TEETERING

He was one of the last freed from the facility. The last of those qualified to test for beginning a "normal" life. Billy Dobb had been released into his setup ten days ahead of the project set into motion. Those remaining in the facility were being set for expanded expeiences counted under the activities portion of the Unit Director's paraprofessional's duty book with results and observed behaviors to be recorded for each participant. Each participant would then be grafted further into expansion programs outside the facility limits and eventually into awaiting arms of caregivers in sister Cities of alternate nations if possible. The second flight trip was being arranged when the call came in to the director's office. "Mamm... we've got a problem. A problem that can't be let off grounds just yet. Remember that Billy Bobb fella... Billy Dob orrrr whatever... he's missin." The news caught the director at a chuckle that reasponded with, "No.. Billy Dob is history. Him and his flighty excitment and Haldol needs... he's gone. Not my problem! Hahaha..." The voice at the other end coughed out the next lines as if he were choking on words tumbling through his mind, :he was rostered on our plane mamm... on our plane that went down. He was found "stowed away" in the luggage area and the note made of his attendance. When the plane went down from that commotion in the storm it had him there counted. Now they van't find him in the wreck. Some made it thru there and the few not dead don't include him. They all lined up on that hill out there but he ain't in the bunch. Where's he at?" The director went quiet while the voice on the other end went on talking. "You know that Billy... he was a problem in everthing.. anything moving. He didn't like being... felin pent up in nothing he couldn't get outta. You don't suppose they put him by a winduh where he could look out and feel trapped? ...or mhbe he was too close to the front hatch... bothered them pilots? But where's he at? He always makes the commotion in the vans and cars to and from doctor visits... but they always on the ground. That plane got confused in the rain storm and took down to Louisiana and back up to Tennesse when they had to get gas to compensate for gettin lost in the storm. They was at Tennessee tryin to make that turn they missed to get on the tarmack in South Illinois... that Carbondale trip... he's scared of water ya know. That plane was over lots of water at Louisiana.. new Orleans. He didn't like that kinda thing in the Chicago Pier trip... wrecked that van fulll of folks on that outing. And now he ain't found on or around the plane? It went down out there in New York... well Around New York City... the Statue area. I'm thinkin he got jumpy from seeing the water there after the water ride of New Orleans. He couldn't get off there cause he needed to be back at that apartment house where they left him in the normalization program. He had to stay with that group til they made it home again. It's them folks that called lookin for him. He's jumpy on most any travel trips. That was why he's out of the facility... but he snuck back in. Probably lookin for that girl he liked so much. She was on the trip but she laying out there with the fatalities and he ain't noplace to be found. There's a few staff and one of them pilots left out there counting the dead and injured waiting for the final roster. We can keep hold on the line if you want to... Till they find Billy... oh right, he's not our problem. Just all them dead bodied folks that took the trip he jumped onto. Hold on, the light's flashin on that line." The caller on the other end went silent leaving a deathful eeriness where his endless prattle had caused the air in the small offce to shimmer like an ill struck first grader's triangle from brashness of his news. Someone thinks they found Billy Dobb... there's someone at the edge of a ravine out there they gonna check it for you." The Director turned towad the dimming evening light ofthe close of the day's workload. She had stayed late to catch the phone call for details of the over nighter that was supposed to have been the highlight of this trip. The hotel and a recount of participants to validate secure measures being taken for safety of clients taken away from local state facilities. They were to have returned to Midway Airport and driven by bus back to the facility. It was an easy outing. Simple. No complications. Nothing complicating. A ride out and ride back. An experience in something other than a van trip to a medical appointment. And now this. They were all dead... There was an undertow of verbage and a rise in her blood pressure from anger at whoever had caused the mishap. They were going to be scrutinized for the misjudgement of the patients set for travel. Patient's families would have to be individually addressed and individual recounts made for finalarrangements. If that Billy Bobb Dobb guy ahd really caused the ... She slammed the glass window pane in front of her causing it the break and send blood running down her fist and arm. She could kill his ass. They were supposed to have been rid of him... safely. "Damn him... damn him...He" The phone rang again flashing the extension used by the recent call. She pressed thelit button and waited. The other end of the phone filled once more with prattle... words running seamlessly, "It was Billy Dobb... he's dead with a hole in his head... shot dead all right. He's at the bottom of that ridge... that man standing that they saw.. well Billy Dobb musta fallen after he shot him with that flare gun. He dead as anything... and the police is out there now. We have to wait for the police report and details of what happened on the flight from the facility to Carbondale for that overnight flight trip. You got that message? Director... Director" She said nothing and he left the line open for her to recover. It was a lot to hear. Billy Dobb was dead ... the flight patients mostly dead and the three living people one blowed Billy away and down into the creek below. The Director said nothing, but hung up the phone. The police would be calling the facility soon.

by CarmenJimersonCross-Safieddine