Time Ghost

Chapter 44

It’s quite old-fashioned for a war veteran to adopt mental disorder. Their constant struggle against the battlefield’s perpetual terror haunts many of them after their everlasting discharge. A few of them developed never-ending fear of fireworks and its popping sounds. Meanwhile, a bunch suffered permanent handicaps upon their limbs, thus brought them to crawl under the bed in New Year’s Eve.

Baron Schneider has attained a full year of service in the army. He was very eager to complete three-years and retired from his position in the highest honor imaginable. Alas, sometimes fate won’t answer in similar manners to the dream. It could become better or far worse than it should be.

To response against uncertain future, we have to assemble vigorous attitude for returning from the ashes.

A question, though, could I become affected by this man’s mental issue? Or it’s because of my presence within his mind?

“Let’s see where this goes.”

Mumbles aloud, Baron Schneider was talking to himself frequently in the middle of the night. Nobody fills the void across the right to accompany him for treatment days in the mental hospital of Armea. He knows about the hidden camera on every sections of the room. Yet, the young athlete was careless towards such issues from the beginning of his conception to the treatment. He goes barely clothed most of the time, even, as if it was meant to mock them up in certain ways.

“Ha-ha-ha-ha…. Where’s the cute little cameras hiding, hmm? I want to show you guys somethin’ good.”

He examines every corners of the room for the exact location of the hidden camera. First, the young man lifts the bed sheets. He pulls the pillow out and rubs its exterior in one space at a time. Within his mind, the nurse could implant voice recording device to spying on his activities inside.

But, the young man found no such equipment stashed under the white cotton of the pillow. No cables after intense investigation by both hands on the cover down below. For the failure of looking at the parts required, Baron Schneider moves along to the next target of the hunt.

“I’ll spring up to get you all up there, pesky little watchers!!”

Baron Schneider hastily leaps on top of the bed for reaching the upper side. He tries to do so by putting both arms under the thigh. Unfortunately for him, either arms were losing its composure ever since a massive impediment struck the man to fall down from heights it has surpassed. It goes limp as soon as Baron Schneider struggled for the fifth time. The young man tumbles down to the ground as his face kisses them close.

Did my shots were taken well by them? I presume the nurses will perceive me to be a little bit enthusiastic, added with being crazy at the most. It’s a petty coin for a bigger purpose. Nobody will suspect me if I write down some mathematics in this place after such parade. Yes, a virtue of insanity in some ways.

I don’t really think it could affect my opportunity on receiving those prosthetic legs. It benefits me, though, since nobody will think it could become useful for an artificially-dumb person like me.

By the way, Did I sent them correctly? How long do it takes for me to receive them up, I wonder. There are agents that I’ve employed for such reason before my departure. Hopefully, they will obtain sufficient information to locate me here somehow.

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“Do you wanna die?”

A hectic morning for the two nurses, indeed. The same person to capture, similar route to connect with, and a few visitors to become hurdles of their chase along the way. He was running for three hours yesterday. Against his indomitable prowess, the hospital deployed every close-by nurses and doctors in each corner of the corridor. Many traps were positioned in certain location of the path for means of apprehending him at a particular spot. Yet, the young escapee maintained his dexterity and avoiding some of them with ease.

Of course, it was never the hospital employee’s achievement for the successful seize. The runner sent himself in after going on a rampage against half the total amount of nurses and doctors around. He was a marathon athlete for Armea two years ago. A gold medalist in each competitions he was taking, the young man could calibrate his pace to preserve stamina at the same time.

However, never-ending warfare took the most talent out of him. A cruise missile destroyed the stadium by the time of his race against the clock. It ruins him so much, that the man repeated his marathon-running course everyday in the hospital, so the employees were trying to console him by pretending themselves as the other contestants behind.

No one bats an eyelid towards his casual endeavor of the day. Most patients were still sleeping on their beds. Others that awake have another matters to attend instead of cheering on the guy at the corridor. Banging themselves against the wall, sitting mindlessly upon the cushion, or muttering to themselves as if some shadowy figures are there for a talk.

For Baron Schneider inside, however, it is an entertainment to follow. His advance on the floor introduced ideas into his mind. The young athlete trails him up in front of his room, following each strides without leaving a speck to view on their grand chase.

If I wear those artificial legs, can I do that? Look at him. He flexes most agility-induced maneuver without breaking a sweat. Nobody could maintain their speed against him whilst competing on the same floor surface.

Yet, it’s also a perfect cue for my run, too. Who’s gonna challenge me on the running course?