Invisible (14 page)

“Well, I gotta go,” Andy says.

“Okay.”

“I'll see you later.”

“I know.”

I watch him walk away. After a while the orderlies come and wheel me back inside through glass doors that read:

MADHAM HOSPITAL

•

BURN UNIT

They wheel me down the long white hall. I look into the rooms as we pass, at all the blackened, melted people. The smell of red phosphorous and burnt plastic is everywhere. My grandfather is here someplace, they tell me, but no one seems to be able to find him. I hope he doesn't find out what I did to his train.

The orderlies lift me from my chair and lay me out on my bed. I stare at the ceiling for a few minutes, then turn my head and find Andy sitting there.

“Hey, Dougie,” he says with a grin.

“Hi,” I say.

“How's it going?”

“Okay.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Okay.”

“Nice room.”

“It stinks in here.”

“You'll get used to it.”

“I suppose,” I say, but I think that I will never get used to the smell of burnt plastic.

“Well, I gotta go,” Andy says.

“Andy?”

“What?”

“Are you really here?”

“Sure I am.”

“You were really there all the time, weren't you?”

“You're my best friend. I'll never leave you.”

“Okay.”

“I'll see you later.”

“I know.”