The Plain White Room

by Oliver Phisher

  What he saw was a perfect circular clearing. In the middle were large shards of glass. Five or six at least. Most sticking out of the ground half buried. Lepus looked back and forth but saw no one in the clearing. Two of the shards were much bigger than the others, one of them almost ten feet tall and stickingout at an angle. The tip of it looked as sharp as any blade; like it could slice a man in half with ease.

  The other larger piece was not buried at all, but stood straight. It was the shape of a bottle base, with one side longer than the other. The bottom part of it, which was still intact and the right the way around, held a thick liquid. Itwas illuminated blue but gradually changing to green. Lepus listened and looked around once more, then stepped into the clearing.

  He paused and held his sword. Listening and alert. Even the distant sounds of the spiders had stopped, and Lepus saw no movement. He approached the liquid and gazed into it. It was oily, and some of it seemed to be on the ground around the clearing. Lepus leaned in and smelt it, but it had no odour. He tensed in surprise as he heard a humming. He stepped forward and crouched, raised the sword and spun around, all in one motion, case something had snuck up behind him, but nothing had. With the sword in his hand it was easier for him to see the gem in the middle, glowing green. The same colour was cast around the clearing. The sword continued to hum in his hands. He turned back and moved it closer to the glass, and the hum got louder. He stuck the sword in the ground and looked again around the clearing. Finally recognising the glass jar which he had smashed weeks before, the rain had washed it under a nearby bush. Which was now to Lepus the size of a stadium.

  ***

  Chapter 8

  Mirror

  Lepus sat, staring out the window next to a quiet young Asian girl who was reading. The book was in some sort of textbook protector. It was purple, and looked like the symbol on the front should be a hello kitty, not a plain black circle.

  Lepus sat staring at a blank page. Trying to recall the equation for propulsion in a vacuum. An equation he had used daily. For him a simple equation which was imperative to all his studies.

  Lepus had sat down next to her for two simple reasons. First, that she didn’t seem to be talking to anyone, only reading. A trait usually only found in the catatonic patients here. Also, if he didn’t sit down next to someone, anyone could have. He would have to sit next to him and started talking. Not with him. Other patients assumed they were talking to each other. That if he was sitting writing, reading or doing any of his work in any way, in any of the communal areas, this was a request for them to impart their life story to him.

  Another perk of placing himself next to the sweet looking girl was that he, in his mind, was in the best position in the ward to watch the rain. Which for some reason was especially beautiful here. As if the hospital’s reflection of pewter white and welcoming calm could be seen in each drop. The dark clouds in the sky never seemed gloomy, just gorgeous. Like when you watch a powerful distant storm over the ocean, from the beach. It’s just wonderful. Except it wasn’t ravaging, today, just calm and tranquil, constant but bright. If Lepus didn’t know better, he would say this is where rain was born, beautiful and fresh.

  A patient he’d never seen before, slumped into the chair to his left. The patient seemed absent yet confused. He stared back at his paper and started jotting down random equations. Everything he knew, nothing that would be useful later for his work.

  Lepus began to relax, realising that the stranger had not seemed intent in starting to ramble on. Something pushed him to be emotional and slumped back in the chair as tears dripping from his eyes.

  Then Lepus sensed a movement from his right. The sweet looking Asian girl leaned forward. With a calm voice inviting voice she said, “I can see you're upset, would you like to know what God is saying about you?”

  Lepus hesitates, processing the odd new information. Oh, God. He’dplanned to sit in peace. Now he was sitting between a crying madman and a young female zealot. A girl who, it seemed, was religious enough to be committed. Lepus started to shuffle his things. Readying himself politly excuse o himself from the strange scenario. Wonderingthat, if the religious fanatics whoscreamed at him on his way to the tube wereas crazy as this young lass, then perhaps it's not the best place to be a sitting. She could be here for some completely unrelated reason, of course. She might just be clinging to her religion because of whatever horror drove her in here. But hey, why take that crazy train of risk to the end of the station, and stay sitting next to her?

  He heard the inference that she could talk to God as clear as crystal.

  The man to the left of Lepus sniffled. It wasn't that Lepus was being uncaring. Since Miriam, he had learnt to keep his head down. That his problems are for him and the nurses. Everyone else's problems are for them, the doctors, and the nurses.

  Then a cracked voice broke the echoing silence of the room “Yes.” Lepus realised that she was talking pass him. Of course, she was talking pass him. Why would she take an interest in Lepus when a crying man turned up?

  Lepus eased back in his seat. Hoping this was going where he thought it was. If they were talking to each other and over him. Then he could stay and enjoy the rain. Not be disturbed or put out. Everyone would assume that he was part of the conversation. Lepus found himself cocooned in the conversation of his fellow patients.

  "God says that he loves you,” she emphasized 'love' as she spoke. “and that you are a good person and the one you love... Loves you too and you know it.”

  Well I’ll be, Lepus thought, pretending he is chiming in what a revelation. That is proof that god talks right to you, the man smiled at her, tears still streaming from his face.

  “Thank you, yes; that’s so true. I know it is,” he said sniffling.

