Would you like to pay him a visit? It isn?t visiting
time but I can make an exception if you would like to-"
Brian
rubbed his forehead in frustration. ?Could you just open the fucking
door?"
Ted
immediately unlocked the door and held it open for his favourite visitor.
?There you are, Mister Kinney. When you want to leave, simply push the button
right here next to the doorframe."
?Hmm."
Brian entered the little room with an ache in his stomach and closed the door
behind him. It smelled of tuna, urine and Justin and all he could see was a big
mess as far as the eye could see. He saw the slender boy sitting on the bed.
Crying and wailing in front of a sandwich plate.
Brian
stopped in the middle of the room and didn?t have the chance to say anything
before Justin looked in his direction with red rimmed eyes and a big bandage on
his forehead.
"Of
course. Certain?? He sobbed bitterly and brushed a few blond hairs out of his
face. ??certainly very hungry."
Brian
stayed where he was and pointed slightly forward with his hand. ?Eat your
Sandwich if you?re hungry."
?No!"
Justin cried more loudly and threw his right arm up in a defiant gesture, while
his eyes showed pure despair. ?Certain-nly Sat?Saturday!" Weeping, he let
himself fall down, face first into a grey pillow. ?Justin hate- hates tuna!" His voice was shrill and hardly
understandable between deep sobs and muffled from the cheap cushion filling.
Brian
stepped closer, placed the noodle box he had brought on the nightstand, ?Drama
queen." Before he bent down a little to speak into Justin's ear. ?And
you?re also very rude. Aren?t you planning on telling me hello?"
The
boy listened to what he was told and pushed his nose deeper into the pillow
with a loud wail. ?The do-oor is closed!"
?I
know." Brian leaned his forehead against blond hair.
?Certainly
not into the castle!"? Justin's
voice once again changed into shrill tones. "Vis-visit!"
?You
wanted to pay me a visit??
?Ye-es!" Justin sobbed. ?Of course?my
P-Prian!"
?Hmm."
Brian watched himself as he wrapped blond hairs around his finger. ?No. You
can?t cross the street."
Ten
thin fingers cramped in the pillow on the left and right and pressed the soft
material tighter against a puffy face.
Brian
stood upright and clapped Justin's head softly. ?Stop it. You can?t breathe
properly if you do that."
But
Justin was stubborn and didn?t change his position.? Only when he heard Prian step away, did he turn his face a little
to the side.
The
prince walked around the room, took a small silver box from his pocket, stopped
and held it to his ear. ?Yes, It?s me. Order me the usual from Kazuo and have
it delivered to St. James. Yes." It made ?click? and the prince put the box
away again before sitting in the chair, over at the little table.
It
stood rather far away and Justin had to crane his neck to see Prian. It was
difficult because he was still sobbing and sniffling and he didn?t want to
actually move.
Brian
leaned back in the old chair and remained completely quiet, while staring at
Justin directly.
Justin
stared back. With wet blue eyes, a thumb at red lips, and every few seconds
sniffling sadly.
It
was really unbelievable what a princess the boy could be and after two minutes
of silent staring, Brian raised his left eyebrow. ?You know, if you get a
visitor, you?re supposed to have a conversation with them."
Was he? Justin sniffled again and let out a shuddering breath.
Brian
nodded his head in Justin?s direction. ?What happened to your forehead?"
Automatically,
the boy turned his eyes up to be able to look at his forehead.
?You
have a bandage there."
?Yes."
Justin grabbed and felt it curiously. It was soft and stuck and stuck.
Brian
watched the boy for another minute before he said something again. ?Come here.
I want to see it."
?Yeah."
Justin looked up to the ceiling.
?Justin."
?Yes."
?Get
up and come over here."
?Yes."
A little awkward, the boy kneeled down, rocked in this position for a moment,
rubbed his ear, and crawled backwards off the mattress.
With
little steps and his gaze held to the side, he toddled forwards and stopped
right beside Brian's chair.
Brian
waved him closer with two fingers. ?Show me your forehead."
?Yes."
Justin's look changed from the wall to the ceiling. Then he knelt on the floor
directly in front of the prince?s legs and opened his mouth as far as he could.
Brian
smiled. ?Not your teeth." He gripped Justin's chin, drew the thin face a
little closer and used the other hand to wipe the long strands of hair to the
side and examined the bandage.
