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Moments later a tall, thin woman with rustcolor hair stepped out I could see her shoulder bones outlined against her white unifor hands, hands that looked strong and capable When she circled the bed and caht, I could see her face more clearly

She looked half asleep herself, her eyelids drooping so that there were barely two slits revealing s thin nose and a very wide mouth above a cleft chin She re from anorexia, too If so, asn't she a patient instead of an employee?

She didn't seem impressed with the fact that I ake Shecare ofI had been here Without greetingat me, she placed the basin of water on the table and pulled back the sheet to undo the straps

"You have to sit up I' to wash you down a bit," she mumbled Her voice was so deep it sounded almost manly This close to me, I could see tiny black hairs curled at the side of her chin "And then I'll give you so to eat," she said

As she spoke, she avoided looking directly at me

"What happened to me?" I asked "Why was I strapped into bed?"

She paused and finally glanced at me

"I don't know," she said and continued undoing the straps "Can you sit up by yourself?" she asked

"Where am I? Who are you?"

"My name is Clare You're in room three-ohseven," she said "Can you sit up please"

I thought hard and vaguely recalled the events that led to ht upstairs

"I need to see Doctor Southerby," I said "Can you tell hian needs to see him as soon as possible? It's very important"

"I'm just a nurse's aide," she said "I don't tell anyone anything"

She began to wash ht hand anda dirty dish

"I can do thatin to replace fear "Why was I strapped down in bed? Why can't I get up and walk around? Can't I just take a shower or a bath?"