  The certainty and elation in the man’s voice, made Lepus feel like a cold, bitter, cynic, and he turns back, a little put off with the rain.

  ***

  Lepus stood in front of the mirror in the ensuite of his room. He had just had a shower, and he stood glaring at his face wearing only a towel.

  He never took particular attention to his face. Not one for taking selfies or changing his look every month. Alice was like that; she’d had six different hair colours in the three years he knew her.

  There were dozens of photos of them lying in bed which she had taken while lyingin his arms. He would be dozing, and she would nudge her way higher up in bed and hold the camera above them. Half the time he hadn't looked at the camera, but she didn’t mind.

  He had been in the habit of showering every day. But neglect had meant he had a few strategy reddish fairs stumbled all over his face. He had never had a beard before, but he realised now if he did it would be blonde with a thick red tinge to it. Rusty and ragged, he imagined it. His hair had grown long too, and his fringe almost covered half of his face. This surprised him; it seemed odd that it didn’t annoy him when he was working. He must have been brushing it out of his face without thinking whenever he was working. He had an elastic band around his wrist which had been using to hold together large sheets of schematics.

  He bunched his hair together and pulled it back behind his head and up. Never having had long hair before he wasn’t sure what he was doing.

  He looped the elastic band around twice and made a bun on the top of his head. Some of the hair on another side didn’t quite get trapped and flopped on either side.

  His hair looked like a lopsided pair of rabbits ears. He noticed how similar he looked to March Hare like that, and he felt crushed. He took out the elastic band and let his long hair bounce around his shoulders.

  He put on clothes and walked out of the bathroom. Tony was already dressed and putting on his shoes.

  “You’re all packed?”

  “Yeah I think it’s time to be moving forward.”

  “Time mends all things,” Lepus said, but it felt hollow.

  Tony reached his hand out, and Lepus took it in his and shook it.

  “I take it yo
u’ll stay here?”

  “For a little while, I’m not sure, to be honest.”

  “I understand,” Tony said standing up.

  “You know Tony, I felt bad asking, soI never did before. Your wife, what was she like?”

  “There was something powerful about her like the sea. It never mattered whether she was still and serene, or in the throes of a storm, there was always a danger of drowning.”

  Tony smiled and picked up his bags. He must have walked out without a word but for Lepus time seemed to slow down, and it was as though Tony faded away. Then the room was empty again.

  Lepus only heard the distant beeps of a microwave down the hall and the subdued drone and chatter of the ward.

  ***

  The Solstice Festival

  Lepus squeezed his eyes open. He rolled over and looked over his bedroom, it was small, and there were clothes on the floor, but he didn’t mind. It was cosy, and he liked it.

  He smiled, because this was the day Alice was back. Right in the middle of winter her exchange was over, she would be on a plane right now. Maybe smiling as well at the thought of being home, maybe thinking about him. It was the night of the town’s largest celebration, the Solstice Festival. Everyone throughout the town was hanging wreaths on their houses. Children sat on the front lawns of their family houses. Making lanterns from paper and candles.

  The streets were closed, and soon they would flood with people. All walking with their lanterns in celebration, as was the tradition. Joy at the shortest day of the year and that summer was to start its meandering return.

  But Lepus didn’t care about any of that. He was going to see Alice for the first time in a year.

  Lepus jumped out of his bed and ran to his wardrobe. Swinging open the smooth oak wooden doors he breathed in the comforting scent. He pulled out his best suit and threw it on the bed, grabbing up his linen shirt and wrapping it around his body. He shifted and pulled and stood up tall. Straightening his back he walked to the other side of his bedroom and stared into his full-length mirror. He tugged on the bottom of his waistcoat and held his head high. Like a parrot puffing out its chest, he smiled, pleased with himself.

  Lepus spun around and grabbed his cane. It was leaning against his bed and used it to pick up his top hat from above his wardrobe. He placed it on his head and then used his hand to prop it up from the back.

  Stepping into his shoes, polished in readiness the night before, he strolled out the door and into the street. Lepus paused just outside of his house, just for a moment, and smiled.

  Wrapping his scarf tighter and closer to his face to ward off the cold.

  Lepus tapped his cane thrice on the cobbled stones. Spun it in the air then, propping himself up on his tippy toes, spun and started walking towards the town centre. When he got to the middle of town, most of the townsfolk had already crowded around the Goseck circle. Some were chanting. Most were buzzing with excited conversation. Children ran back and forth, scrambling to get in closer. Fire twirlers and acrobats danced around. Moving between the crowd up and down the street. Lepus didn’t care, though. He passed the gathering and walked to the bridge near the edge of town. Crowds of small children and parents milled here and there. Only Lepus walked with purpose.

  A smaller group of people were standing there. Some on the embankment for the small dried out creek some standing on the bridge. Lepus went and stood on the bridge just behind Alice’s family. Tipping his hat to Alice’s sisters as they waved without a word. They then turned back and stared back at the large dark hole which was a few feet from the bridge. The March Hare stood next to some of Alice’s other school friends closer to the hole.

