Unbelievable Discovery
It was impossible for Abigail to believe what she was seeing. She had been working in the nursing home for months, but this was the first time she had seen something like this. She glanced at each item in turn. She never could have imagined it would be as bad as it turned out to be.
For months, she believed the teenage boy was visiting his grandfather out of kindness. Then she realized that she had been misled. There was much more sinister going on than she could have ever imagined.
His “Grandson”
The boy visited his grandfather every day around 3 pm, like clockwork. In spite of Abigail's friendly smiles every day, she did not know what was hidden inside the boy's backpack.
Abigail went to Mr. Morrison's room one day while he was out getting lunch. However, she had no idea what she was about to discover.
Laundry Day
Despite her best intentions, Abigail never meant to snoop. She simply wanted to place the old man's laundry on top of his bed that day. Her nose was immediately filled with an awful stench as soon as she walked through his bedroom door.
It was an intense and overwhelming smell. Abigail had never smelled anything like it before. Where on earth did it come from?
Horrible Stink Of Chemicals
Despite holding her breath, the young woman placed the clean laundry on the old man's bed, but she gasped after a few seconds. It stunk horribly. Some kind of chemical reeked in the air.
Is it a cleaning agent? Despite her uncertainty, Abigail knew she would have to investigate. Under his bed, the friendly old man was hiding a terrible secret.
Looking For The Source
The strange scent caused her to search high and low for its source. Even after checking inside his closet and the drawers of his bedside tables, she did not find anything.
She wondered for a moment if she was imagining things. Suddenly, Abigail heard one of her fellow nurses passing the room. She might know what that smell is.
Awful Stench
“Veronica!” she called out, catching the nurse's attention immediately. She turned in her direction and walked close to the bedroom. Her face twisted into a disgusted expression as soon as she did.
“My god, what is that awful smell?” Veronica questioned as she cupped her hand over her nose. It's a shame they didn't realize how bad it was.
Did You Check Over There?
"I'm not sure. I’ve looked everywhere, but I haven’t been able to determine where it’s coming from,” Abigail said. The old man was expected back at any moment after lunchtime.
“Is there anything under the bed?” Veronica questioned. She quickly got on her knees and checked under the bed since she hadn't checked there yet. However, as soon as she did, she discovered the source of the horrible smell.
New Employment
In Omaha, Nebraska, Abigail Nettman was born and raised with high ambitions. As a 26-year-old nurse, she finally found a job that was safe and secure.
Her instincts told her that she was the perfect candidate for the nursing home when she first heard they were looking for new nurses.
Fond Of Her Job
She commuted to work every day easily since the nursing home was only two miles from her house. She knew she belonged at the nursing home as soon as she got there.
Every single day, she got to care for elderly people, and she loved her colleagues. She cared a lot about one old man in particular.
A Gentleman
Mr. Morrison was an old man of charm and kindness. He had lived in the nursing home for years, according to the other staff members. They all considered Mr. Morrison to be one of the kindest people they had ever met.
It was not uncommon for him to crack jokes and play pranks on the staff. In general, he was a pleasure to be around. It was a dark secret that the old man kept behind closed doors, but no one knew it.
The Usual Routine
Every morning, when Abigail arrived at the nursing home, Mr. Morrison would be in the cafeteria, enjoying a steaming cup of coffee. “Morning, Mr. Morrison,” she would greet, “Got any visitors coming today?”
But the old man always had the same response. He would nod with a smug grin before chirping a quick, “My grandson.”
One Thing
Throughout Abigail’s time in the nursing home, she learned one thing about the old man. Mr. Morrison loved his grandson, and he cherished his visits more than anything else in the world.
Each day, the teenager would show up at 3 pm. Mr. Morrison and the boy would then go into his room and spend the afternoon playing board games together. At least, that’s what the old man was telling everyone they were doing.
Board Games
Abigail thought it was adorable. Every afternoon, the boy would show up with his black backpack. She’d always assumed that he was bringing the board games over.
But the story was far different than she ever could have imagined. Mr. Morrison and the boy almost got away with it until one casual afternoon. Abigail was about to stumble across something truly horrifying.
Going Into His Room
That day was just like any other. It was 1 pm on a Thursday, and Mr. Morrison and one of his nursing home friends had decided to go out for lunch. It was at this time that Abigail decided to head into his room.
It was never Abigail's intention to snoop. That day, she had done the old man’s laundry, and she simply wanted to place it on top of his bed. But as soon as she walked through his bedroom door, a terrible stench reached her nose.
A Weird Smell
The second the smell hit her nostrils, Abigail cringed. It was intense and overwhelming, like some kind of harsh cleaning agent.
The young woman was confused. She had never smelled anything like this inside of Mr. Morrison’s room before. She had to know what was causing such a vile stench.
She Knew Better
She knew better than to snoop around the old man’s room, but she couldn’t help herself. She searched high and low for the cause of the strange scent, but there was nothing. For a moment, she wondered if she was imagining it.
