The smallest, tiniest hint of a smile touched the corner of Trinket's mouth. She held her doll against her chest. Trinket's eyes were focused on the patient, but the doll's head swiveled around to stare at Sah. The light in the room was dim, to keep the patients comfortable. The low light sent shadows over the doll's porcelain face, until all that could be seen was the glimmer of two glassy black eyes. Staring.
Trinket whispered, "This game is called, 'Watching.'"
She stepped back, glancing at Sah. He didn't like some of her games. He tried to make bad rules. Maybe he wouldn't like this game either.
She glanced past Sah, to the next bed over. The patient there was huddled up under a thin blanket. Trinket commanded the blanket: tighten.
The blanket started squeezing around the patient. At first, the person merely yanked at the blanket, trying to adjust it. But as it tightened more and more around their body, it became clear something was wrong. The patient started to flail and cry out for help.
Trinket waited, watching for Sah's reaction. Then--once he was, hopefully, distracted by the flailing man--she turned back to the badly injured one. She glanced at the bandages around his face and neck.
She focused on the bandages around the man's neck. She gave them the same command: tighten.
Trinket whispered, "This game is called, 'Watching.'"
She stepped back, glancing at Sah. He didn't like some of her games. He tried to make bad rules. Maybe he wouldn't like this game either.
She glanced past Sah, to the next bed over. The patient there was huddled up under a thin blanket. Trinket commanded the blanket: tighten.
The blanket started squeezing around the patient. At first, the person merely yanked at the blanket, trying to adjust it. But as it tightened more and more around their body, it became clear something was wrong. The patient started to flail and cry out for help.
Trinket waited, watching for Sah's reaction. Then--once he was, hopefully, distracted by the flailing man--she turned back to the badly injured one. She glanced at the bandages around his face and neck.
She focused on the bandages around the man's neck. She gave them the same command: tighten.
