Nurse Talk (Pt 2)

“Nooo.” Tzeitel groaned. She sat on the floor and held her head in her hands. She remembered running from Canestone through the forest but knew that could not have been where she was. She did not remember leaving the Underground and knew she had never left. She must have been running in the Underground. She used her powers. She remembered fighting Urbanus but he could not have been here either. “Who did I hurt?” She asked, feeling sick and tears streaming down her face.

“That’s not important right now, dear.” Nurse set her book aside and got up, walking over to Tzeitel and crouching just out of arms reach. “We just want to give you time to rest before Delilah comes to speak with you about the rules. I want you to understand she’s not mad. She just disappointed. Not just in you, though. She scolded Nine for his behavior.”

Tzeitel hung her head. She thought who she hurt was important. She had been fighting hard, they could have been injured. Tzeitel felt sick and disappointed in herself. She felt like throwing up.

“I promise you that who you fought was not hurt. He’s a tough man that can take care of himself.” Nurse pointed out as she slid a piece of paper to her. “Nine did this for you.” It was a stick figure drawing of Tzeitel taking the muzzle off Nine.

“I never wanted to do anything like this.” Tzeitel looked at the drawing. She remembered that the last thing she could remember before she thought she was running from Canestone was Nine touching her hand to make her touch where the muzzle had been. Tzeiel grabbed a receptacle and heaved her empty stomach.

“Tzeitel, I know it’s upsetting, but Nine is attached to you because you were the only woman that ever showed him any kindness in MegaCorp. From his drawings, actions, and the few things he can…kind of describe without speaking, that’s what we gather.” Nurse continued, turning the paper over to show her a different drawing.

This one was of Tzeitel doing what Nine wanted her to do, which was merely pat him on the head like a good boy.

Tzeitel sat on the floor. She looked at the second drawing and hung her head. “I can’t touch him. It hurts. It’s too painful. I’m broken.”

“This is why you need to take steps to reach these moments, so you can grow as a person.” Nurse took the paper. “Make them into goals for yourself. Goals always help people strive to be better. I know my husband has told you this multiple times.”

“I can’t take any steps. How can I? Klaire is the only one who can touch me without it hurting.” Tzeitel said.

“Then you need to learn to touch others. Klaire can’t take care of you forever, Tzeitel.” Nurse retorted.

“I can’t touch others. It’s too painful.” Tzeitel whispered. She tightened into a ball. It was why she avoided seeing the rest of Klaire’s family.

“You always saying you can’t is part of the problem, Tzeitel.” Nurse changed her position so she was sitting cross legged now. From the looks of it, her belly was slightly swollen, obviously pregnant. “You need to try to look outside that comfortable box you’ve built around yourself. Otherwise, you’ll stay miserable inside that lonely room. What are you going to do when Klaire gets fed up and stops helping you?”

Tzeitel thought it was obvious what she would do, go crazy and run around the halls with her powers out of control. “I had to touch Nine to help with his nose… It hurt.” She grabbed the receptacle again, retching miserably.

“But did it kill you?” Nurse inquired.

“I’ve been through worse things than being killed.” Tzeitel said.