It was then that one of the fellow nurses passed the room, and Abigail quickly called out to her. Perhaps she would know what that smell was.
Her Colleague
She stopped closer to the door, “Veronica!” she called after the nurse, catching her attention immediately. Veronica walked toward the door, but as soon as she got close, her face twisted in disgust.
“Oh my gosh, what is that horrible smell?” she exclaimed, cupping her hand over her nose in an attempt to shield herself from the smell. But the truth was far worse than they ever could have expected.
A Hidden Spot
“I don’t know. I’ve looked everywhere, but I can’t tell where it’s coming from,” Abigail said. Lunchtime was almost over, and she expected the old man to arrive back at any moment. “Have you checked under the bed?” Veronica asked.
Abigail hadn’t, which was why she quickly got onto her knees and checked below the bed. But as soon as she did, she found the source of the terrible smell, and it was something truly horrific.
She Found It
The second Abigail’s eyes landed on the multiple objects under Mr. Morrison’s bed, her blood ran cold. She could feel her stomach twisting into a tight knot as she slowly brought her head back up.
Veronica instantly noticed the distressed look on her face. “It’s really bad,” Abigail announced, astonished by the sight before her.
Unbelievable
Abigail couldn’t believe her eyes. She had worked in the nursing home for months, but she had never seen anything like this before. Her eyes drifted from item to item. All along, it was much worse than she ever could have imagined.
For months, she thought the teenage boy had been visiting his grandfather out of the kindness of his heart. But now, she knew better. The situation was far more sinister than she ever could’ve imagined. But before she could say anything else, she noticed another presence in the room.
He Was Back
Mr. Morrison had come home from his lunch out with his friend, and he was now standing at the entrance of his room. For a moment, he seemed confused, but then he realized what was going on.
No one said a word as Mr. Morrison let out a heavy sigh. Abigail slowly rose from the floor, one of the objects in her hands. He knew that it was over for him.
Wordless
Abigail’s heart ached as she stared at the wordless man. In a matter of seconds, her perspective of the old man had completely changed. What was she supposed to do now?
Luckily for Abigail, Veronica knew just what to do. Once Mr. Morrison was inside the room, she walked toward the door and shut it behind him. “I think we need to speak about this, Mr. Morrison,” she said gently.
A Conversation
The old man took a seat on his bed while Abigail and Veronica grabbed chairs for themselves. Mr. Morrison had a problem, and the first step in solving this problem was admitting that it existed.
Tears burned behind the old man’s eyes. He had been hiding a terrible secret for many years, but now, everyone knew the truth. But what was his secret?
Helping Him
“Mr. Morrison,” Abigail sighed, noticing the disappointment and shame on the old man’s face. It was clear that he never wanted this secret to come out. She decided to continue.
“I came in here to drop off some laundry, and I noticed the smell. When I looked under your bed, I noticed all the empty bottles of alcohol. I want you to know that Veronica and I are here to help you.”
The Truth
Mr. Morrison stared down at his hands, scared to face the people who now knew his darkest secret. For all his life, the old man had struggled to control his use of alcohol, and no one knew that except for one person.
“You know,” he started. “That kid that shows up here every day, he’s not even my grandson. He’s a friend of mine’s grandson. He brings me the bottles in his backpack in exchange for some money. He’s 21 years old," he revealed.
A Promise
Abigail and Veronica were astonished. Although they couldn’t believe what they had just found, they promised to help the old man. He had put a smile on their faces every single day.
It was their turn to do something for him. “Mr. Morrison, we are going to get you the help you need, alright?” Veronica said and stood up from her chair. “I just need to make a quick call.”
Calling A Center
Abigail was proud when the old man decided to give rehab a try. Veronica called the closest rehabilitation center and asked them to send someone out.
Mr. Morrison needed all the help he could get. While they waited, Veronica and Abigail helped the old man dispose of the empty bottle he’d been hiding under his bed.
They Went With Him
That night, Abigail and Veronica went with Mr. Morrison to the rehabilitation center. They promised to be there, waiting to take him back to the nursing home once he was all better.
He thanked them over and over again. For years, he’d wanted to be clean, but he didn’t know how to do it on his own. He had always been ashamed of his habit.
Hard Times
The first few weeks at the center were hard for Mr. Morrison. He missed his bed, and he missed the nurses at the nursing home. He couldn’t wait to get back to them.
But before he knew it, he started to feel better again. In just a few months, he managed to kick a habit he had been sitting with for multiple years.
It All Worked Out
The day he left the center, Abigail and Veronica were there to pick him up, as promised. As soon as he stepped through the door of the nursing home he loved so much, he was thrilled to see that they had arranged a welcome-back party.
From that day forward, the old man’s life was changed forever. Long gone were the days of always feeling ill. He never called the boy back again, and in the end, everything worked out for Mr. Morrison.