Heike woke up later, silent and grateful, accepting the breakfast Serenica had made for him. He seemed to have a proper amount of shame about his self-inflicted illness, but she didn't blame him or nag or anything like that.
"Are you feeling disoriented?" she asked.
"Not more than usual, if that word means what I think it means."
"It does. Try to be more careful in the future."
"Being careful is why I drink," he said in a frightening moment of apparent lucidity.
Serenica could not entirely relate to his words, but she did understand. She shook her head.
"Off you go, then. Try not to die. Can you do that for me?"
"Aye, aye."
Serenica went to check on her other patient before anyone could come distract her with congratulations.
John's diarrhea was getting worse. A day passed by and Serenica got the permission to move him onto the deck. It was a better way to die, out in the open air, even though there was nothing good about the whole situation.
