Tim Washburn - Powerless

Dr. Iftikar Singh, running on only two hours’ sleep over the last forty-eight, sags against a wall as the hospital’s maintenance crew turns the locks on the outer doors. Most of the medical staff departed as the number of patients dwindled. A clinic had been established in one of the outer buildings and some of the medical staff is manning that, but only during daylight hours. The only medical supplies available, a few bottles of antibiotics and a handful of suture kits, were transferred from the hospital.

Doctor Singh turns from the entryway and, with the aid of a small drug rep flashlight left over from the days when drug companies could provide such items, shuffles down the hall to his office. After thirty years of practicing medicine, the last week proved to be the most difficult of his career. Trained as a cardiologist, Singh is small of stature, and the once-fitted white lab coat hangs loosely on his narrow frame.

He opens the outer door to his suite of offices and flips on the light switch, cursing in his native tongue when the darkness remains. The feeble yellow beam from the penlight arcs around the white walls of the outer office as he trudges through the door to his inner sanctum. An array of diplomas, certificates, and various other official-looking documents are pinned to the wall behind the desk. But he takes no notice as he collapses onto his leather chair. After a lifetime spent treating patients, he’s now adrift. He leans back in his chair and clicks off the tiny flashlight.

He hasn’t seen his family in almost three full days, and his mind now turns to them and the myriad of questions facing them. His exhaustion, coupled with the darkness, slows his spinning mind and his head falls to his chest as a thin line of drool escapes the corner of his mouth.

The sound of the crashing of glass startles him from sleep. He panics, disoriented. Another loud crash follows, and Dr. Singh scrambles for the now-remembered flashlight. The sound of heavy footfalls echoes down the hallway. He rakes his hand across the desk in search of the penlight and knocks it to the floor. As he scrambles around in search of the light, a high-pitched giggle sounds, sending a shiver of fear down his spine.

A crazy, drug-fueled giggle. A tweaker’s giggle.

He abandons his search and scoots over to the door that separates his office from the receptionist’s desk. The approaching footsteps are louder.

How long was I asleep? He peeks around the corner of the door to find the outer hallway beyond the obscured glass a black hole. No hint of light from the exit door at the end of the hall. Did I sleep that long? Has night fallen?

Still on his hands and knees, he crawls closer to the outer door. Voices. Multiple voices. The heavy footsteps rattle the glass inset adorned with his name and title. Singh reaches up and carefully pushes the lock button.

A shout down the hall: “Check all the offices—there might be some samples.”

Seconds later a heavy crash, then, “Hey, dude, you didn’t have to kick it in,” giggle, giggle. “It’s fuckin’ unlocked.”

The office three doors down sounds as if it is being demolished. Singh eases away from the outer door as the surging adrenaline eliminates any residual sleepiness. He crawls back into the inner office and tucks himself under the desk. A bead of perspiration pops on his forehead as the domino effect of shattering doors grows ever closer. He pulls his cell phone from the coat pocket and lights the screen. No service. He uses the wash of light to search for anything he can use for a weapon. He peeks over the desk and grabs the letter opener resting in the pencil cup.

A boot slams into the outer door and he nearly knocks himself unconscious when his head strikes the underside of the desk. The first kick fails, but the second kick sends the outer door crashing into the Sheetrocked wall, uprooting the small doorstop screwed into the floor. A cone of light sweeps from side to side, then up and down.

“Ain’t nothing in here,” the giggler says.

A grunt is the only reply. The flashlight beam withdraws and Dr. Singh slowly releases the held breath. His back is on fire so he pushes his legs to relieve the pressure. Where’s security? I can’t be the only person left in the hospital!

The destruction continues: kick, bang, giggle—curses when nothing is found, then on to the next office. He makes a snap decision to get out while they are occupied elsewhere. He scrambles from under the desk and tiptoes toward what’s left of the outer door. He leans his head out for a peek. The hallway is empty. Singh takes a deep breath. Another crash, more giggles. He bolts down the hall to the left. Running full out, he glances back over his shoulder and gets clotheslined off his feet. He grunts when he hits the concrete floor, the breath snatched from his lungs.

A beam of light pierces his pupils. Singh raises a hand to shield his face.

“Where you goin’ in such a hurry, pard?”

Only a faint outline of a very large man is visible behind the light.

“I asked you a question.”

“Home,” Singh says, still gasping for breath.

“Is that right? Home to the wifey?”

Singh nods.

“Ain’t that cute? Goin’ home to get a little pussy? That right?”

“Please, just let me go.”

“Where you from? You talk funny.”

“I live in Baltimore,” Singh says as he scrambles up to his knees. He doesn’t see the boot that crashes into his ribs.

“Don’t you be gettin’ smart with me. Now, where you from?”

Dr. Singh is back on the ground, his arms wrapped tightly around his midsection. “India.”

“One of them fuckin’ dot heads?” The man barks out a laugh. “You one of them fore-in doctors?”

Singh nods, grimacing with pain.

The man snarls. “Get your ass up and show me where the drugs are.”

“There… are… no… more… drugs. We used… everything—”

“Bullshit!” the man roars, sending another boot into the side of Dr. Singh’s thigh. “Get your ass up right damn now!”

Singh struggles back to his knees and uses the wall to push himself to his feet. The man leans in to Singh’s face, the foul odor of the man’s breath washing over him.

“Where’s the fuckin’ drugs?” A rancid spittle coats Dr. Singh’s face.

Singh tries to take a deep breath. “I am sorry. We have no… remaining drugs. I would tell you where they are, but they do not exist. I will lead you to the pharmacy area where you… can look for yourself.”

“Don’t get fuckin’ smart with me,” the man says, raking the barrel of his gun across Singh’s face. “Lead the way, Mr. Doctor.”

Singh stumbles toward the continuing demolition. “The pharmacy is one hallway over.”

“I’m followin’ you, dot head. Just lead the way.” They turn the corner, and one of the thugs turns to face them. His eyes are wild and a giggle escapes his mouth.

“Who’s we got here?” Giggle.

Singh can tell with one glance at the man’s black hole of a mouth he’s dealing with some serious meth addicts.

“This here’s the doctor goin’ to lead us to the drugs.”

“Yippeeee!” Giggle. Giggle.

“There are not any drugs,” Dr. Singh mumbles.

The giggling man takes two steps and leans in. “This is a fuckin’ hospital, right? Don’t tell me there ain’t no drugs.”

Singh offers a shrug and is rewarded with a swift punch to his gut, followed by another maniacal giggle.

Giggler waves his arm forward. “After you, Doctor.”

Still struggling to breathe, Singh weaves down the hall past two other men destroying one of the last remaining offices. He leads them to an intersection of halls. “There is the pharmacy,” Singh says, pointing to a door containing a sliver of security glass with a keypad next to the knob.