Himwich Five

By G. Gregory Wright

In a 1950s mental hospital, a doctor discovers that female patients in prolonged comas following insulin shock treatment are being abused. When a young woman starting her treatment falls into an extended coma, a troubling question arises: Who will protect her from the shadows that threaten her safety?

• Language: English
• Publisher: G. Gregory Wright
• Release date: Apr 2, 2025
• ISBN: 9798230890607

G. Gregory Wright

G. Gregory Wright is the author of "An Android's Kiss in Spring" and "The White Company."

Book preview

Himwich Five

A Novella

Chapter 1:  The Staircase

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Friday

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Isn’t this the same staircase where it happened before? Dr. Harry Dressler asks.

The forty-six-year-old doctor leans over the woman sprawled awkwardly on the floor and accidentally drops his cane, which clatters to the ground. He checks for a pulse on the woman’s neck.

Attendant Frank Prescott bends down to pick up the cane. In his mid-twenties, his short brown hair is starting to gray at the temples. Uncertain of what to do, he clasps the cane with both hands while staring at the woman's lifeless body. Her dark hair lies in tousled waves, and her pale blue gown clings to her figure.

The doctor and attendant stand at the base of the imposing marble staircase at Sweetwater Mental Hospital on a Friday afternoon in January. The staircase spirals upward as shadows dance along its balustrades in the soft, filtered light streaming through the frosted windows.

Frank Prescott shifts his gaze from the woman to Dr. Dressler. He knows little about the doctor, other than that he was on a ship that sank in the Pacific during the war. Was it the Yorktown? Yes, that’s it. Someone mentioned that Dressler was injured and spent hours in the water before being rescued.

I already checked for a pulse, Frank says. And yes, this is the same staircase. Last month, just a few weeks before Christmas, a patient jumped over the railing. He didn’t fall from very high up and only broke his leg. Other patients talked about it quite a bit, so we held a meeting on suicide prevention. However, I never heard Martha—this is Martha Stickney, Frank points to the body on the floor with the cane— mention anything about having suicidal thoughts. Martha’s an insulin shock therapy patient who suffered a prolonged coma early in her treatment, but she has been doing well since then.

I know Martha, Dr. Dressler says. He straightens up and then wheezes, trying to catch his breath. After a moment, he clears his throat and continues, I was part of the medical team that evaluated her when she was admitted. You say she was doing well with her treatment.

Yes, sir. Frank points the cane toward the top of the staircase, where a nurse stands watch, preventing anyone from using the stairs. It appears that Martha threw herself over the railing from up there, where the nurse is.

Dr. Dressler coughs and clears his throat again before reaching for his cane, which Frank hands him.

I was about halfway down the stairs when I saw her land, Frank says. Link and I were taking insulin shock patients to the gym when it happened.

Link?

Uh, sorry, Frank says. Ben Ranes. Some of the staff call him Link, which is just a nickname. But please don’t use that name because he isn’t aware of it.

Dressler narrows his eyes and frowns. Link?

Frank shrugs. You know, the missing link. I’m the one who started calling him that, he admits.

I see, Dressler says. Perhaps we could revisit this discussion at a later time.

They are interrupted by attendant Barbara Woodside, who pushes a gurney down the hallway, closely followed by a young man, a new staff member.

My god, Barbara says, her voice echoing through the high-ceilinged lobby as she stares at Martha’s body. The faint scent of antiseptic from the gurney mingles with something more elusive: thoughts of quiet journeys between light and dark.

As Barbara steps closer to Martha, two orderlies arrive. The men maneuver the gurney beside the body, the wheels producing a harsh rattling sound.

When you are finished with it, the gurney needs to return to electric shock therapy, Barbara says. She watches the two orderlies work with indifferent precision. After a moment, she turns away, her gaze drifting toward the sterile walls adorned with medical posters.

Frank, shifting nervously on his feet, clears his throat. He leans closer and gently taps Dr. Dressler on the shoulder, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. There’s one more thing I should mention, he says softly. After Martha’s treatment this morning, when she woke up, she grabbed my hand and said something strange. But you know, people say all sorts of things when they’re coming to after insulin shock.

Dressler nods and asks, Yes, what was it?

Frank sighs. Martha told me she was pregnant but didn’t know how...

Chapter 2:  The Conscientious Objector

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Pregnant. Barbara Woodside frowns and exclaims, God almighty. Walking down the hallway, she flicks ashes from her cigarette into her palm. At 31, Barbara is a big-boned woman with fair skin, black hair, and dark eyes.

That's what Martha told me, Frank Prescott says, glancing back at the staircase as the two orderlies push the gurney down the corridor.

Barbara sees Frank looking over his shoulder and reassures him, saying, There's nothing you could have done. If someone wants to jump, they'll jump.

They proceed down the hallway, closely trailed by the new attendant, Joshua Turner. In the dim light, the muted green walls of the corridor appear a shabby gray.

Why did she do it? Joshua asks quietly.

Frank and Barbara exchange glances.

Hard to say, Frank says.

Some patients have tried to kill themselves before, Barbara adds. Often, that's the reason they are sent to Sweetwater.

Barbara takes a long puff on her cigarette and nudges Frank with her elbow.

Do you think another patient knocked Martha up? she asks.

Frank shrugs. When do patients spend time together? Movie nights? Weekend coffees? There was the fall dance. And maybe the gym....

Barbara laughs as she flicks more ashes into her hand. The gym, she says, but her expression turns serious. I suppose so...

Can you smoke while on duty? Joshua glances at Barbara.

I can smoke whenever I want, she replies.

They walk silently for a minute until