A Bed for the Wretched – Chapter 23

A Bed for the Wretched – Chapter 23

Holding the right side of his ass, Iovan limped along the hospital corridor looking through the rooms’ open door, winking at the nurses revolving around the wounded. “Hey, you, holding your ass!” someone yelled from the corner of the room. Iovan looked but there was no one there. Puzzled, Iovan frowned and tightened his lips, wondering where the sound could have come from when suddenly he recognized the voice. “Kosta! Is that you?” Iovan yelled out. “What are you doing here?” “What? You don’t think I came to visit?” replied Kosta. “Why are you here, really?” Iovan yelled out. “Can’t you see me? Here I am! Down here! Can you see me now?” said Kosta. “Yes I can see your ugly mug. Your nose looks like a rotten potato and your face looks like a ball of rags. I can’t see your forehead at all. And if there is anything left of you under the covers, I can’t see it,” replied Iovan. “Is there anything under the covers…” replied Kosta, asking the nurse to come over and uncover him. Iovan didn’t bother waiting for the nurse and went over and pulled off the blanket. Kosta’s entire ribcage was in plaster. His shoulders and left arm were tied with a chain and hanging from the ceiling. The rest of his body was completely naked. “Is there anything left of me under the covers, eh?” asked Kosta and made an attempt to laugh at his own nakedness. “How did this happen?” asked Iovan. “Ask me how I am still alive,” replied Kosta with a tone of concern in his voice. He then asked Iovan to do something for him. He said: “I beg of you, please bring me a bedpan because I will pee myself. I have to pee badly. Please go…” Iovan came back with the nurse and as the nurse gave Kosta the bedpan she angrily said: “All you do comrade is pee, you should be ashamed of yourself!” “What?” asked Kosta. “Never mind her,” Iovan said in a gentle voice and waved the nurse to leave. “Don’t worry, I will help you. They wrapped you in so much plaster you can’t even find your own...” “You will help me to pee, but what about other things, eh?” asked Kosta. “And with whatever else you need,” replied Iovan. “The tall guy, that bastard, wanted to get to Elbasan fast. So he ordered me to drive as fast as I could and not to worry about wasting fuel. Let the people’s government worry about that he said. So, I did as he demanded and then, suddenly, a truck appeared in front of us at a bend. I slammed the brakes and then I saw the tall guy fly over my head. I tried to turn away but the collision was unavoidable. The truck hit our jeep on the side and turned it over. I was pinned under the steering wheel...” explained Kosta. “What happened to the tall guy?” asked Iovan. “He hit his head on a rock and his friend, the other passenger, fell under the front wheel of the truck that hit us,” replied Kosta. “Were they badly injured?” asked Iovan. “No, they were both killed. They died on impact and they were immediately buried near the road where the accident took place. Now our comrades will remain there forever guarding the road and counting trucks passing by...