Nillium Neems by Francisco J Ruiz Read Free Book Online

what does that mean?"
    "You have a lot of personality, Nil, but I
could never imagine you stabbing a doctor through the heart. You
didn’t even know Peabody. He served in the opposite end of the
Ward. Likewise, concerning the patient in the Yard that you are
accused of trying to kill, I have never known you to commit such
acts of violence."
    "You think I’m innocent?" I replied, letting
out a breath. Hammy’s support really caught me off-guard. He was a
little bit clueless, considering that I have been and am, very
capable of acting violently. Though I have very good reasons for
everyone I have killed or attempted to kill.
    Hammy nodded slowly.
    "I believe you are innocent of what you are
accused of. I at least want to hear from your own lips what really
happened. How did Peabody die?"
    Well now I was in a quandary. I briefly had
Hammy’s trust, or at least, partial trust, yet if I spoke the truth
he’d think me insane. My frantic little mind was halfway through
concocting a story about how a deranged Harold killed Peabody, when
a beeping sound started up.
    With a look of annoyance, Hammy pulled a
small pager from his pocket and glanced at it.
    "They’re calling me. Some kind of meeting."
He got to his feet, but seemed reluctant to leave.
    "I don’t want you to get in trouble, Hammy,"
I said, stalling for time until I could come up with a decent
lie.
    "Alright. Yes, I’d best leave. I will talk
to the others and try to get you moved back to your old room.
They’ll probably tighten security for a while, things will
certainly be different, but if I can at least get you moved back I
think you’ll be happier."
    He was halfway to the door when I spoke.
    "Hey, Hammy?"
    "Yes?" he replied, turning.
    "Can you try and get my Snoopy Cap back?
That alone would really lift my spirits."
    "I-I can try. I can’t make any promises, but
I can try."
    His pager beeped again, and with a panicked
look and not another word, he turned and left. I believe him that
he will try to help. It makes me at least a little bit happier.
We’ll see if he can follow through or just ends up letting me down
like everyone else does.
     
    Nil, Out.

 
    Day 36
     
    The days are going by quickly. I’m mainly
spending them sleeping since I don’t have anything else to do.
Twice in the last six days I woke up with injection marks on my
right arm. Dr. Sirius must be as silent as a ghost. It worries
me.
    On the plus side, the food
at least is edible. Not once have I received bloody oatmeal! Nor
have I heard any rustling in the walls or seen anything else weird.
Nothing at all .
This is the first time in my life that I have gone so long in a
state of normal. Makes me wonder if all the drugs that Sirius has
been experimenting with are warping my mind more than usual. Either
that, or Derrick and the rest of the ‘Haunt Nillium Neems Crew’
simply have yet to find me.
    This morning was good. One of the best days
I’ve had, because Hammy walked in to talk with me, my Snoopy Cap
held under one arm. I’d thought he had forgotten all about
me...
    "Nil!" He exclaimed, looking worried. "I’m
sorry I’ve taken so long. There’s been a lot of meetings lately,
and one of them was about you," he handed me the Cap, which I
promptly fit snug on my head. Already my cheer and hope were
rising.
    "I’m guessing you weren’t invited to the
meeting concerning me?" I guessed, all too accurately.
    He nodded.
    "I am not held in high opinion by the Board
of Directors. They believe my methods of actually bothering to care
to be, and I quote ‘Too soft’."
    "That sucks."
    "Thoroughly. But tell me what happened with
Peabody. We got interrupted before you could explain."
    Well I’d been halfheartedly
thinking up some lies to explain Peabody’s death, since I’d had six
days without anything to do, but I decided in that moment to tell
the truth. Hammy had gone out of his way for me, and the least I
could do for him was bring him into my confidence (Actually,
the least I