Who: Daryn O’Connor and Sebastian Miller What: A walk in the hospital When: December 23, 2017 Where: the hospital
Sebastian entered the hospital. He wasn’t hurt. He wasn’t here for himself. Though some days he probably come here, get checked out but he knew how to take care of himself. He knew how to hide his wounds when and if it came down to that. Today he was fine. There were no markings. There were no hidden aches. He had been in control and he was fine. But he was here, taking a walk. A weird place to walk but he also knew he was a bit weird.
He stopped by somewhere and picked up flowers. He walked into a random patient’s room and left the flowers for them. A bit of good cheer. It was that time of year, after all. He stepped out into the hall, flipping his collar up. Perhaps he should go back to work. Things to do. It never hurt to check random things out.
Daryn was going about her usual day, doing rounds of the current patients and occasionally popping down to the Emergency Room to help when necessary. She was just entering a patient’s room when a man exited, seemingly pleased with himself. Turning to watch him go, she made a quick note in her chart as she called out to him telepathically. I haven’t seen you around here before.
Sebastian heard the call and it was in his head. It was unlike his other thoughts. It wasn’t his own voice. It wasn’t the scratches and echoes of anything else. It was something else. He slid his hands into his pockets and turned slowly, looking to see who could have done that. He knew there were telepaths on the island. This would be a real encounter with one. Fun.
He spotted the woman, looking at him. He raised an eyebrow and said, “Hello.” She could project conversation. Or he was assuming it was her. He could not. That would be a fun skill to have. Probably best that he didn’t have it. It was probably best he didn’t have the skill he did have.
And what skill is that? Daryn usually tried her best not to invade someone else’s thoughts, or at least make it obvious that she was doing so. But this stranger just walked out of her patient’s room and she was sure he didn’t belong there. So she needed to do some investigating. Leaving the room, she stepped out into the hall to approach, stopping a respectable distance away from the man, waiting for his response.
Hmm, she could read his thoughts, which should have made sense. It also made a part of him rather giddy. He took a deep breath. Time and place and this was neither. He smiled to the woman and replied, “I have an eidetic memory. Very useful but not many people appreciate it.” That wasn’t the skill her was referring to and he wondered if she would pick that up as well.
“You’re a doctor here, yes? Was there a reason why you stopped me?” Sebastian asked.
Daryn arched a brow slowly, studying the man intently. A lot of talents go unappreciated around here. And I stopped you because you were in my patient’s room. It is my duty to care for them and protect them, so I feel the need to ask what you were doing in there. Holding her file to her chest, she folded her arms over it, still eyeing him skeptically.
“Sadly, that is true but I’m sure your talent must be greatly appreciated around here,” Sebastian agreed, glad that she didn’t press the subject. He was sure, however, she was still thinking about, especially the way she was eyeing him. He felt that rise of giddiness again. Again, he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
He glanced back to the patient’s room, a small smile crossing his lips, “I am concerned that you are worried about needing to protect them. Does much harm come to your patients here?”
Daryn found the smile unnerving but she didn’t let that show. Instead she just nodded once in response. Unfortunately, they’re vulnerable to many things. Illness and injury, among other things. Taking a slow deep breath, Daryn glanced back to the room before returning her attention to the strange man. Your name?
“Aren’t more people vulnerable to many things?” Another smile, “Of course, I suppose that is changing now, isn’t it? Not everyone is quite equal anymore.” He followed her gaze to the room. He had, after all, only left flowers but he supposed she could see his mind but not through walls.
“Sebastian Miller,” Sebastian stepped forward, offering a hand, “And yourself?”
Sighing, Daryn was too distracted by this person and knew she ought to be getting back to rounds. There is no equality here. You must be new to the island, or in a very deep state of denial. It is us, and them. She looked at the offered hand before reluctantly taking it for a light, but formal shake. Dr. Daryn O’Conner.
“‘All animals are equal. Some animals are more equal than others,’” Sebastian replied. It was a fitting quote and it seemed the more he saw of the world, the more accurate it was. He did hope that she knew what the quote was from. He was always delighted when people knew it and saddened when people didn’t. There were great books out there and the fact that people were reading less and less? Heartbreaking.
Sebastian shook her hand; his hand shake was lighter than his counterparts’, “It is nice to meet you, Dr. O’Connor. I assure you that you have nothing to worry about your patient from me.”
Daryn looked at his hand before her gaze return to his face. Not many people go around here quoting Orwell. Or any other literature, for that matter. Again, she responded to his thoughts before his words. I’ll make that decision on my own, thank you.
Sebastian smiled when she said it was Orwell. He nodded to her statement, “That is true and it’s much too sad. Books are a dying art.” Yet he did not believe they were so dying that they would disappear forever. As long as there was free thought, there would be people writing these thoughts.Or writing them in disguise.
Sebastian glanced to the room again and said, “Then I will not stop you from checking. I can even wait here if you’d like, so you know I mean no harm.”
Instinct told Daryn not to turn her back on him and so she didn’t. Remaining in the place she stood, she used her other abilities to sense and scan the young man lying in the bed. He seemed no better and no worse than he had been when she last checked on him earlier in the day. She frowned slightly, but just nodded to Sebastian. No need for me to keep you from going on about your business.
Sebastian tilted his head as she did not move. He wondered what she was doing. He needed to look her name up later. He wanted to know her powers. He saw the frown. Hopefully the man was still okay. He really had not done anything. All he did was leave flowers and as totalitarian as this island was, that was still not a terrible thing to do.
“Then you trust me,” Sebastian replied, “I have not caused harm to your patient?”
Daryn smirked a bit, shrugging one shoulder. I have no reason to trust you, and no reason to distrust you. She left it at that, the condition of her patient wasn’t any of his business and she wasn’t going to indulge him like that. Do you often go wandering about medical wards?
That wasn’t an answer and they both knew it. He would bet she would go into that room later to make sure her patient was okay. The fact that she wasn’t now probably meant that she assumed he meant harm. Where there that many bad people in the world? Or perhaps her powers was more than just reading thoughts but she could read the depth of his soul. If he had a soul, which he was certain he did not.
“Yes,” Sebastian replied, “A change of scenery. A place to get new perspective. Though I don’t suppose you get that from walking around here.”
No, not usually. Daryn continued to study him, quickly flipping through his mind like one would flip through the pages of a novel. Plenty was intriguing, much of it didn’t make sense, but there did not seem to be any imminent threat to her patients so she really should not have been spending this much time and attention to Sebastian. Perhaps another time.
Can I ask a favor of you? If you’d like to go about visiting again, simply check in with one of the nurses. Not all of our patients are up for visitors, so I’d like to spare them any added stress. He hadn’t done anything wrong, so she couldn’t very well have him kicked out. But he could at least stay away from the patients who were far too traumatized to have to worry about strange men popping in to leave anonymous floral presents.
“The nurses were busy,” Sebastian responded. A lie. He supposed he ought to have checked with the nurses, see who wanted flowers but that was very constricting. He hadn’t come to be a candy striper. He came to talk a walk. Next time he shouldn’t pick the hospital. Still he smiled, “I’ll keep that in mind for the next time I’m here.” If there was a next time.
Daryn picked up on the lie immediately and simply arched a brow. Thank you, I’d appreciate it. She ‘said’ nothing more but continued to study him. It seemed like this was the end of the conversation, but she was going to keep tabs on where he went if and when he walked away.