William Rose: The Seven Habits

“Hey, sleepyhead. How’s it feel to be on the other side? You like it in there? Kind of smells funny doesn’t it?”

“You cut off my hands, you little bitch.”

Gauge spoke between clenched teeth and his face contorted with pain. Ocean giggled behind her hand; she wiggled the tips of her fingers at him as she stuck out her tongue.

“Oh hey,” she said brightly. “Looks like someone else is waking up, too.”

Behind him, Vessel’s body had begun to twitch. Spasms wracked her muscles and her eyelids flew open.

“Now this,” Ocean continued. “I gotta see.”

The thing that had once been Vessel staggered to its feet while Gauge scuttled into the furthest corner of the cell. It’s head snapped in the direction of his movement and his shrill cry of terror echoed through the undergrounds tunnels.

It wouldn’t take long. Once it was over, Ocean thought, she’d go to the kitchen and see if she could rustle up something to eat. With Heaven at her disposal, she would never be hungry again, never have to worry about where her next meal was coming from.

She was pretty sure that Corduroy hadn’t killed Baby. In fact, she’d thought she heard his cries a little earlier and it had brought a smile to her face. She would make sure her little boy grew up loved and protected… she would make sure he never went without. And she would have someone who would love her, without motives or conditions, for the rest of her life.

No one would ever hurt her again.

Alfonso Davis swiped his plastic badge through the reader and the door responded with a click. In the fluorescent light, his uniform looked crisp and white, only the sweat stains blossoming from the armpits discoloring the fabric. He wasn’t exactly fat, but he was what his mother had always called big boned. His cocoa colored brow glistened beneath an ever-present sheen of perspiration. He let go of the badge and the string pulled it back to the clip on his pocket with a quick zip .

“I stuck my neck out to get you this job. Don’t you go fuckin’ me over, Donny. You hear?”

The man at his side was much smaller, with skin almost as pale as the scrubs they both wore. His hair was a shock of white and he looked up at his friend with red eyes.

“You can count on me, ‘Fonso. I appreciate it too, dude. That nursing home was getting to be a real buzz kill.”

The pair walked down a hallway that had been polished to the point streaks of light seemed to race ahead of them with every step.

“I’ll piss your asshole if do.”

Donny laughed and slapped his hand against his friend’s meaty shoulder.

“What the hell, man? What the fuck does that even mean? I’ll piss your asshole ? Who says that?”

Alfonso stiffened for a moment and shot Donny one of the looks that had always preceded some geek getting an ass-beating when the two were in high school. Then his expression softened as he smiled.

“Didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Yeah, where were you, man? Thought you were coming over to catch the game.”

“Nah, went to Vibrations instead. After the day I had yesterday, I just wanted to get my drunk on. Never goin’ back there again, though. Place waters down their liquor, man. I’ve pissed higher alcohol content than that shit.”

Alfonso glanced around to make sure no one was within ear shot, and leaned in close as he lowered his voice to a whisper.

“Ended up hookin’ up with this cute little Asian number. Bitch was all into me, man. Took her back to the crib and got my freak on’.”

“You dog.” Donny was grinning so widely it looked like his face would collapse into his own mouth. His eyes twinkled as he nudged Alfonso in the ribs with his elbow. “You get breakfast out of it, too?”

“Hell no, playa. Sent that bitch packin’ and headed back out for more pimpin’.”

“Oh, man… you’re too much.”

“Shit, you know how it is. Once you’ve had Chinese, you just want more two hours later.”

The pair’s laughter echoed through the hallway and drew a stern look from a nurse who passed by, a tray of little cups balanced on her hands.

“Straighten up, now. Gotta show you the day room. Time to get all professional and shit.”

The end of the hall led into a larger room clustered with tables and chairs. Soft music was playing through the overhead speakers and the babble of conversation seemed to surround the two on all sides.

“See that dude, there?” Alfonso pointed out an old man with thinning hair, piecing together a jigsaw at one of the tables.

“I call him Torch. You don’t ever want to leave your lighter layin’ out anywhere around him. Best to keep it in your locker, actually. He’s got this thing with fire… burned up this family because the flames talk to him. Or so he says.”

“No shit?”

“No shit, man. And that dude over there, that’s Prophet. God tells him to do things to little kids. Bad things, man. See, I’m not fuckin’ around. You gotta watch your ass around here. They look normal enough, don’t they, but you never can tell when someone’s been tonguing their meds. They can snap just like that.”

Alfonso snapped his fingers, causing his friend to jump slightly.

“Torch done tried to burn this place to the ground half a dozen times already. You’re not careful and one of these days he’ll actually do it.”

Donny’s eyes scanned the room and picked out a bearded man in the far corner. The man was leaning forward, gesturing wildly with one hand as he appeared to lecture the pair who sat across from him. His other hand clutched a red book to his chest, and Donny squinted his eyes as he tried to make it out. The man’s arm was covering the title, but it was obviously a children’s book of some kind. He could just make out what looked to be a teddy bear in ribbed overalls on the cover.

“What about him? What’s his story?”

“Shit, nigga… you don’t know who that is?”

Donny studied the man and shook his head with a shrug.

“Okay, he’s been cleaned up. Picture that dude with longer hair, scraggly beard, and—”

“Oh, fuck! Damn man, that’s that Bosley guy ain’t it? The one hacked up that chick ‘cause he thought she was a zombie? You got the Zombie Killer in here?”

Alfonso laughed.

“Sits in that same spot each day like he’s in some interrogation room, going over the same story again and again. C’mon. I’ll introduce you to our star patient.”

Donny let Alfonso lead the way and, even though he wasn’t aware he was doing so, he allowed the larger man to partially shield him.

“What’s the deal with the book?” he whispered. “Never pictured the Zombie Killer readin’ kiddy books.”

“Says it’s for Ocean. Now shut your pie hole, man.”

They were only a few feet from the man now, and Donny felt the hairs on his arms tingle. Alfonso’s words haunted him with every step: they can snap just like that .

“Yo, Corduroy,” Alfonso said softly. “Would you do it again, brother?”

The Zombie Killer turned to look at them, recognizing his own nickname and the orderly’s voice.

“Fuck, don’t you ever listen? I’d do anything to keep her fuckin’ safe. And I’ll find her, man. I’ll find her and I’ll make sure she’s taken care of and shit. She’s my Ocean, dig?”

The man’s eyes rolled back into his head and his entire body began to shake and tremble. Spittle frothed from his mouth and his heels kicked at the floor as his fists clenched in a fury of spasms.

“Ah, shit… he’s in the Eye of Aeons, now. C’mon. Nurses take care of this stuff. Break time for us, my man.”

Alfonso lead Donny through a labyrinth of hallways and doors that required the swiping of his badge to enter. Finally, they found themselves in a room with black and white tiled floors. One wall was lined with vending machines and a television perched near the ceiling in one corner.