The Cognitive Body and the Wooden Heart: III: Intransitive Midnight

It was upsetting, but a few days had gone by without a visit from Rose and Alexis and now Elli was back in the hospital. He was having some bad complications. Waking up in the middle of the night coughing up blood, sharp pains all over his body, Geoffrey would have wanted nothing more than to keep him out but he couldnt sit and watch him suffer. Geoffrey had his own problems to worry about. He took the mask off his face from the other night, although it left a stinging sensation on his skin, almost like the fibers of the leather began to attach to him. He held it in his hands while he sat on his bed at the house. The bloody hedge clippers werent far out of his sight either. This was the night that Elli needed to be admitted back to the hospital, and by now, hed been feeling the gap Rose left in his life since she stopped coming around. Thoughts of what happened that night kept flooding into Geoffreys head. He remembered the moment he removed the mask, he collapsed in the street and couldnt move at all. Things got black and white, fuzzy almost, and he could see Rose, Alexis, and Elli approach him. But Rose didnt let them move too close. She covered a gasp with her left hand for she could see next to Geoffreys limp body was the mask she saw previously and the bloody clippers. Now, Geoffrey sat in Ellis hospital room, saved specifically for his. He was lying on his back with his eyes closed, but he wasnt asleep. He came under the impression that his father was the monster hed been afraid of for so many years, the boogyman. Elli wouldnt speak to him now, not even look at him. But Geoffrey still never left his bedside. Geoffrey began to relax in the uncomfortable chair and rest his eyes when Ellis doctor came in quietly to pull him out into the hall, he said it was urgent. From there, Geoffreys deepest nightmares were realized. The doctor said that this would be Ellis final admittance to the hospital. The problem Elli was experiencing was his nerve tissue pulling away from his muscles. It was an unknown, rare kind of disorder that was beginning to arise more in the population. It didnt have much of a certain group to inflict upon, it just happened. The pain would expand in so many degrees of pain, Ellis little body wouldnt be able to handle the stress like a teenager or an adult would. Elli only had hours, the doctor predicted with his accomplices. The doctor apologized for Geoffreys son and left him to be out in the hallway next to his sons room. Geoffrey wanted to scream and punch the walls, but he refrained. He put his back against the wall and rubbed his face with both of his hands. He wondered how he was going to get through this without Rose, whod been there for him for so long. But now she was afraid of him. But, he didnt want Ellis fate to come without him not be able to see Alexis one last time. He called Roses cell phone and left her a voicemail when she didnt answer. Geoffrey confessed that he got bad news about Elli just a few minutes before and he wanted them to come by to say goodbye to him. He couldnt get through that without bursting into tears, though. As people passed by him, he covered his face by looking toward the wall behind him. He ended the voicemail by telling her not to mention anything about it to Elli. To his surprise, Rose showed up not even an hour after Geoffrey made the call. He was waiting in the lobby so the nurses could move Elli to another room when he saw the girls arrive. He ran to see

