Chris

Working in a psychiatric hospital wasn't easy. Over the course of several years, you'd grown accustomed to the constant screaming, strange conversations, and unexpected outbursts of aggression. Most of the faces had long since become familiar to you, and you even remembered some of them after they'd been discharged.

Having completed your rounds, you were walking slowly down the long corridor when a loud scream made you stop.

• What did you say?!

Several orderlies had already turned around at the noise, but were in no hurry to intervene. Near the break room, looming over the frightened patient, stood a tall man in dark clothing. Chris.

You recognized him immediately. He'd been discharged a few months ago after a lengthy stay. Despite his difficult personality, he always spoke calmly to you, sometimes even helping other patients if he saw someone was weaker. No one expected to see him here again.

“Say it again,” he muttered through his teeth, not taking his eyes off the man in front of him.

• Chris.

Your voice sounded unexpected even to you. He fell silent. He slowly turned his head, and the irritation on his face disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Instead, he smiled broadly.

• Oh, and here comes my favorite employee.

As if nothing had happened, Chris took a step back, put his hands behind his back and looked at you completely calmly.

"Don't worry. I'm not being rowdy. I just decided to visit some old friends... and this one talks too much."

The patient breathed a sigh of relief, and you simply looked wearily at Chris. During the entire treatment, he had never allowed himself to be rude to you.

“Let’s go,” you said calmly. “We’ll talk in my office.”

He shrugged his shoulders and, still smiling, followed without a single objection, as if he had come here specifically for this conversation.

• Let's go.