Vision 1
There was an eerie blue light in the window. It reflected off of the thin white curtains which billowed softly, giving them the airy appearance of hovering spirits with an otherworldly glow. Mr. Burns knew that it was just the light of the full moon reflecting off the soft sky-blue colored walls of his hospital room, but as the gentle wirr of the air conditioner lulled him ever closer to sleep, everything seemed a bit more surreal. Except for the humming of the air conditioner, everything was quiet and still.
Mr. Burns had faded in and out of sleep for about three hours, according to his last glance at the luminous red numbers on his alarm clock. This night had been a gentle ebb and flow, with a slow drift from half-wakefulness to sleep and back again. He had stayed up late watching the prattle of late night television, not because of any affinity for it, but because sleep just wouldn’t come, even with the assistance of the medication that kind Nurse Loretta had brought him (He had tried to call her Nurse Jenkins, as that was her last name, but she insisted on being called Loretta. Mr. Burns was old fashioned though, and insisted on at least referring to her by her title of “nurse”, so they compromised on Nurse Loretta). As Mr. Burns felt sleep creeping back over him, it was just after three A.M.
As Mr. Burns began to close his eyes, he rolled his head over on its left side, facing the window. The window was long and rectangular; starting about halfway down his bed, so that immediately to his left was the cinder block, sky-blue wall. The moonlight had cast shadows around the hospital room, and they swayed as the air conditioner teased the curtains. However, as Mr. Burns laid his head on its side, his eyes not yet fully closed, he saw on the wall immediately to his left a shadow that had not been there before. A shadow that did not sway.
This sent him hurtling into a full state of wakefulness. He wasn’t sure why.
The shadow was deep and black, not cast by anything in or outside of the room. There seemed to be a line of demarcation at its edges, across which no light could pass. It was tall and slightly oval-shaped, though the shape was not perfect.
Mr. Burns felt his throat tighten as his heart began to speed up. He began to breathe heavily and his palms began to sweat.
A man appeared in the shadow. His face and parts of his frame were still concealed in it, but Mr. Burns could see that he wore a dark suit and dark sunglasses, in which Mr. Burns could see his frightened, wrinkled face. He clutched his pillow tightly, gripped in terror. The man in shadow said nothing, regarding him silently. Mr. Burns was the first to speak.
“It’s...it’s you”.
“Yes”, said the man in shadow.
Mr. Burns was quiet for a moment.
“So you’ve come. They’ve sent you”, he said, a bit of resolution now in his still terrified voice.
“Yes”, said the man in shadow.
“I was expecting you much sooner”, said Mr. Burns. “They’ve sent you just now?”
“It was decided to let you live for a time, in recognition of your past loyalty”, the man in shadow said. His voice was calm, firm, and unwavering.
“...I see”, said Mr. Burns.
“I believe your daughter is married now?”
“...Yes”, said Mr. Burns.
“Then she will be cared for. It was permitted that you should live long enough to know that”, the man in shadow said in the same fixed tone.
“...Thank you” Mr. Burns whispered, tears in his eyes.
The two said nothing for a few moments.
“Is there anything you would like to say?” the man in shadow asked.
There was a pause.
“There is nothing to say”, Mr. Burns said. There terror in his voice was gone now. Only a quiet resolution remained.
“Very well” said the man in shadow.
The man in shadow reached into his suit and withdrew a Beretta 9 mm with a long, sleek, black silencer affixed to the end. He methodically pointed it at Mr. Burns’ head. Mr. Burns closed his eyes.
- -
The next morning, Nurse Loretta opened the door to Mr. Burns’ room to bring him his breakfast. She let out a horrible scream as the tray and its accouterments clanged loudly on the floor. The pool of blood on Mr. Burns’ bed as well has the smaller one on the floor had dried. The window was undisturbed. The air conditioner blew the curtains gently.
Mr. Burns had faded in and out of sleep for about three hours, according to his last glance at the luminous red numbers on his alarm clock. This night had been a gentle ebb and flow, with a slow drift from half-wakefulness to sleep and back again. He had stayed up late watching the prattle of late night television, not because of any affinity for it, but because sleep just wouldn’t come, even with the assistance of the medication that kind Nurse Loretta had brought him (He had tried to call her Nurse Jenkins, as that was her last name, but she insisted on being called Loretta. Mr. Burns was old fashioned though, and insisted on at least referring to her by her title of “nurse”, so they compromised on Nurse Loretta). As Mr. Burns felt sleep creeping back over him, it was just after three A.M.
As Mr. Burns began to close his eyes, he rolled his head over on its left side, facing the window. The window was long and rectangular; starting about halfway down his bed, so that immediately to his left was the cinder block, sky-blue wall. The moonlight had cast shadows around the hospital room, and they swayed as the air conditioner teased the curtains. However, as Mr. Burns laid his head on its side, his eyes not yet fully closed, he saw on the wall immediately to his left a shadow that had not been there before. A shadow that did not sway.
This sent him hurtling into a full state of wakefulness. He wasn’t sure why.
The shadow was deep and black, not cast by anything in or outside of the room. There seemed to be a line of demarcation at its edges, across which no light could pass. It was tall and slightly oval-shaped, though the shape was not perfect.
Mr. Burns felt his throat tighten as his heart began to speed up. He began to breathe heavily and his palms began to sweat.
A man appeared in the shadow. His face and parts of his frame were still concealed in it, but Mr. Burns could see that he wore a dark suit and dark sunglasses, in which Mr. Burns could see his frightened, wrinkled face. He clutched his pillow tightly, gripped in terror. The man in shadow said nothing, regarding him silently. Mr. Burns was the first to speak.
“It’s...it’s you”.
“Yes”, said the man in shadow.
Mr. Burns was quiet for a moment.
“So you’ve come. They’ve sent you”, he said, a bit of resolution now in his still terrified voice.
“Yes”, said the man in shadow.
“I was expecting you much sooner”, said Mr. Burns. “They’ve sent you just now?”
“It was decided to let you live for a time, in recognition of your past loyalty”, the man in shadow said. His voice was calm, firm, and unwavering.
“...I see”, said Mr. Burns.
“I believe your daughter is married now?”
“...Yes”, said Mr. Burns.
“Then she will be cared for. It was permitted that you should live long enough to know that”, the man in shadow said in the same fixed tone.
“...Thank you” Mr. Burns whispered, tears in his eyes.
The two said nothing for a few moments.
“Is there anything you would like to say?” the man in shadow asked.
There was a pause.
“There is nothing to say”, Mr. Burns said. There terror in his voice was gone now. Only a quiet resolution remained.
“Very well” said the man in shadow.
The man in shadow reached into his suit and withdrew a Beretta 9 mm with a long, sleek, black silencer affixed to the end. He methodically pointed it at Mr. Burns’ head. Mr. Burns closed his eyes.
- -
The next morning, Nurse Loretta opened the door to Mr. Burns’ room to bring him his breakfast. She let out a horrible scream as the tray and its accouterments clanged loudly on the floor. The pool of blood on Mr. Burns’ bed as well has the smaller one on the floor had dried. The window was undisturbed. The air conditioner blew the curtains gently.