It
was dirty and didn?t stick properly anymore.
Carefully,
he pulled at a loose corner and tried to look under it at the wound.
It
looked like a cut, not very big but quite deep. It seemed as if it had bled for
some time and had now scabbed with reddened skin all around. ?What did you hurt
yourself on?"
Justin
still had his mouth wide open and tried to peer up at Prian?s fingers at his
bandage.
?Justin."
Brian let go of the bandage and looked at the boy directly. ?Did it hurt?"
Did it? Yes, the mirror was rather bad and had?
??of
course bitten."
?What
bit you?"
?Yes.
Certainly the mirror." Justin looked at where the mirror was placed on the
wall. Now it was gone.
?The
mirror bit you?"
?Yes.
Of course always bites Justin?Justin Taylor."
?Hmm.
It?s called cutting. Mirrors don?t bite."
?Yes.?
Brian
looked around the room. It was dirty, it smelled and he was beginning to wonder
who was responsible for the room?s daily care. ?When was the last time somebody
came to clean your room?" When he didn?t get an answer, he looked at
Justin, waiting.
Justin
stared back. With big, blue innocent eyes.
?You
don?t know?"
Justin
blinked twice. He thought the prince was so beautiful.
Slowly,
Brian was becoming slightly irritated by the boy?s position, kneeling on the
floor between his legs. So he looked away in anger. ?Get up. People don?t sit
on the floor."
"Yes."
Justin got up clumsily and stood in front of the prince.
Brian
tapped his thigh. ?Come here."
Justin
looked up. ?Yes. Of course no?no free chair." He said and rubbed his nose.
"Sit on Prian."? Stiffly, he
sat down on Prian?s lap.
The
older man looked at him in amusement and put an arm loosely around slim hips.
?Hey."
Justin
looked blankly up to the ceiling. ?Hello." He liked to sit on Prian?s
legs. The prince was so warm and smelled of almonds and held him tightly and
tightly. He wanted to sit here for ever and let out a little sigh before
putting his head on Prian's shoulder.
For
a moment, Brian didn?t know how to react, but then forgot about his ?Mister
Kinney doesn?t cuddle? rule before bringing a hand casually to the back of
Justin's head.
And
when the boy put one clumsy arm around him, he decided that it felt absolutely
not lesbionic to sit with somebody like this.
So
he simply remained sitting with Justin's arm around his stomach, Justin's head
on his shoulder and Justin's warm breath on his neck.
Sometime
his fingers began to stroke through blond hair and his own head tipped over a
little to connect with the boys forehead.
Justin
was glad that the prince came to his tower and had broken down the thick wall
door.
He
liked Prian so much. He tried to be quiet and not move because he could hear
the even ba-bam ba-bam of Prian?s heart. And when the prince began to speak
quiet words, it rumbled lovely in Prian?s throat and Justin thought of big
purring cats, with brown silk fur and tickle-tongues.
?You
forgot your frog in my garden."
Justin
smiled. He liked the frog and the blue well water.
Brian
felt the boy grin against his neck and started to caress the soft hairs on
Justin?s neck. ?You like that, do you? Do you have any idea of the horrible
noise the fucking toad makes all night? Some people need their beauty rest, you
know?"
As
if testing, Justin poked his tongue against the nice smelling skin in the crook
of Prian?s neck. It tasted like prince and sugar.
Brian's
eyes closed unconsciously for almost three seconds. ?Fucking frog." Then
he tore them up again and clapped Justin on the bottom. ?Come on, get your
jacket. We have to go outside for a little while.?
?Yes."
Justin didn?t move one millimetre. ?Of course going for a walk. Many
stones."
Brian
nevertheless shoved him off his lap. ?Come on, where?s the jacket I?ve given to
you?"
"Yes."
Justin didn?t want to stand. ?Certainly very warm."
?Hmm."
Brian opened two closet doors, found what he was looking for and helped the kid
to put it on. He closed the zipper, checked his own jacket for all his
important things and pointed to a couple of old gym shoes under the shelf. ?Put
them on."
?Yes.
Of course into the castle. White beet with toast." The blond needed almost
three minutes to put his shoes on.
Brian
waited patiently, took the plate with the tuna sandwich in one hand and held
the other one out for Justin. ?Press the button."
