by Christine Bennett

Created on: August 31, 2010

The curtains were drawn around Stan's bed, he didn’t know long he would be on the geriatric ward along with Eric, Richard and Philip.

Richard  snored softly, his striped dressing gown moved with his breathing. He was farthest from the door.

Eric and Philip were engaged in a battle of wits over the chess board.

“I’ve got you now” Eric whispered, “check,” he smiled as he moved his bishop diagonally across the board.

Philip scratched his stubbly chin and prepared to move his King, his deep blue eyes searching for a way to out manoeuvre his opponent, a thin wisp of grey hair hung across his forehead, resting on top of his gold rimmed spectacles.

He sighed, leaned back and assessed the board.

Lifting his gnarled hand he moved his king, “One day I’ll win,” he croaked, doubling up in a coughing fit.

“You okay?” Eric asked, a deep frown forming, as he looked at Philip’s watery eyes.

“Damn lungs, don’t seem to work like they used too, neither does anything else for that matter,” his lips curled slightly.

Eric cringed, “Don’t make me laugh”, he reprimanded, “it hurts”

“Check mate,” Eric smiled triumphantly.

Oh yes, you got that right the nurse thought, leaving the curtains fully drawn around Stan’s bed, she was smiling as she hurried from the ward.

Eric struggled from his chair, he shivered, as he looked over at Stan’s curtained corner.

“Hey Eric,” Philip whispered, “Hope they don’t move me by the door, they reckon you’re on the way out when you’re closest to the door.”

Eric laughed, softly replying “You’re on the way out when they put you in a geriatric ward,  you silly old fool”

Something compelled him to peep through the curtains at Stan.

The gasp he let out said everything, his shoulders sagged as he turned back, his face said it all, Philip quietly pulled the covers up to his chin, thinking if he would be next.

Odd though, the nurse had just been in to see Stan and he was sure she was carrying a syringe in her hand, shouldn’t it have been in a tray, or was she trying to hide it?

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