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Myers sauntered down the hall. She scowled and cocked her head. Someone in pain?
"Hey, Carlos and you, big guy. Get a gurney over there. I think somebody hurt themselves."
On a mission of mercy, she flung open the door and slammed it shut again.
A panting Carlos rushed up with the gurney and Hanks.
"Wha's up, colonel? Where at's the body?"
"Uh . . . body?" Myers face sparkled in a way that showed her new teeth to their best advantage. "No. No body here, Rodrigues. I, ah, must o' been mistaken. See you around, boys." Myers made a shooing motion with her hands and folded her arms. She leaned against the door and smiled for them.
A particularly audible moan was followed by a string of happy curses. Heads turned towards the door. A crowd began to form.
Folding his arms, Carlos took a wide stance.
"O-K, Myers. Wha's behind door number one?"
"I bet she locked Dr. Abernathy in there again." The crowd parted to allow Boyde to sail up to Myers. She leered at Myers and smiled at the sweat on the old woman's face.
"Yeah. Hey, he ain't never gonna asked you out," a laughing Carlos said, "you keep doin' that crap to him. You know that Anglo's afraid o' the dark."
"Might be something as is afraid to come to light."
"Huh? Don't mumble at us. Come on, let's all see who you got in there now." Boyde and Carlos took Myers by the arms and pulled her away from the door.
The room flooded with bright light. Benny roared, "Yes, baby," and fell onto his back. Clenching a scream behind her teeth, Donnelly fainted.
Lying very, very still under her, Benny stared up at all the faces in the doorway. Shocked, Carlos blinked.
Myers closed the door with a firm thud.
"Mayhap now you'll listen when I tell you something." Nose cocked in the air, Myers sniffed and stalked away.
"You come to work or to screw off, Beetle Bailey?" Laudon asked with a smirk.
Throwing the Lieutenant a furious look, Benny attacked the bars. The crutches clattered to the floor and he forced his leg to move, then the other one. They were shaking and by the end of the first pass his back was on fire.
He continued until a bored Laudon announced, "Enough for today. You got just enough time to hit the showers before you see the shrink."
Benny ignored him and continued on the bars, his legs thankfully numb, his back a hot coal of flames.
"Come on, nig. I have better things to do than play games." Laudon stared at the sweat stained back for a moment. He tossed his hands in the air. "Have it your own way," Laudon told him and walked away. "I wouldn't miss that appointment, if I were you."
"Yo," a whisper came to Benny. "Hey, kid."
"What, Carlos?" Benny grunted at the man and shook the sweat from his eye.
"That scuds shrink, man. He wants to put you away, real bad. Beat it, jock. You better hit the road."
Without emotion, he stared at Carlos. Benny nodded.
Benny lowered himself into a wheelchair and grimaced, trying to rub out the cramps.
Kneeling before him, Carlos worked at the quivering muscles. Benny held his breath, half-afraid to breathe until the last cramp was tamed.
"Better?"
"Yeah. Thanks, bro."
"De nada, 'mano." Carlos grinned and winked. "Call it payment for show." Carlos took the handles and shoved Benny down to the ward's showers.
"Hey." Trying to sound calm and nonchalant, Carlos asked, "Did she really faint on you?"
"What do you think?" Benny grinned over one shoulder at Carlos.
"Yo, babe-ee." Carlos whistled long and low. "Hey, master-blaster, you enjoy. Make sure you get all a Sweet-Bottom's sweet smell off o' you before you go see that shrink. That scuds got a nose like a cop."
Flipping off the bathrobe, Benny laughed and rolled into the showers.
©2003 StoriesByEmail.com
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