DM I

Ive always been fascinated with buildings at nighttime. I love the concept of these giant corporate structures empty/void of the usual human life that temporarily inhabits them. The only noises beeping security alarms, cameras and lights. One night watchman who reads for his 12 hour shift, does rounds once every two hours and spends the rest of his lonesome time reading, eating and flipping through magazines. Ive always wanted to run around these buildings rooting through peoples desks (finding secrets) pretending something was chasing me like a scene out of a horror movie. Down emergency stairs, hiding under desks.

The hospitals are a variation of this.

They are quiet except for the soft hum of machines. Patients are like poltergeists kicking, screaming, sighing sporadically then going silent for short periods. The nurses are like silent spectres that hover from room to room, periodically murmuring amongst themselves. Every sound is crisp and clear. The hall ways are dark except for the faint glow of nurses booths and bathroom lights. Wheelchairs lie empty tucked in corners.

When sitting next to a patient one quickly grows knowledgeable of their sounds. Most of the time they are kept to a minimum as these people have lost a majority use of their functions.

DM was no exception, in fact there seemed to be only one sound that came from him, the gurgle of fluids. He regularly expelled urine and needed his traech cleaned. He would lie completely immobile with exception to when there was a forced suction of his traech. It was at that point that he could muster a high pitch squeal not unlike the one emitted from a stuck pig. Really, hes not unlike that video by metallica.

All the gurgling of the liquids and drinking of fluids (one would have to, its incredibly dry in hospitals) would cause frequent trips to the bathroom. It was there that you would be temporarily blinded and would smell a heavy bacterial cleanser scent. Like a fucking scene out of Alien autopsy or Fire in the sky.

This scent follows you where every you go, it attempts to mask the scent of illness but fails constantly to do so. From Dusk to dawn its bloody well there. Finally after two days off, it disappears (your work clothes smell of it tho). Doesnt matter as you have to go back tomorrow, and the scent returns.

My 'work' time is spent reading a thick book on the Third Reich, which im sure isnt going to endear me with the nurses. Ill admit i was somewhat paranoid that I was going to be thought of as a neonazi. Having just read about the Nazi's treatment of Romas, Jews, Gays and Jehovahs Witnesses, my attention is drawn to some pamphlets on a darkened sill. Whats odd is that ive seen these before in the common room. Arent the Jehovahs witnesses against modern medicine or something to that effect? Do they really spend their free time going into hospitals teaching the evils of healthcare? God the title of The Watchtower is frightening.