them at the door, but Rose walked right past him, blowing him off. Alexis waved at him but Rose held her hand down forcefully and made her keep walking. Geoffrey said nothing else and followed them down the hall to Ellis new room the nurses directed them to. There, Alexis ran to Elli like it was any other day and hugged him. Rose probably didnt tell her about Elli. Geoffrey stood at the doorway while the girls were visiting. He was marveling at the room and how it was designed. It was a single room with one wall the bed was facing covered in various colors of childrens hands and signatures. Cute, but for the room, it was utterly morbid. Rose stood up from talking with Elli and turned around to approach Geoffrey. As she did, she motioned for Geoffrey to leave the room with her. Listen to me, Rose began what Geoffrey insured would be an argument. I want you to stay away from my daughter. And stay away from me. Why, Rose? Geoffrey asked, even though it was pointless. Why? Because youre a monster, thats why! Rose whipped around and snapped back before exiting to the stairwell. Geoffrey followed her to try to smooth it all over. Im not the monster, Rose! That guy was the monster! Would you have rather me left you in there to be killed by him? Geoffrey yelled at Rose while she descended the stairs. No Geoffrey, thats not how youre the monster! The mask, the hedge clippers, you felt no pain when you were fighting him! How prepared were you for that, huh? You made that mask so well, the clippers just showed up, why were you expecting that to happen?! Rose yelled back at him. I wasnt waiting for anything to happen! I told you it was the demon- Oh great, here we go again, this fucking joke! Rose interrupted Geoffrey to throw her hand up at him and continue down another flight of stairs. She faded out of sight under a set of stairs, but Geoffrey moved forward to keep his eyes on her. He was horrified to see when she turned back around to face him; the demon was in the corner behind her. She must not have seen its piercing red eyes, or maybe she couldnt see it at all. You need help, Geoffrey. Please, get some. No, please, dont go. Geoffrey begged, breaking down on his knees into tears. He had begun crying and disregarded the demon reaching its shackled hands out to Rose to grab her by her neck. Rose froze at the top of the stairs and watched Geoffrey grovel. She was reluctant at first to join him, but she eventually stepped up the stairs slowly to be by his side. Rose didnt want Geoffrey to hear her, so she tip toed up each step to get to him. She got down to his level and put her arm around him. He reacted by throwing himself on her , forcing her to put her back against the metal railing and put his head in her lap to cry. Over and over again, Geoffrey begged her softly not to go. Rose assured that she wasnt going anywhere, but she rolled her head across the railing in a sympathetic way. Geoffrey just wanted to feel her stroking his hair again like she always did for him.

Night came upon the hospital again and the halls were dark, at least where Ellis room was located now. Geoffrey had gone home to rest after he and Rose made up at the hospital. He was getting ready to go back to the hospital with blankets and movies for the rooms DVD player. They would watch them tomorrow, Geoffrey told himself repeatedly. He also grabbed some of Ellis favorite toys to take to him. Geoffrey passed through the living room on his way out the front door, where he stopped before opening it to the night. He turned around slowly and saw staring at him the mask on the couch. Not Vigith, jus the leather embodiment he took to fit onto Geoffrey. Something called out to him to take the mask with him. Geoffrey didnt want to admit hed need it, since it wouldnt come in handy for any situation in real life. He walked over to the mask, tilting his head at it. He didnt remember leaving it there by itself. Geoffrey raised the mask to his eyelevel with both hands, dropping the bags he had with movies and toys in them. After gazing into the red domes of the eyes, he slipped the mask into the bag he was taking to Elli. Geoffrey was now a walking zombie, in a sort of trance. It was almost just like the previous night he used the masks power. He took the bags he had before and headed for the door. Before he left, he picked up the rusty hedge clippers by the door. He didnt question it, but those werent there previously either. The hospital was practically empty, it seemed. Geoffrey had set the mask on its pedestal on his head as he was entering the hospital. In his zombified state, he didnt care. He also had the hedge clippers at his right side in his free hand. The glass door opened like they always did, slowly with a hint of scratching glass on the concrete beneath it. No nurses were at their stations at the front desk, which was unusual. Nonetheless, Geoffrey walked by the counter and through the lobby to the elevator. When the elevator doors opened, Geoffrey acknowledged a little girl standing in the corner looking at him. She carried a teddy bear that was old and raggedy. She didnt seem fazed by the man in the demon mask and hedge clippers entering the elevator with her. He pushed the button to the floor he needed to be on and the doors closed. The little girl couldnt take her eyes off Geoffreys mask. He slowly twisted his head to her direction and stared at her through the red domes. He felt no rage. Instead, he glanced at her stuffed toy while kneeling down to her level. He took it from her gently and stuffed it into his bag for Elli. The little girl was in distress from him taking it, until she saw him rummaging around deeper into the bag. Geoffrey pulled out a similar teddy bear in better condition and handed it to her, folding her arms around it himself after setting the toy on her shoulder like a baby.

Will you take care of him? Geoffrey asked the little girl in his inhuman voice. The girl nodded joyously with a smile on her face that stretched ear to ear. The doors to the elevator opened on Geoffreys floor and he exited without saying anything more to the little girl. The doors closed her back in, taking her to a separate floor probably.

