“There are images of my internal organs everywhere. Someone is collecting them.”
“How do you know that?”
“The sun produces radiation. It’s the same radiation that is used in X-rays. The sun shines, my body gets exposed to radiation, the X-rays go through me, and someone collects the images of my internal organs.”
“Doesn’t that happen to everybody, then? The sun shines on everyone.”
“No, I’m pretty sure it just happens to me. I’m going to die soon.”
“You’re going to die soon?”
“Isn’t this where they conduct executions? With the firing squad?”
“… no.”
“Oh.” He looked over his shoulder, his brow furrowed. He turned his head back. “I was wondering why they give me food every day. I guess I’ll never be normal.”
“Normal? What does ‘normal’ even mean?”
“What do I think a ‘normal’ person is like? A normal person is someone who is reliable. I’m not reliable because I do things like not take my medications and then I end up in situations like this. I can’t rely on me and if I can’t rely on me, no one else can rely on me. When I think about that, it makes me feel worthless. I’d be better off dead.”
He looked down, the furrow in his brow gone.