Oxy

The Nurse let loose his iron tight grasp over me and took a step back. “Oh, sorry, didn’t know about that. Did they fix you up right?” He asked. I reached behind me to rub my wounded back.

“Yeah, they did me up alright. I can barely feel it anymore. I don’t know if it’s how they treated and covered up the burns or if it’s the oxycontin they hooked me up with, but I feel great!” I explained. His goofy demeanor dissipated the moment I mentioned oxycontin.

“Be careful with those, just take them as prescribed. This whole town is hooked on that damn oxycontin,” the Nurse said. I groaned and rolled my eyes at the notion of hearing a blatant anti drug message.

“Yes mom, whatever you say mom,” I said sarcastically. I chuckled at his expense. The Nurse’s dismay became self evident as his face went devoid of all amusement at my attempt of humor.

“I’m serious. You should walk down main street and take a good look around. It’s like the plague hit. I don’t know if this town will ever fully recover. I’ve attended more funerals than weddings this year. I’m sorry, didn’t mean to bring up death with you. Sometimes I get a little too carried away. You did what you had to do. I had to take a life as well in the war, it was either him or me. I chose him, just like you chose the fate of that dirtbag,” The Nurse explained. The Nurse’s words brought me back to the old decrepit log cabin by the lake… 

“Are you alright? Maybe you rushed going back to school a little too prematurely. It took me about a half a year to get back into the world, after I got back from the war. You could work out a deal with your teachers, where they give you a packet of classwork to do at home. Todd did the home school program with his teachers when he was bedridden with mono,” The Nurse offered as a suggestion.

Shook my head disagreeably at the thought of staying home with my Mother. Hours upon hours of soap operas and game shows, and the sound of her naggy shrill voice ordering me around all day. All things considered about my home-life, I’ll take the path of less time spent in that madhouse.