K-Pax (81 page)
Erni
e
wa
s
stil
l
i
n
th
e
emergenc
y
roo
m
whe
n
I
go
t
t
o
MPI
.
Dr
.
Chakrabort
y
me
t
m
e
i
n
th
e
corridor
with
:
"Yo
u
ar
e
no
t
t
o
worry
.
H
e
i
s
ver
y
fine.
"
An
d
indee
d
h
e
wa
s
sittin
g
u
p
i
n
bed
,
san
s
mask
,
smiling,
hi
s
hand
s
behin
d
hi
s
head.
"Ho
w
ar
e
yo
u
feeling
,
Ernie?"
"Wonderful
.
Absolutel
y
wonderful.
"
I
ha
d
neve
r
see
n
a
smil
e
quit
e
lik
e
his
.
I
t
wa
s
positivel
y
beatific.
"Wha
t
happened
,
fo
r
God'
s
sake?"
"M
y
goo
d
frien
d
Howi
e
jus
t
abou
t
strangle
d
m
e
t
o
death.
"
Whe
n
h
e
thre
w
hi
s
hea
d
bac
k
t
o
laugh
,
I
coul
d
se
e
a
re
d
abrasio
n
wher
e
somethin
g
ha
d
bee
n
wrappe
d
aroun
d
hi
s
neck
.
"Tha
t
ol
d
son-of-a-bitch. I
lov
e
him."
"Lov
e
him
?
H
e
trie
d
t
o
kil
l
you!"
"N
o
h
e
didn't
.
H
e
mad
e
m
e
thin
k
h
e
trie
d
t
o
kil
l
me
.
Oh
,
i
t
wa
s
fantastic
.
I
wa
s
asleep
.
Yo
u
know,
wit
h
m
y
hand
s
tie
d
an
d
everything
?
H
e
wrappe
d
somethin
g
aroun
d
m
y
neck-
a
handkerchie
f
or
something-an
d
tightene
d
i
t
up
,
an
d
ther
e
wasn'
t
a
dam
n
thin
g
I
coul
d
d
o
abou
t
it."
"G
o
on."
"Whe
n
I
stoppe
d
breathin
g
an
d
becam
e
unconscious
,
h
e
someho
w
lifte
d
m
e
ont
o
a
gurne
y
an
d
ran
m
e
u
p
her
e
t
o
th
e
infirmary
.
The
y
go
t
m
e
goin
g
agai
n
i
n
a
hurry
,
an
d
whe
n
I
wok
e
u
p
I
realized
immediatel
y
wha
t
h
e
ha
d
done."
"Wha
t
d
o
yo
u
thin
k
h
e
did?
"
I
remembe
r
sayin
g
t
o
mysel
f
a
s
I
aske
d
hi
m
this
:
I
mus
t
b
e
a
psychiatrist
!
I
t
wa
s
al
l
I
coul
d
d
o
no
t
t
o
laugh.
"H
e
taugh
t
m
e
a
lesso
n
I'l
l
neve
r
forget."
"Whic
h
was?'
"Ma
t
dyin
g
i
s
nothin
g
t
o
fear
.
I
n
fact
,
it'
s
quit
e
pleasant."
"Ho
w
so?"
"Well
,
you'v
e
hear
d
tha
t
ol
d
adage-whe
n
yo
u
di
e
you
r
lif
e
passe
s
befor
e
you
r
eyes
?
Well
,
i
t
does!
Bu
t
onl
y
th
e
goo
d
parts
!
I
n
m
y
case
,
I
wa
s
a
chil
d
again
.
I
t
wa
s
wonderful
!
M
y
mothe
r
wa
s
there
,
and
m
y
dog
,
an
d
I
ha
d
al
l
m
y
ol
d
toy
s
an
d
game
s
an
d
m
y
catcher'
s
mitt...
.
I
t
wa
s
jus
t
lik
e
livin
g
m
y
whole
childhoo
d
ove
r
again
!
Bu
t
i
t
wa
s
n
o
dream
.
I
t
wa
s
reall
y
happening
!
Al
l
thos
e
memories-
I
neve
r
realized
wha
t
a
wonderfu
l
thin
g
childhoo
d
i
s
unti
l
I
go
t
th
e
chanc
e
t
o
reliv
e
i
t
lik
e
that
.
An
d
then
,
whe
n
I
wa
s
nine,
i
t
starte
d
al
l
ove
r
again
!
An
d
again
!
Ove
r
an
d
ove
r
again
!
I
t
wa
s
th
e
bes
t
thin
g
tha
t
eve
r
happene
d
to
me!
"
Ther
e
h
e
was
,
hi
s
ski
n
pal
e
a
s
a
scallop
,
laughin
g
abou
t
th
e
even
t
whos
e
prospec
t
ha
d
terrifie
d
him al
l
hi
s
life
.
"
I
ca
n
hardl
y
wai
t
fo
r
th
e
rea
l
thing!"
