In “Nurse”, thriller flash fiction by Sean Tuohy, nurse Julia is living a nightmare when her son is snatched and she is ordered to visit a mystery patient.
Mr. Tuohy is a screenwriter based out of Boston. His short fiction has previously been published by Out Of The Gutter.
*****
“You need to inject him by three o’clock, got it? “The Voice ordered.
Its tone is cold, harsh, and masculine, a voice that sends ripples of fear down Julia’s spine. It repeats the orders: put it between his toes, walk away, I let Damian go.
Her heart shatters when the Voice speaks Damian’s name. Damian’s eight-year-old voice is tiny and fragile over the phone. His fearful eyes stare back at her from the phone’s screen.
“Mommy!”
Damian’s voice ringing in her ear propels Julia down the corridor toward the room. The bored Police Officer sits to the right of the door, eyes glued to the glowing cell phone in hand.
Its tone is cold, harsh, and masculine, a voice that sends ripples of fear down Julia’s spine.
“Is it the time already?” he throws out a crooked smile.
Julia forces a thin tight smile. Under her blue scrubs, she trembles with fear. The syringe in her pocket is heavy as lead. The man on the phone had left it for her in the car, half-filled with a clear liquid.
Put it between his toes, he commanded her, and walk away.
The cop rises, yawning into his fist, and pops open the door for her. That crocked smile still on his face. Julia shuffle past and halts just inside, the door shutting behind her, the soft click echoing throughout the sparse and cold room.
The obese man’s, rolls hanging over the edge of the bed, and tubes snaking into his mouth to keep him alive. Four nights earlier they rushed him with six bullets in him. No name given. Men in suits spoke in whispered tones outside the O.R. Julia saw some with badges, someone said they were Feds.
The hiss of the ventilator was deafening in the tiny room. Julia tip toes toward the man. His massive frame still and spread out before her. Her gaze locked on to him, her finger tips touching the plunger. The sound of Damian’s laugh crowded her mind. Julia remembers when new-born Damian clasped his tiny hand around her finger. Tears rise to the surface.
Get back to your desk, the voice told her, get back there when it is done and I will call you.
The hiss of the ventilator was deafening in the tiny room. Julia tip toes toward the man.
Hovering at the foot of the bed Julia finds her hands heavy. She yanks back the sheet exposing yellowed toe nails followed by an unwashed odor.
The syringe is hovering above the foot before she knows it.
The door rattles with a knock. Julia suppresses a yelp. The cop’s voice comes through the thin wood.
“I’m getting coffee, want some?”
Heart in throat, Julia wills herself to breath again.
“No” she manages, “thank you.”
Her eyes sweep back to the rough feet. The soft valuable flesh between the toes. The syringe in hand she aims.
You don’t know this man, she reminds herself, you don’t owe this man anything. Do this for Damian. What if he has a family? Maybe he’s got a son?
Maybe…
Julia glances back at the door. She can still stop this. Tell the cop everything. Tell them about phone call, the syringe, and video of Damien being held by the neck. Maybe save him…. maybe kill him.
Her eyes sweep back to the rough feet. The soft valuable flesh between the toes. The syringe in hand she aims.
The syringe breaks the skin. She thumbs down the presser, liquid races in. She pulls out the syringe and stares at the man. Waiting for him to snap up in bed and shout at her. He remains still. Heart rate still beeping, ventilator working normally.
The cop is back in his seat, steaming coffee in hand, when Julia shuts the door behind her. She tries to keep a slow pace, but she nearly bolts back to her desk. She flops behind the nurse’s station. The phone is silent.
The alarm sounds. Someone is crashing, code blue, all hands on deck. Julia can hear feet rushing against the smooth floor. The cop is shouting for help, his voice booming with panic. Blurs of shapes race past Julia toward the room.
Tears roll down her check silently.
The phone remains silent.
*****
If you’ve enjoyed Nurse by Sean Tuohy, you can check out our free digital archive of crime, thriller, and horror flash fiction here. Additionally, premium short fiction published by Mystery Tribune on a quarterly basis is available digitally here.