Geoffrey inched down the hall to Ellis room, passing other rooms where patients heart monitors could be heard. Some, as he passed their rooms, rose as they saw his mask. It was ugly and rotten, enough to scare any person with sense and silently kill anyone not suspecting it. Everyone. Geoffrey reached Ellis room and stopped at the doorway. Nobody important had seen him yet, so his unconscious mind wasnt worried. He softly put the bag down next to the door and traded the hedge clippers to the newly available hand. He progressed to the bed that bore his son, slowly so he didnt scare him. After getting some short distance from him, he realized Elli was asleep. Geoffrey still stuck in his hunched over position as he pulled the clippers further up his body. He got into a position like he was ready to strike. The light from outside the window shimmered off his blades, showing how sharp they were. Something began to happen to Geoffrey the closer he got to his son. The clippers found their way back to his side and he straightened up his posture. Geoffrey raised his empty hand and placed it gently on Ellis forehead, gazing at him with sadness. Geoffrey was awake now; he could feel the sorrow for his son and remember how much he loved him. The best times came to his mind first, when they werent in the hospital. There were no bad times until recently and now he just felt like he was losing his sons love. Geoffrey began to think of a way to use whatever was wrong with him to help him and not hurt him, but none came to mind. He didnt want to be cursed by Vigith anymore, one person dead was enough. Geoffrey slowly unzipped the masks mouth and let his own come through. He bent down and slowly kissed Ellis forehead goodnight, something he hadnt done in a long time. He thought Elli was getting too old for it, but now it seemed right. Geoffrey couldnt stop himself from crying beneath the mask. The tears came out so fast this time, he knew eventually he would lose his son. Suddenly, after Geoffrey left the kiss on Ellis forehead, his heart monitor began skyrocketing. Ellis little body began to experience a massive seizure while he was still sleeping. Ellis eyes were opening, but his corneas rolled back into his head. Next, blood began to pour out of Ellis mouth at once; some of it was being spat out because he was choking on it. As Geoffrey was standing by his sons bed with his hands on his head in a panic, nurses came into the room and flipped the light switch on to come rescue Elli from his illness that was striking. They were stunned to see a man in a mask and wielding hedge clippers by Ellis bed, and the first thing one of the nurses did was call for security. Geoffrey couldnt wait, and he couldnt just stand there so the nurses couldnt reach his son. He darted toward the rooms only window as fast as he could and leapt through it. The glass shattered and dug into his skin. He didnt care what floor he was on, he just wanted them to save Elli even if there was a small chance. Deep down inside he knew there was no rescuing his son from that fate. Geoffrey now focused on the ground that was coming at him at a quick rate. He thought for sure he was going to die. When his body hit the ground with a blunt and hard thump, he screamed out in pain. His limbs broke, and glass shoved its way deeper into his veins. Blood was escaping quickly now, it reminded him of Elli. Somehow, Geoffrey got to his feet and glared at his arms just dangling out of socket. He didnt want to, but he needed Vigiths power to help him. Once again, Geoffreys adrenaline rose and his anger took over. Geoffrey, possessed by Vigith again, lowered one of his arms to the concrete. He placed his wounded foot on his wrist and shoved his shoulder down toward it. It was enough force to pop his arm back into

place and function again, although it was bruised. For the other arm, Geoffrey just grabbed it and shoved it back in with a gut wrenching crack, worse them the first arm. He felt the red domes over the eyes with the tips of his fingers. His eyes werent playing tricks on him, one was cracked badly and the other was shattered, only containing the sharp remains of the whole piece. Vigith had taken over completely now, and he didnt have any plans on Geoffrey soon.

Entity of innocence acquired. Innocence dwells in us all, neither a joke nor a problem. When the innocence is taken away we have corrupt individuals, righteous and vial are equal in this. Innocence is required to understand the corrupt. When there is no corrupt, there is no chaos. But if the world was all innocent, we would not make it so far. The two complement each other, innocence and anger.