She Whispers, He Screams

Sounds around you are far more different than what you would expect.

A splash of water may seem to be nothing to one, but to another it could be the lullaby that puts them to sleep. A breath of air could be a terrifying shriek to one’s ears, or nothing. The crunching of leaves could be frightening, or just a passerby.

The sounds around you are a different world entirely.

“Someone as arrogant as you shouldn’t be in this place,” I said, sitting down on my very uncomfortable bed in this mental institution.

“We like to call it confidence. And besides, why not? I would think everyone in this ward should have a bit of confidence in their system. If not, how would they have ever survived?”

A different feeling settled inside of me. To look about his words carefully, he does have a point. I survived. The other patients survived; A few of them at least. “The other patients are just insane. You’ve only been here a few days, Tobi. Don’t get yourself thinking that you know all of the patients, let alone me,” the air was still, Tobi not daring to say anything to further this conversation. “You’re just lucky one of the normal people befriended you.”

He hopped off my desk. “Speaking of that, you never told me why you got admitted here.”

“I can see things.”

“Well so can I.” He pointed over his shoulder, “There’s a desk, and that,” he said, pointing to the object on my desk, “is paper.”

Feeling the urge to punch him at his idiocy, I said, “No. I didn’t mean like that.” Gazing thoughtfully out my barred window, framed at the top of my wall, I tried to put my thoughts into sentences. “I can see… demons. Angels. Monstrous beings. Lately though… More demons than others.”

“Who put you in here?”

“My family, of course. Immediately disowned me when they found out I had been telling silly stories to my so-called friends at school. Nobody ever believed my stories, so it didn’t matter at first… Until some kids started attacking me. I blacked out before I saw anything --beaten up pretty badly-- but the other children said they had seen a figure go after them. Chase them. It only happened a few times, but my parents soon found out during the third encounter. So they shipped me off to this crazy hospital and here I am,” I gestured towards myself, seconds after dropping my hands.

“Have you talked to them since?” Tobi sat down on my desk chair, chin in palm.

“No. And I’m not planning to.” I leaned against the wall a bit more, letting the cold cement relax the tense muscles in my back. “Why are you in this place for crazies?”

“I am literally crazy, believe it or not.”

“If you’re literally crazy, you shouldn’t be in my room.”

“I am, and I’m already in here. Dismiss that thought. Anyway,” I rolled my eyes as he continued, “I attacked my neighbor because I was thirsty and she wouldn’t let me have a little sip.”

“Why didn’t you just go home and get yourself a drink?”

“No one was at my house.”

“And you cannot serve yourself?”

“Of course not. Why would you think that?” he chuckled.

“Most teenagers get themselves food, drinks, etc.”

“Oh. I forgot to tell you. Silly me,” he laughed. “I’m a vampire.”