Music in the Night (Logan 4)

"They gave you something," she whispered. "You've got to be careful. One of them can come in here and rape you while you're asleep," she said. "They did that to me. Stay awake," she warned. "Or sleep with one eye open."

"I'm so tired," I muttered. She shook me again.

"Stay awake," she ordered.

"What are you doing in here?" I heard and forced my lids open enough to see Mrs. Kleckner in the doorway. "Come out of there immediately, Megan," she commanded, her hands on her hips.

"I'm just seeing how she is. What's the big deal?"

"You know you're not supposed to go into anyone else's room without permission from me. Now come out and let her rest, Meg.: 1. Now!" she insisted.

"Stay awake," she whispered to me as she left.

My eyes shut closed again and when I woke the next time, Megan's presence in my room seemed more like a dream. I felt groggy, but I wanted to get up and move about, so I lifted myself from the bed and went into the bathroom. I washed my face in water as cold as I could get it and that helped some. When I came out of the bathroom, I found Mrs. Kleckner waiting.

"I see you got yourself up. That's good. How do you feel?" she asked.

"Weak, but I don't want to sleep anymore," I added quickly, afraid she had another pill waiting.

"Very well. As long as you feel up to it,

I'll show you about the facility myself then," she said.

"When do I see Doctor Southerby again?"

"Tomorrow," she said. "He had to leave the clinic for other appointments. If you're strong enough, you can go to the recreation room and meet some of the other patients. It's good for you to interact with other people. Doctor Southerby left strict orders about that. He doesn't want you hibernating in this room."

"I don't want to hibernate. I'd like to get some fresh air, too," I said.

"I'll see that one of the attendants takes you out before dinner," she told me.

"Dinner? What about lunch?" I asked. She laughed, a short laugh that sounded more like a cough.

"You slept through lunch. There's tea and crackers or cookies in the recreation room, if you like, and soft drinks in the refrigerator. Come along," she said and I started after her, my steps not as steady as I would have liked. She noticed and held my arm in the corridor.

"Once you move around, get your circulation going, you'll get stronger," she said.

"What did you give me? What was in that pill?"

"It was just a light sedative, Doctor Southerby has prescribed it for you to take at night so you get a good rest."

"I don't like taking pills," I said. She paused and looked at me.

"You remember not liking them or you just decided?" she asked.

"I . . . just don't like them," I said.

"Well, we all have to do things we don't like to do once in a while. You're no different just because you can't remember who you are," she commented and led me to the recreation room.

There were only seven patients there, two boys who looked about twelve or thirteen playing a game of chess and the rest of the patients sitting and reading or just staring out the windows at the walkways and gardens behind the building. Megan, Lulu, the very thin girl, and the good-looking young man I had seen in the cafeteria were sitting on two sofas facing each other with a table between them. There were magazines and books on the table. Lulu was writing feverishly in a long, yellow pad and didn't look up as the others did when I entered.

On the right I saw a small stove, a refrigerator, a sink, and some cabinets.

"There's hot water for tea there," Mrs. Kleckner indicated, "and some cookies, if you like. Tea bags are in the cabinet and milk and soft drinks are in the refrigerator."

"Thank you," I said.

She brought me farther into the room.