  Far away, but only moments away, Alice stood in a large tall room. Her large black trunk was resting next to her. She took a large deep breath smiling. Shaking with nervousness. She had loved her time in Real Munde, but thoughts of her family and friends raced through her head.

  She shook as the four other exchange students in front of her shuffled forward.

  The air in the room started to shift. A howling noise came from the large hole which sat in what looked like a large fireplace. Candles sitting on the mantle started to tremble and rock. Many went out from the wind which started to circle the room. A fat rat five feet tall stood to the side of the hole in a three piece suit. He stared down at the students. Making the five usually confident intellectual’s feel like children. “Are you ready?” The Rat bellowed, “You're all going different places so you’ll have to be fast. It will be in order, but you must be quick.” He started to shoutas the wind grew louder and louder. “When you see something familiar go as fast as you can.”

  Alice looked up as the banisters started to creak and the walls almost seem to bend. Then with a crash, the wind seemed to change direction. They were all pushed back for an instant and then pulled forward with great force. As the hole started to suck air down, down, down. Mist filled the hole and then turned to a solid bright silvery mist. The air still felt like it was pulling them towards it. Alice saw an image appear through the mist, growing bigger. Before she could make out what it was the first person in the line jumped forward and disappeared. Then before she knew they had all jumped in, one by one, and it was only her. Standing alone with the rat, looking down his nose at her. She stared into the mist, the noise of the wind around her almost unbearable.

  Her fingers almost grew white as she clutched the handle of her trunk. Then a small hole in the mist started to grow larger, and Alice saw through her town from high up. As the hole grew the image got clearer and closer, it pulled to the right and got closer to the bridge. Alice saw a flash of her mother’s face. “WELL!?” The rat screamed.

  “OH,” Alice yelled snapping out of her trance and remembering what she needed to do. Leaping forward her trunk and dress swirled around her. She held on tight with both hands to the handle of the handle of the truck.

  Alice started to tumble forwards and felt mud under her feet. She felt like she was bouncing up and down as the tunnel seemed to get narrower. She felt something solid against her back. She was sliding down a mudslide, and the mist had disappeared to blackness. With the trunk between her legs, she looked forward and saw a small light. Before she knew it, she went shooting out of the hole and tumbling, tumbling, tumbling. Finally slid through the mud and stopped. Blowing the hair out of her face she looked up to see all her friends around her.

  “Woo!” someone yelled from the crowd. Alice stood up covered in mud. With as much grace as she could, she curtseyed. Finding it difficult to stand on one foot the other tucked behind her leg.

  She wobbled praying the mud wouldn't slide out from beneath her.

  The small group of people all applauded as Alice stood smiling in embarrassment. A tear of joy fell from her cheek as her mother rushed and hugged her. Lepus felt foolish looking around. What claim did he have to greet her amongst her big family?

  Did she even cherish their friendship as he did? She had so many. He smiled, not jealous but happy he had at least seen her return unscathed. He would see her again soon. Bowing his head, he slipped his top hat off and slipped away as the crowd surrounded her.

  ***

  Lepus stood on the back porch of Alice’s parents’ house merely a fortnight later. Starting up at the stars. The sliding door behind him made a ‘click’. Then a ‘whoosh’ as Alice joined him outside.

  “Hello,” she said, extending the ‘o’ and rubbing his back.

  “Your drink my dear,” she said handing him a glass of wine and bobbing down in a curtsy.

  “Thank you,” He said clutching it with both hands.

  “Don’t worry,” She said rubbing his back. “They won’t bite, I swear.”

  “I know, I know.” He said, still staring at the stars with his glass trembling in his hands.

  “You know me; I just don’t do well. Ah” Lepus cleared his throat and faced Alice with a smile.

  “Will we brave the wild indoors together?” She said taking his hand.
He gave a reluctant chuckle and followed her as she went inside.

  The main room was large and had a grand piano in it. To the left of the piano was a huge oak table. Laid out with cutlery and plates. The smell of garlic and onion wafted through the dining room. Alice and Lepus were joined by Alice’s father. He nodded at them and sat at the head of the table. “Evening,” he said sitting down. His voice gruff and deep but not jovial. He as a towering man. With a full beard. Even though Lepus was quite tall, Alice’s dad felt to Lepus as though he towered over him. He wore a big woollen coat, brown and fluffy.

  “Foods up” Alice’s mother announced from the kitchen. Alice and Lepus sat down next to each other. The room had a warmth to it, and Lepus started to relax as Alice guided him to a seat. It started to feel more like home than his parents’ house ever had.

  The house had been in the family for generations. It had more than enough space for the ever expanding family. The wooden walls were old but sturdy. Lepus loved the homeliness of it.

  “Would you let your brother know dinner is ready Alice.” Alice’s mother said appearing at the doorway into the kitchen.

  “Okay!” Alice said, a big grin on her face, jumping out of her chair. She ran to the end of the table and started stomping her foot as loud as she could. A sound come in response. What sounded like furniture being moved around and then a loud “clink”. Alice sat back down next to Lepus, still smiling.