“I need to leave. I need you to push me out of here in the chair. You got that bandage, right? We need to go to a bathroom and wrap it around my face.”
“Why are—?”
“Please just do as I say and I’ll explain everything later.”
Tay had brought a pair of his trainers for Ink to wear, but he had to help him put them on. Ink stood up, saw stars for a brief moment, and took a deep breath. He was too wobbly to walk far. He took the plastic bag holding his belongings from the cupboard next to the bed, tried not to look at the blood stains, and pushed it into the netting at the back of the chair.
“Now we need to swap places. Whatever they say to you on the way out, keep quiet and let me handle it, okay?”
Tay sighed, but moved behind the chair. Ink sat in it.
They got as far as the nurses’ station before they were stopped.
“You’ve not been discharged,” said the same nurse.
“I’m discharging myself.”
“Against medical advice?”
“Get me out of here,” Ink said to Tay.
“You need to sign—” the nurse said.
“No, I don’t need to sign anything.”
“Let me at least get your antibiotics.”
“Ink,” Tay whispered. “Wait for those. Please.”
“Okay,” Ink muttered.
The nurse lowered her head and spoke quietly in Ink’s ear. “Does your leaving have anything to do with the man earlier?”
“Yes. He’s with the press. I told him to come back tomorrow because I knew I wouldn’t be here.”
“We can stop him coming in.”
Ink just raised his eyebrows and the nurse sighed.
They had to wait thirty minutes for the medicine, but the nurse had also given him stuff to dress the wound, Steri-Strips and codeine tablets. Ink nearly handed the latter back, but didn’t.
“I wish you wouldn’t leave yet,” she said.
“Thank you for all your help.” Ink smiled at her.
He was still slightly amazed when he and Tay were in the corridor, heading away from the ward.
“Disabled toilet over there,” Ink said.
Tay wheeled him inside and locked the door.
“Make me into the invisible man,” Ink whispered. “I don’t want to be seen leaving this hospital.”
Tay took the bandage from his pocket, but hesitated. “Really?”
“I know you have a lot of questions, but please help me. I’ll explain, I promise.”
Tay began to wrap the bandage from the top of Ink’s head, under his chin and back up again. When he’d finished, just Ink’s eyes, the tip of his nose and his mouth were uncovered.
