***
As they left his room and made their way along the corridors Morris drew stares from Nurses and groups of people stepped out of the way and pointed and whispered to each other excitedly as he passed.
Doctor Grunk joined Morris and Thinley as they made their way importantly to their first patient.
‘It’s funny,’ said Morris quietly, ‘how everyone is pointing at me, but they don’t seem to notice you, Thinley.’
‘That’s because to them I look like another Doctor, no different to Doctor Grunk, err, in terms of dress that is,’ smiled the Wizzer. ‘I’ve wrapped myself in a spell that makes me look “normal” and for everyone to think that they know me.’
‘Now Morris,’ said the Doctor as they reached a door, ‘this is Arthur Muffle with the singing warts.’
The Doctor opened the door and Morris saw Matron who stood next to a man sitting in a chair. He was partially hidden behind a large newspaper and all they could see was the legs of his blue and white striped pyjamas and slippers.
The room was filled with sound of choral singing, which reminded Morris of last year’s Christmas play.
Matron Wisely gave the man a nudge and he dropped the newspaper down to reveal a plump man with rosy red cheeks and a huge white moustache. On his head he was wearing a pair of ear defenders, the type used by men drilling the roads.
The man stood up quickly, the newspaper falling to the floor in a mess.
‘Is this boy here to sort these ruddy warts out? I’m covered in ’em,’ he shouted, lifting his sleeves and trouser legs to show wart-covered limbs. Matron pointed to the ear defenders and the man took them off quickly.
‘Sorry about that,’ he said, quieter than before. ‘I’ve been wearing these for weeks and I’ve got used to ’em now! Is he going to sort ’em out?’ he said to Thinley and Doctor Grunk.
‘Yes, he is,’ tittered Thinley.
‘Well you don’t look like a Doctor to me but if you can shut this racket up you’ll make an old man very happy!’ he cried.
‘Morris,’ said Thinley, ‘just do what you feel.’
Morris moved closer to the man, who looked at him suspiciously. There was a tingle in his head and his nose felt all itchy and then, he didn’t know why, he blew lightly at the old man.
A barely visible sparkling steam covered the man and the music in the room stopped immediately. Arthur Muffle looked around the room.
‘Quiet,’ he said. ‘No singing! And the warts have gone!’
‘RUDDY MARVELLOUS!’ he shouted, ‘THEY’VE GONE! And the old man started to do a jig of delight, grabbing Matron Wisely and twirling her around the room, which was quite impressive, as Matron wasn’t really the dancing type.
‘Thank you, thank you, thank you!’ laughed the old man.
‘It was nothing,’ smiled Morris, ‘it was really nothing.’
Then, suddenly, Mr Muffle looked very tired and sat in his chair.
‘Oh dear,’ he said, ‘I’ve gone quite sleepy…quite slee –,’ and he was fast asleep and snoring loudly.
‘Hmm, it seems the only noise in this room will be his own now,’ chuckled Doctor Grunk as he rocked happily from heel to toe.
‘Perfectly normal,’ smiled Thinley, ‘the spell cures them then puts them to sleep during which time we’ll move them to a ward in another wing away from here where they will wake up normally, and then be allowed to go home. The quicker they get to sleep, the less they are likely to remember and it makes it easier for the spell to create a ‘normal’ hospital memory for them to take home!’
‘That’s brilliant!’ said Morris. ‘So they won’t remember any of this?’
‘No! Nothing,’ the Wizzer smiled.
‘Where’s our next patient Doctor?’ he said quickly.
‘Hmmm,’ said the Doctor looking at his clipboard, ‘yes, that’ll be Olivia Squirtit. Oh, good she’s the cutlery eater. She’s been getting through 40 spoons a day and starting to cost us quite a bit of money. This way!’ he gestured.
Olivia Squirtit was cured in no time and Matron emptied her pockets of cutlery while she was asleep. ‘We don’t want her accused of petty theft now do we!’ she whispered.
Maximillian Jump’s chocolate toenails returned to normal.
Archie Bold took a bit of catching but eventually Morris was able to blow the Yiddle’s spell over him and, with relief Mr Bold stopped dancing, although the Doctor reckoned that he could probably make a new career as a dancing teacher.
One after the other, Morris cured the patients at a brisk pace and it was part way through the afternoon that he noticed the energy in him start to weaken slightly. He said nothing but saw that Thinley was looking at him closely and there seemed to be less of a break between patients as the day wore on.
‘We’re almost complete!’ said Thinley as he ticked yet another off of his list. ‘We’ve made splendid progress. We’ll have everyone fixed in no time at all!’ he beamed.
‘Well, hopefully everyone,’ said Morris.
‘No, you’re quite correct, but we will deal with that,’ said Doctor Grunk. ‘Errr, this is Bear William,’ he said, changing the subject quickly. ‘We’ll need to hold our noses going in here. The music is wonderful but the pong reminds me of a holiday on a farm many years ago…anyway…brace yourselves.’
Moments later, to the relief of all, Bear’s wind was cured, and the music stopped.
Dreebil remained a dark shadow on Morris’ day and he was almost willing him to make contact, but so far there had been nothing. Would he be able to save Pint Sized Peter and Eye-eye? How long was the magic to last?
‘I know what you’re thinking,’ said Thinley as they made their way out of the ward to their next patient.
‘How do you do that?’ said Morris. It wasn’t the first time Thinley had answered a question that hadn’t reached Morris’ lips yet.
The Wizzer chuckled. ‘The Eenimeeni spell is complete so we are ready, which –.’
Thinley had stopped walking, making Morris walk on ahead for a few more paces, and caused Doctor Grunk and Matron, who had been quietly discussing the patient list, to walk into the back of the Wizzer. He glided forward on unseen feet as if on ice and Morris saw that he was looking at the floor.
‘What is it?’ asked Morris.
‘The message!’
‘What message?’ said Morris. Doctor Grunk and Matron all together.
‘On the floor!’ said the Wizzer.
Scrawled in black ink on the floor, the writing was Dreebil’s and the message said;
‘Be at the unused generator, in the South Basement in 15 minutes, or your friends are gone forever. Come alone.’
A chill went through Morris’ body.
‘Matron, please can you get Marvin?’ asked Thinley calmly.