?No."
Of course Justin didn?t like the bell button and looked up to the ceiling
uninterestedly.
?If
you don?t push it, we can?t go out."
They couldn?t? Justin looked nervously to the window, then to the door and finally
pressed the little button without looking at it.
Brian
squeezed Justin?s hand. ?Good boy."
?Yeah."
Justin's belly got quite warm. ?Justin."
?Here
I am." A voice could be heard, the tinkling of a key, and then the door
was open and Nurse Schmidt stood broadly smiling in the corridor. ?You want to
go Mister Kinney?"
?For
a short walk." Brian explained, pushed the plate into the nurse?s hand and
left the room with Justin in tow. ?We?ll remain in the area and be back in
fifteen minutes."
?Okay."
A little perplexed, Nurse Schmidt looked from his favorite visitor to the
sandwich plate and back again. ?No Problem."
"Great.
And who knows maybe you?ll even find someone who?ll clean Mister Taylor?s room
in the meantime and pick up the dirty laundry."
Theodore
blinked. ?Well?"
?Oh
and...? Brian turned around a last time and raised his finger in warning.
"Nobody touches the book as long as we?re gone."
?Yes.?? Justin smiled blissfully as he held Prian?s
strong hand and wound his hair around his finger with the other. He liked his
book.
?Of
course Mister Kinney." Nurse Schmidt said slightly guilty and disappeared
to find Isabella with the cleaning cart.
????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????
The
prince had walked down the stairs with Justin, over the long court entry and
through the high iron gate. But right behind it they had stopped. On the
sidewalk with the slit-stones.
Justin
wailed a bit and pulled on Prian?s hand. He really would?ve? preferred to go?
??across
the street."
Brian
lit a cigarette, took a long drag and shook his head as he blew the smoke out
again.
?Not
today. We?re waiting here."
Justin
wailed louder and tugged even harder at the prince?s fingers. But they drew
themselves only tighter around his hand.
?Are
you hungry?"
Was he? Justin stopped wailing and looked down at his belly. It was hidden
behind the thick silver jacket but he could feel it nevertheless. It was empty and
rumbled and he really would?ve preferred to have?
??white
beet.? He looked at the prince with big eyes.
Brian
blew the smoke aside and pointed with the cigarette in his hand to a car in the
distance.
?Yes.
Your meal is being delivered by a car."
It was? ?Oooh." Fascinated, Justin watched as the little red car got
closer and stopped rattling exactly in front of the tower.
?This
is Kazuo." The older one stuck his cigarette between his lips and used his
free hand to pull his wallet out of his jacket.
A
slim man with black hair and thin eyes got out and held a bag up. ?Kong Paow
chicken? It?s twelve dolla? and sixty cent, please."
?Ha!"
Justin laughed enthusiastically and grabbed for the bag. He knew exactly what
was in it. White beet and meat in boxes. He liked box food!
Brian
nodded while paying and giving a generous tip before he let Justin carry the
bag back into the tower.
?Watch
out, it?s hot."
?Yes."
Justin held the rustling bag very carefully and walked the whole way in a bent
position, holding Prian?s hand because he wanted to sniff at the wonderful
boxes somehow.
?If
you don?t look forwards, you?ll fall down the stairs." Brian pushed the
glassy ward door open, walked with Justin through the long corridor and stopped
in front of the nurses room.
Immediately
Nurse Schmidt appeared. ?Mister Kinney! How was your walk? Isabella just
finished Justin?s roo-"
?Hmm."
Brian grumbled and waved impatiently with his hand. ?We need the jailer."
?Jailer-Ah!"
The nurse laughed and took the key off the board. ?Always at your service,
Mister Kinney!"
?Great."
Brian presented a fake smile and followed the nurse while rolling his eyes.
Justin
toddled away behind him, his full attention turned towards the bag.
?There
you go.? Schmidt held the door open with a big smile. ?Please let me know if
there is anything else I can do for you, sir."
Brian
pushed Justin into the room and took the bag away from him. "You can have
the food when you?re done taking off your jacket and shoes."
The
boy looked shocked for a moment, but then bent down to untie his shoes.
Brian
addressed the male nurse with his best business tone. ?Are you authorized to
change bandages, Theodore?"
