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⠀He counted the specks he found in the hospital hallway. The ones that seemed ingrained in the floors, splatters of blues and greys hidden beneath the surface. It seemed there were millions; therefore millions for him to count. He started just at the beginning of the hallway, in the corner at the turning. He never went above ten. He would count that high and then start again.
⠀Because it then seemed like there was no end, no end to trailing his eyes across the surface. He wouldn't mind if he spent the rest of his days counting these seemingly worthless specks in the floor below his feet. It would then, maybe, create an atmosphere of another world. Something else than this.
⠀Anything was better than this.
⠀For what seemed to be the hundredth time, in the midst of his daydreaming, he almost let the wood of the mop fall to the ground as it daintily hung from his fingertips. He wondered if he should stop counting, and maybe he would finish mopping the floors in better time. But he would stay here all day if need be. Even with his aches, he wouldn't mind staying here.
⠀But it was briefly interrupted by the, now, familiar clicks echoing down the hallway that he had previously wiped clean. He didn't even turn up his nose at the sight of the scuffed floors ― just unpicked that area from his mind like a flower lay prone. The officer followed Dawn, with her footfalls and words. Isiah didn't listen in, except another figure caught his attention.
⠀As he turned to the utensil in his hand, a shorter girl strode down the hallway. If not for his keen eye for the dirt on the ground, he wouldn't have spotted the red marks that layered one of her faded sneakers.
⠀His eyes widened for a moment at the image, and he could only speak in his mind the question. "What did his sister do?" The once meek image of Beth was wiped clean, a slate now of ragged edges and worn stitches. He figured she looked much like him now, except he had descended.
⠀Almost like their passing in the hallway, they passed by like ships, only just missing each other.
⠀Beth didn't even pass a glance, keeping an icy distance as she realised the mess on her attire, and looked down the hallway to Dawn. Isiah watched the thoughts on her face, registering her defiance, as despite the blood, she kept on walking.
⠀Isiah almost reached out the grab her as she brushed past him, but she was too quick and his muscles ached too much. His wrist quivered around the mop, and he retracted his eyes to the other end of the hallway; right to where she was going.
⠀"Beth?" Isiah listened in now as the big boss questioned his sister, who's widened eyes told all to him. "Everything alright?" But only when the young girl spoke, did he have faith in her once more. The young man kept his eyes downcast, letting hair fall to his eyes in fear of what she might say next.
