“Mr. Davies, I'm here to help. Tell me what you need and I’ll help you, but please let my nurse go so the doctor can take care of her.” My voice cracked in fear and I hated myself for the show of weakness.
“Get the fuck back!” He screamed at me, a primitive, guttural scream which caused us all to jump.
Tears fell thicker and faster down Kerry’s pale face.
“Get them the hell back.” He pointed the scalpel at the milling nurses.
“NOW!”
I jumped again and the threating boom of his voice had me spinning on my heel. I took in their worried faces and asked them to back away before whispering for them to call security. I hoped to hell Davies hadn’t heard me.
I turned back to the angry soldier. “They will back up and leave now.” I smiled to reassure him.
He began to shake and scream. The hand around Kerry’s throat tightened, turning her lips purple. She started fighting for air. Sounds roared in my ears as terror gripped me.
Then without warning, Davies raised a hand to his temple and dug the fist clasping the scalpel into his temple. His eyes slammed shut, brows pinched together.
“Get them out! Get them out!” His shrill voice bounced off the walls.
He was in a total psychotic state, oblivious to his injuries and any pain he would have been suffering. I needed to defuse the situation and fast, before he completely lost control.
“Soldier, I can get them out but I need you to let my nurse go first. After that, I can take you back to bed where I can help you.”
His eyes were closed and he shook his head like he was trying to clear his thoughts or shake away whatever it was attacking his mind.
Kerry was struggling to breathe and becoming paler by the second. “Kerry breathe, honey.”
Davies eyes snapped open and he gazed at me, his stare vacant – no one was home. The man he once was is gone, replaced by the horrors of war and recurring nightmares.
“Davies, please look at my nurse, she can't breathe.” My voice shook as I inched closer.
“Get back.” He growled and threatened me with the scalpel.
Kerry took the opportunity to struggle against him while he was distracted and his grip loosened slightly.
“That’s it, one step at a time,” I muttered as I moved closer.
“Please, help me….” The pleading in his voice broke my heart.
“Tell me what you need and let go of my nurse.” I spoke forcefully in an attempt to become bigger, louder than what was going on in his head.
“The fucking voices, get them OUT!” He verged on hysteria, past reason now. He dug the scalpel into the side of his head. “Cut them out.” Blood streamed down his face from the injury.
Kerry was also becoming hysterical, on the verge of passing out. Not only from lack of oxygen but from fear.
Shoving my hands into my pockets, I felt the syringe from earlier. It had a sedative ready to be injected into Davies’ IV. It was to be done before my visit with Kade, I’d forgotten about it with all the commotion.
I clicked the cap from the end of the needle and held it tight in my hand. If I could get it into his neck, it would bring him down and Kerry would be free.
Dashing forward, I pulled the hand with the syringe from my pocket. He surged to full alert when he saw the needle glint in the overhead light. Liquid dripped from the tip as my thumb depressed the plunger ever so slightly.
He flicked Kerry aside, she collapsed to the ground, the force of his push sent her skidding over the polished linoleum floor. Squaring my shoulders, I pulled back and slammed my hand with force toward him. His hand whipped out, gripped mine and pulled me against him. The air left my lungs as I was pulled against his hard body. It was like hitting a concrete wall, he was a huge man, built for combat. The vice like grip he had on my wrist had the bones cracking like popcorn.
“Drop it,” he barked, spittle hitting my face.
I released the needle, it dropped to the floor and he kicked it aside before wrapping his thick, muscled arms around me in a tight grip.
I found myself with a front row seat to the fear and panic in my nurses’ eyes.