Full
of pride, the nurse grew up two sizes. ?Yes, of course Sir. That is one of my
many jobs here."
?Good.
Then you?ll surely agree with me that Mister Taylor?s bandage should be
changed."
Schmidt
looked from his favorite visitor to Justin's forehead and back again.
?Absolutely, sir. I?ll arrange that immediately."
"Not
immediately. Mister Taylor will eat first. You can do it afterwards."
Brian decided and turned his attention back to Justin to help the boy with the
zipper of his jacket. ?And leave the door open. I?m on my way home."
This
wasn?t Mr Schmidt?s favorite thing to hear but he nodded anyways and pulled the
door shut only halfway when he left the room. ?Of course, Sir."
?Into
the closet." Brian held the jacket out for Justin, pointed to the wardrobe
and started to unpack the plastic bag on the table.
Justin
needed two minutes to put the big silver jacket on the hanger and close the
wardrobe doors. Then he stopped uneasily next to the table.
Three
white boxes stood there and smelled like wonderful prince food. Full of hope,
he looked up to Prian.
Brian
pointed at the chair. ?Sit down. You want to use the chop sticks?"
"Of
course. Certainly wood." Justin really didn?t want to eat with wood sticks
and put a finger into an open box. ?Ooh." The food was soft and all warm.
He licked his finger and smacked his lips noisily.
Brian
smiled. ?Good?"
Justin
dug excitedly for a white beet, fished it out and carefully licked the brown
sauce off while looking at the prince attentively.
Brian
nodded and pointed to Justin's bedside table where he had put the noodle box.
?See what I?ve brought?"
The
boy followed with his eyes.?
"Ha!"? He laughed
happily. ?Butterflies!" It was so nice in the tower today! The prince was
there and so many boxes! Food in boxes and butterflies in boxes. He wanted to
go and look whether all of them were yellow or not.
"Sit
down and eat." Brian held him by the shoulder. ?Tomorrow I?ll come back
and bring cord."
Justin
said nothing. He only looked up to Prian, held a white beet in front of the
prince?s mouth and poked his own tongue out in expectation.
Mister
Kinney looked down at the greasy soy sprout, critically. ?It?s unhygienic to
eat with your fingers." But opened his mouth anyways and ate out of the
boy?s hand.
Justin
stared at Prian?s mouth fascinated and tried to push his finger between the
closed lips. He wanted to see where Prian?s tongue was.
Brian
turned his head away. ?Your necklace is gone, Justin. You know where it
is?"
?Yes."
Justin concentrated on his boxes again and found a piece of meat. Of Course his
beautiful treasured jewellery was?
??.not
under the pillow anymore."
"Yes,
it?s in the trash because it was wet and disgusting. You puked all over it.?
"Hh!"
The boy?s head jerked up alarmed.
?I?ll
bring cord tomorrow. Then you can make a new one."
Could he? Justin looked at the prince suspiciously. Of course it was very?
??very
difficult."
Brian
bent down and whispered in Justin?s ear. ?If you promise not to tell, I?ll help
you."
?Attentively Justin listened to what the
prince said to him. "Yes." And nodded then seriously.
Brian
kissed his temple and whispered once again. ?That?s my boy."
?Yeah."
Justin leaned proudly into Prian?s touch. ?Justin."
?Look
at me."
The
boy turned his head and looked at Prian with big, blue eyes.
Brian
smiled "Later."? Before kissing
Justin directly on the mouth and walking away.
Justin
looked after him, surprised and a bit frightened. He didn?t want the prince to
go.
He
would?ve preferred to?
??sleep
with Prian.?
Brian
stopped in the doorframe and turned around. ?No sleeping. Eat."
?Eat
with Prian?"
Brian
really hated the innocent hopeful eyes that stared at him and looked down to
the floor, before he shook his head. ?I have to go. Eat your white
turnips."
?Yes.
Certainly white beet."
?What
ever.? Brian rubbed his neck. ?When?s visiting time?"
?Yes.
Of course two?two pm."
Brian
nodded. ?I?ll be back tomorrow at 2 pm."
Justin
looked a little worried from Prian to his blue magic alarm clock. Of course it
was a very long time until tomorrow.
When
he looked back to the door again, the beautiful prince had disappeared.
?and
all that was left was a thick, cold wall.
?