Free A Vagrant Story by Paul Croasdell Page A

hood, and intended to stay that way until those gawking eyes stopped looking at him. He couldn’t handle all this, being in this room, constantly watched under suspicion. His pulse raced in hope for the doctor to stick to his word. Should a way out of this present itself, Henry would take it in a snap.
    The new clothing felt like fulfilment of that promise. He’d included sneakers, good ones, if not a little worn. There’d be no point in including sneakers if he wasn’t due to run anywhere. Henry snagged on that thought, realising the high toned desperation of his own imagination. He uttered a sigh as if cancelling a wishful grab for a distant straw. With an officer stationed at the door it would be impossible to sneak out. Henry saw little this doctor could do even should he try aid in an escape.
    The doctor checked his watch, then made way to Henry. “Have you still got those pills?”
    “Y-Yeah.” Henry clutched them tight and hadn’t let go since.
    “Take one when I tell you.”
    “But why?”
    “It’s your only chance. If you stay here they’ll arrest you. The pills will … put you out for a bit, then I can take you out on the gurney.”
    “But the guard will see!”
    “Have you been looking. That guard’s spending more time chatting to the nurse than paying attention to you. I know the woman. She’ll be back from her lunch in five minutes. I’ll sneak you out on a gurney when he’s not looking.”
    “Then why do I need to take the pill?”
    “We can’t risk any mistakes. If you’re awake you might move.”
    “I won’t move.”
    “And if we bump into something? What if someone wants to see under the sheet, could you stay still then? You think it‘s just one guard out there? They‘ve got more scattered around the hospital, if even one of them tries check us we‘re done for.”
    “All those police … just for me?”
    “If you were a normal witness they wouldn’t need this many men. You’re not just a suspect - they want it to be you.”
    Henry tightened up on that. Up till now he’d been working on a hunch built on nothing more than an active imagination. These were the first words to verify his fears. He felt it immediately, the shiver of undiluted panic.
    “B-but why do you want to help me?”  
    “I know you didn’t do anything wrong. You’re a good kid and they’re on a desperate hunt for a suspect. I can’t let them pin those crimes on you.”
    “But … you’re a doctor. You’re supposed to-”
    “Save lives. Call me by any title you want, saving lives is my only prerogative. And if I let them have you it’s like I’m throwing you to the wolves. I’m going to save your life. If I don’t then I might as well quit my job right now.” He smiled a clumsy half smile.
    Henry returned the grin. “T-thank you.” 
    The doctor looked away when he heard the nurse speaking from the hallway outside. She and the officer spoke loud and openly to one another. This guard likely wouldn’t be bothering them for a while.
    “Okay, it’s time,” the doctor whispered. “The nurse should keep him busy.”
    The doctor leaned down close to Henry’s ear. “Okay, Henry, listen to me. After you take the pills you’ll fall asleep so I need you to remember something, you got me?”
    Henry nodded, shivering.
    “Good. Okay, I’m going to wheel you out in a gurney but I can’t take you through any direct routes without attracting attention. That means main exits are off limits. The safest way out is down the basement elevator. There’s a fire exit in the boiler room you can use to escape into the storage yard. From there, I want you to hop over a high wall which will be on your left. You’ll land in a laneway, follow it to the main street.”
    “Why are you telling me? you’ll be there when I wake up.”
    “The tablets I gave you will knock you out for a short while. It should take nearly an hour to wear off. I’ll hide you in the boiler room then return to my duties so as not to