The wheels screeched down the corridor as the nurse pushed Justin to his new room. The man was no stranger to hospitals, he’d been in and out of them for as long as he could remember, and this stay though temporary would be more impactful than any visit he’d had before.

Justin could never get comfortable in hospital beds, the thin sheets did little to keep his body warm, but the stuffy room left him feeling too hot and sweaty. He couldn’t walk so he had to make use of a cardboard bowl to relieve himself and as he once said to his mother “I am not sticking my thing in that.” So he held it in.

Hot, itchy, cold, dying to use the toilet, these were all enough to ensure the man got no sleep as it was, but added to that the blaring street lights outside his window, the cars driving down the road below, and the strange sounds coming from the two beds either side of him, Justin knew the night would be long, and he longed for his own home.

The curtains surrounding Justin had been closed, and during the day they did well to maintain privacy, but at night, with the light from outside leaking into the room, it created shadows through the thin fabric. Justin was no stranger to the night and the way the light played tricks on your mind, but there was no mistaking what he saw that night.

On his left the shadow of a man stood facing Justin’s bed, he saw the full silhouette, from the waves in the man’s hair to the tip of his gown. And when Justin turned to face his right he saw the same sight. Only this time the man was bald and had a bigger build.

Justin attempted to ring for the nurse, but the button refused to work. So instead he stayed up all night watching the shadows until morning came and washed them away.

“Good morning Justin, how are we feeling today?” The nurse asked, pulling back his curtain letting the light flood into his dry sleepless eyes.

“Not great” he began before breaking into a whisper. “The two people on either side of me stood there all night watching me.”

The nurse stood silent unsure what to make of his statement.

“What is it?” Justin asked, noting the change in demeanour.

“Justin, there were no patients either side of you. You’re the only patient we had in this room last night.”