Ultimatum

by Eduard Joseph

7

  Jim entered the reception area of St. Lewis Hospital, unsure of what he would do. The one thing he was sure about was the anger he felt inside him. Mary was the love of his life. This murderous woman took her away from him. She had to pay. She had to die.

  He stood in front of the reception desk and tapped his fingers anxiously. The receptionist looked up. She had curly red hair and thick glasses that magnified her eyes.

  “Good evening.” The receptionist said.

  “I’m here to see Cindy Johnson.” Jim said.

  “Immediate family only.” The receptionist insisted.

  “I’m her brother.” Jim lied.

  The receptionist nodded and typed the name into her computer.

  “She is in the ICU ward.” The receptionist said, “Room 212 on the second floor. Visiting hours are over in 30 minutes.”

  “Thank you.” Jim said and faked a smile.

  Jim headed for the stairs and made his way up to the second floor. Once on the second floor, he wandered down the hallways until he found room 212. He stood in front of the door a moment to gather himself. With a trembling hand he reached for the door handle. He opened the door and stepped inside. He hoped he had the courage to do what he came to do.

  Cindy was alone in the room. She was unconscious and hooked up to a ventilation machine. Once Jim saw her, a sea of mixed emotions washed over him. To see her delicate face bashed up so badly made him realize that she was someone’s loved one. It also made him angry that his wife was no longer with him. Cindy should be the one who died, not Mary.

  He stepped closer to her bedside and stood towering over her. He looked down at her with hate and immense anger. His entire body was trembling and his eyes filled up with tears.

  “I hate you so much right now.” Jim whispered, “You took away my Mary. She was the love of my life. She was my life and you took her away from me. And I can never forgive you for that.”

  Jim stared down at her a moment longer.

  “I’m sorry.” Jim whimpered.

  Jim wiped the tears from his eyes.

  “You deserve this.” Jim said.

  He reached for the ventilation machine and switched it off. He stood watching as the machine slowly stopped pumping oxygen into her body. The room was silent. Jim stared down at Cindy. She did not even put up a fight to stay alive. A moment later Cindy flat-lined.

  He stood at her bedside and the sound of the flat-line soothed him. It was the best thing he heard all day. Watching her slip away seemed to make up for all that he had lost.

  The door flung open and then two doctors and a nurse came rushing in with a crash cart. Jim slowly stepped aside, watched a moment longer as they prepared the crash cart and then left the room.

  While the doctors worked on reviving Cindy, the nurse noticed that the ventilator was switched off. She immediately realized that fowl play was what caused the woman to die.

  “Someone switched off her life support.” The nurse said.

  It took her another second to register that Jim was all too casual about what had happened. She flung around and ran towards the door. She saw Jim stroll down the hallway in the direction of a security guard.

  “Security!” The nurse yelled out.

  Jim spotted the guard’s gun and grabbed it out of the holster.

  “Stop that man!” The nurse ordered.

  It was too late. Jim already had the gun cocked and pointing at the guard. The guard slowly raised his hands. He moved cautiously as not to trigger Jim.

  “Drop the gun mister.” The guard said with gesturing hands.

  “Nobody move.” Jim said.

  He pointed the gun at the guard and slowly backed up towards the stairs.

  “Sir, please.” The nurse said.

  The guard took a step forward. Jim let off a warning shot into the wall behind the guard. The guard flinched and stepped back.

  “I’m warning you.” Jim insisted, “You have no idea what I’ve been through today.”

  “Whatever it is,” The guard said, “You’re just making it worse.”

  “Do not come after me.” Jim said, “I’m emotional and I will shoot you.”

  Jim swung open the door and rushed down the flight of stairs. He ran down the stairs as fast as he could, skipping a couple of stairs at a time. He got to the ground floor and rushed pass the reception area just as the receptionist got the call to get security. She opened her mouth to call security, but as she did Jim pointed the gun at her.

  “Don’t make me silence you.” Jim said.

  The girl raised her shivering hands into the air and nodded. He kept the gun aimed at her as he backed towards the entrance. The automatic doors opened and he ran into the parking lot.

  He ran to his car parked at the far end of the parking lot. He got in and shut the door with a slam. His entire body was shaking. He was shaking with relief, adrenaline and the shock of killing someone. She deserved to die, he told himself. She took away the one person in this life that kept him grounded.

  Jim stared at the clock in the dashboard. It was nearly nine PM. He stared down at the gun lying in his lap. The sight of the gun made the reality of what he had done sink in for the first time. He actually killed another human being tonight.

  He flung the gun onto the passenger seat and rested his head in his hands.

  “What have I done?” Jim whimpered, “This is not the type of man I am. Mary wouldn’t want this.”

  Mary was dead. That was the only thing he had to hold onto to justify his actions. He took a deep breath and started up the car. He glanced over at the entrance of the hospital and saw two security guards storm out through the doors.

  He pulled out of the parking area just as two police cars pulled up. He held his breath as he drove off – keeping a watchful eye in the rearview mirror at the developments behind him. The police officers jumped out of the cars and ran up to the hospital building. He seemed to be in the clear.

