Lily rolled her eyes. “Not even five minutes, Vernon?”
“Explicit orders from his doctor,” answered the male nurse. “No visitors.”
“Okay,” she said with a sigh. “I’ll tell her.”
The phone rang and he picked it up. “Hello?” Vernon rubbed his brow. “Be right there.”
“What’s up?”
“Emergency in admissions,” he said with a shake of his head. “Call on the big guy to deal with the violent ones. Story of my life.” He glanced up at the clock. “Speaking of, I was about ready to give Adam his meds.”
“I’ll do it.”
“Thanks.” He handed her a syringe full of clear liquid. “A quick poke in the butt and he’s good for another twelve hours. Well, ten, actually. Dr. Leo’s trying to keep up with Adam’s penchant for metabolizing this stuff until they can transfer him.”
“Got it.” Lily made her way to Adam’s room and opened the door.
Adam lay on his bed, eyes closed. A sheen of sweat lay on his brow. The room was icy cold.
“Sleepy time.” She walked over to his bed and pulled down the bed sheet. Tugging on his pajama bottom, she noted a big bruise. Nice butt. “Guess they’ve poked you in that cheek already. Well,” —she set the syringe down on the bed— “let’s get you on the other side, then.” Lily rolled him over with some difficulty. The man was well muscled and felt like dead weight.
“Not sure you need any more of this stuff. It doesn’t look like you’re going to be waking any time soon.” She hunted in the sheets for the syringe again.
There was a loud crash and commotion in the hallway.
“What the heck?” Lily ran to the door.
Two nurses struggled with a wiry-looking man in the hallway. Lily started forward to help just as the man grabbed one of the nurse’s arms and bit her.
“Ow!” The nurse jerked her arm back.
“They’re crawling on my skin!” he screamed. “They’ll eat me alive!” In spite of the man’s size, he had worked his way out of the other nurse’s grip and grabbed a fistful of her hair.
“Mr. Nesbitt,” she growled as she slapped at his hand, “that’s not nice!”
The nurse that had been bitten tried to grab the man from behind and was sent sprawling. “Call for Vernon!” she yelled.
“He’s helping up front!” Lily replied.
“Then go get him!”
Lily hesitated before she turned and fled down the hall.