“I, I can’t.” Johnathan scratched his forehead. His untamed nails dug trenches through his scalp. “There wouldn’t be enough time. Just simply… Not. Enough. Time!” He shouted into the dark as he tore his most recent design from his notepad. He crumpled it into a tight paper ball and pressed it to his bloodied forehead. His head stung as the homemade ink seeped from the paper and into his wounds.
With a shout, he bit into the paper ball, squeezing his teeth into it with the remainder of his frustration. He reeled back at the taste, taking a bite-sized piece away when he did. He spat it out and silently cursed the masters of the establishment. After all, they would not provide him with a proper drafting table and pens befitting an engineer of his calibre. Instead, they would rather fund Thomas Caan’s research, and why should they not? He was the more popular one and, by far, had the favour of the head curator.
Johnathan rose in a fury and stormed around his office, tearing pages from his notebook. He spread his theories, designs and concepts across the room in a rage before turning to his window. A small one set in the office door, his only light. He spun on his heel to face the wall opposite the door and stared into his silhouette, “There it is!” Johnathan held his arms up in delight. “There it is! But,” his arms dropped along with his shoulders, “how?”
Inspired, Johnathan wasted no time and dipped into his makeshift ink bucket. He searched for a scrap of paper left intact from his fury, but none survived. looking up, his gaze landed on the illuminated wall across from his window. Perfect. He began work on his newest design. Something he was confident would be ideal.
Suddenly, there was a gentle click and tumble of a lock, and his little ray of window light broadened to fill the room. “Hello, Johnathan.” Dr. Thomas Caan almost sang the words as he stepped into the room.
Johnathan glared over his shoulder at Thomas and the bright light. A young woman followed behind him, hesitating at the threshold. Her eyes widened; no doubt filled with awe as she examined the design on the wall.
“Doctor, is that?” She asked as she pinched her nose.
Johnathan spun around. “Of course, it is!” He shouted at her, “What else could it be?” he turned again to behold his masterpiece. “It’s a tandem mountain bike for orangutans!”
Dr. Caan cleared his throat. “It is, nurse. Johnathan is one of our more,” the doctor tilted his head, “creative patients. His room will need regular cleaning.” She nodded and bowed her head. Dr. Caan closed the large metal door and slid the window shut.
Johnathan stood triumphant and naked in a small padded room with one bed, one window and one toilet.
FREE LANCE 