  8

  Jim pulled up into the driveway. The house was dark except for the porch light. The house seemed colder with Mary gone. He sat in the car a moment and stared at the house. The events of the day were still sinking in. He still can’t believe that he actually killed someone. He could not believe that his Mary was gone forever. He never even got a last chance to say he loved her.

  He sat in the car for what felt like only a few minutes. When he glanced at the clock in the dashboard, he saw that the time was nearly eleven PM. He had been sitting and reminiscing about his wife for almost two hours.

  He picked up the gun and stuck it in his pocket. He opened the door and got out of the car.

  The walk up to the house was an ominous one. He had no idea what the future held for him. He knew it would only be a matter of time until the police figured out he was the one that killed Cindy. It would only be a matter of time until they came for him.

  He opened the door and stepped inside. The house felt as cold and empty as it looked. He lay the gun down on the table at the door and closed the door.

  “Alice?” Jim called out, “Are you home yet?”

  There was no reply. She was probably still out with her friends. It was better that way.

  Jim made his way to the living room and sat down on the couch. He started to ponder about Zaman and his ultimatum. Zaman had already proven himself. Should he take up the ultimatum or call Zaman’s bluff? Maybe by killing Cindy, he altered the future and did not have to kill himself anymore?

  You have until midnight to hang yourself. Zaman’s words echoed through his mind. You will kill your own daughter. You have until midnight.

  Jim glanced up at the framed pictures of him, Mary and Alice on the mantelpiece. Memories of the three of them sitting by the fireplace in the winter came flooding back to him. Those were happier times. He knew that things would never be the same again. With his history of mild depression now having a reason to become more serious, his daughter would face a bleak future. He knew that no matter what he did, or how man
y doctors he would see, he would never fully recover. He might just end up like his brother.

  A flashing blue light outside the house made him look up. He heard the sound of a car pulling up into the driveway.

  He got up and walked over to the window. He drew back the curtains and glanced out. There was a police car parked outside the house. Detective Black and another officer got out of the car.

  Jim shut the curtains again and rushed over to the front door. He bolted the locks and chain. He picked up the gun and leaned up against the door. A moment later there was a knock at the door.

  “Mister Steward?” Detective Black said, “Open the door.”

  There was a moment of silence. Jim didn’t know whether he should answer or keep quiet. Maybe if he kept quiet they’d go away thinking he was not home – crap. He forgot that the car was parked outside.

  “Mister Steward?” Detective Black said, “I know you’re home. I saw you looking through the window. I’d like to question you about Cindy Johnson’s death. The nurse says you were the last person to see her alive. And that you stole a security guard’s gun and threatened three staff members.”

  Jim started trembling with adrenaline, but mostly fear.

  “I have a gun.” Jim stuttered, “I’m going to shoot myself if you do not go away.”

  “Now, mister Johnson.” Detective Black said, “I cannot turn away now that I know you’re planning on hurting yourself.”

  There was a moment of silence. Jim stared down at the gun in his grasp and noticed the time was just before midnight.

  “Let me in and we can talk about this.” Detective Black said.

  “NO!” Jim cried out.

  Jim raised the gun to his head and Zaman’s words came back to him. You have to midnight. What to do? Should he pull the trigger or let Detective Black in? Maybe the detective could help? On the other hand, Zaman had proven bad things would happen if he did not do as instructed. He had already disobeyed Zaman by going to the hospital.

  “Alright.” Detective Black said calmly, “Just calm down. Don’t do something you’ll regret.”

  “It seems I may not have any choice.” Jim mumbled to himself.

  Jim glanced down at his watch. It was just about midnight.

  Alice strolled down the street listening to Madonna on her iPod. She had the best night with her friends. They went to a movie, had some milkshakes afterwards while spying on boys in the mall. Thereafter they went back to Milly’s house where they sat around and gossiped.

  She couldn’t remember when last they had a girl’s night that was so much fun.

  She was in a cheery mood as she walked home. During the gossip session it came to light that one of the boys at school, Benjamin, had a thing for her. She was in cloud nine with excitement. She had always had a thing for him but never knew if he felt the same way. They would pass each other in the school hallways and exchange intense glares, but never spoke. Things were about to change that coming Monday. Now that she knew the feeling was mutual she would walk up to him and strike up a conversation. But what could they talk about? Did they have anything in common? He seemed like a nice boy, but what if he liked metal music? She could not stand metal music and could probably never date anyone who listened to it. It was all just a lot of noise to her – the crashing guitars and screaming vocals.

  Alice saw some blue lights flickering outside her house. Her smile faded from her face. A police car outside her house was embarrassing. She sent her dad a text saying she would be home late. He did not have to call the cops on her. Why was he still treating her like a baby? She was in high school. He had to accept the fact that she was a teenager and needed space. She did him a courtesy by texting him that she would be home late. Her mother would never overreact like this.

  “You have got to be kidding.” Alice sighed, “He called the cops on me?”

  There was no way she would live this down. She decided to go round the back and go in through the back door. It would spare