Green Eyes

  Jocundra set down her punch, preparing to help Audrey restrain him; it was certain no one else would help. The crowd had packed in around them, penning the four of them against the wall, and their faces were the faces of intent observers. Tape recorders whirred, clipboards were in evidence. Jocundra saw that all the patients had pushed into the front rank, and each was exhibiting extreme tension. Magnusson sucked his gums, Ramsburgh plucked feverishly at her knitting”, French’s fingers drummed on his leg, and the pretty dark face of Clarice Monroe peeked over a shoulder, blinking and stunned. It was, thought Jocundra, one of Ramsburgh’s tapestries come to life: a mysterious forest, a myriad faces peering between the branches, the spirits of trees, goblins, ghostly men and women, and a few whose glowing eyes served as the structural focus of the design.

  Magnusson rolled a foot forward. ‘They’re observing us, sonny. That’s why they’re letting you foul the air.’

  Forgetting about Donnell, Richmond spread his arms in a gesture of false heartiness. ‘Damn if it ain’t Doctor Demento!’

  ‘And they’ve good reason to observe.’ Magnusson glanced from one patient to another. ‘Feel around inside yourselves! Find anything solid, anything real? We’re not who we were!’

  For a moment, silence; then French spoke. ‘Ah don’t believe I see what you’re drivin’ at, Doctor.’ He kneaded his leg with the heel of his palm.

  ‘Don’t listen to that old maniac,’ creaked Ramsburgh. ‘He was ‘round the other day trying to poison me with his ravings.’ She frowned at Magnusson; his eyes blazed out from the mottled ruin of his face, and they stared at each other like hellish grandparents gloating over an evil thought.

  ‘Your mind’s poisoned, Hilmer!’ Ramsburgh’s hands danced among her needles and yarn. ‘Your arteries are hard, and your brain’s a dried-out sponge! Time you came to grips with the fact and left the rest of us in peace.’

  ‘Old woman,’ said Magnusson gravely. ‘Don’t you feel the winnowing of your days?’

  Edman eased through the crowd and seized the handles of his wheelchair. ‘I think you’ve had too much excitement, Doctor,’ he said with professional cheer. He started to wheel him away, but the old man locked his hands onto the wheels and the chair wouldn’t budge.

  ‘Don’t you see it’s a hoax?’ Again he glanced at the other patients. ‘By God, you’ll see!’ he said to Donnell. ‘You’ll have a glimpse over the edge before you fall.’

  Laura knelt beside him, prying at his fingers. ‘Stop this, Hilmer!’ she said. ‘Stop this right now.’

  Gasping, reddening with the effort, Edman wrangled the chair sideways, and for a split second Jocundra found herself looking into Magnusson’s eyes, except it was not merely looking: it was falling down luminous green tunnels so bright they seemed to be spinning, whirlpools sucking her under, and the pattern of gristle and discoloration surrounding them made no sense at all.

  ‘It’s so clear.’ Magnusson shook his head in wonder, then he gazed sternly at Jocundra. ‘No sorrow is too great to bear,’ he said, ‘and this one cannot be averted.’

  Jocundra thought she understood him, but her understanding fled the instant he turned away and she felt disoriented.

  Edman gave way to two black orderlies, who lifted Magnusson’s wheelchair, bearing him aloft like a king on a palanquin.

  ‘Hey, niggers!’ shouted Richmond, and swung his cane at the nearest orderly; but Audrey wrapped her arms around him from behind and his swing went awry. They swayed together, struggling.

  ‘No hope for you, sonny.’ Magnusson beamed at Richmond from on high. ‘You’re a dead man.’

  ‘Out!’ bawled Edman; he waved his fist, abandoning control. ‘Everybody out! Staff in my office!’

  As the orderlies carried Magnusson off, he called back. ‘Two years, Edman! Three at the most! They’ll probe your every hollow, but they’ll never find it!’