"I'm Brent McAllister," Brent said.

"Yeah. I know. I read your clipboard last night after you got here. You've got a broken back, you know."

"I know."

"Well, that's tough. My name's Benjamin Kirkus Hughes. Call me Kirk. All my friends do, but I haven't seen him for awhile." His laughter matched his mocking smile.

"They treat you all right here as long as you don't give the day nurse any crap. Mrs.Pegeen Rush is her name. Get on her wrong side and she'll sneak in while you're asleep, unplug your arm and let you starve to death. She's a mean old bitch. I just thought I'd fill you in on the good news."

"Yeah? Thanks for the tip."

"No sweat. We can handle her. You look a little white around the edges. You got much pain?"

"Some." Brent wasn't feeling much like long answers. The pain was worse and he tried not to show it.

"Look, I won't bother you any more now. We've got all the time in the world, it looks like. Push that button there and get something from the nurse."

Brent reached for the push button dangling from the cord over his head. The intravenous tube pulled taut and his forearm hurt. He could see the hole where the plastic needle went into the vein. Down the hall came the sound of a hoarse buzzing. He felt funny about asking for pain relievers with Kirk there. He didn't want to seem weak or anything. Maybe he should just lie there and try to stand the pain.

"Don't hold your breath, though," Kirk said. "You could be beating off an attack of huge hairy spiders and they wouldn't hurry. There was a guy here last month that rang for the nurse and she had to scrape the cobwebs off him when she finally arrived. Just hang on."