Таинственная история Билли Миллигана

           75perweekfromhisaccountatthebusinessoffice,andhewasnottohavemorethanthatinhispossessionatanytime.Hispaintsuppliescouldbegiventohimfoilimitedamountsoftime,buthehadtobesupervisedwhilepainting.Thefinishedpaintingshadtoberemovedweekly.Onlyifhecompliedwiththerulesfortwoweekswouldhisprivilegesberestoredinstages.

           Billyagreedtotheirterms.

           TheunfusedBillyfollowedtherules,feelingthatthestafhadturnedthehospitalintoaprison.Hefelthewasagair.beingpunishedforsomethinghehadn’tdone.WithArthuiandRagenstillgone,theunfusedBillyspentmostofhistimewatchingtelevisionwiththeotherpatients.

           Thefirstofhisprivilegestoberestoredaftertwoweekswajvisitsbythewriter.

           TheTeacherhadnotreappearedsincethebeginningoftheDispatchattacks.Unabletoprovidememoriesordetailsowhathadbeenhappeningtohim,Billywasembarrassed.Tcavoidconfusion,heandthewriterdecidedtorefertothtunfusedBillyas"Billy-U"whenthewriteraskedwhohewa:talkingto.

           "I’llbeallright,"Billy-Usaidtothewriter."I’msorryIcan’tbemorehelpful.ButI’llbeallrightwhenmyArthurandRagencomeback."

           WhenthewnterarrivedthefollowingFriday,May22,hewasstillfacingtheunfusedBilly.Thehaltingspeech,thedistractedgaze,thegeneralairofdepression,saddenedthewriter.