I Need a Hero

We finally pulled to a stop outside the hospital. It was at least five stories high, boring, and grey. Every window I could see had bars running vertically over the glass. My door was suddenly opened, almost making me fall out since I still leaned on it. The beefier cop who had sat in front of me on our depressing ride yanked me out of the vehicle.

“Hey! Watch it asshole!” I shouted. He ignored me as he and his partner each grabbed an upper arm, literally dragging me to the entrance. We walked in to be greeted by an all white room. On the left wall sat chairs, the wall in front of us had two double doors with rectangular windows, and the one on the right had an oak desk. A smiling woman who was dressed in a nurse’s outfit sat behind said desk.

“Welcome officers. How may I help you?” She chirped. I glared at her. Oh, how I despised this lady already. She was…too chipper.

“We have a Ms. Brenda Summers. Her family sent her here.” The way the cop had said here was like he was morally disgusted by anyone who would end up here. It’s not my fault my "parents" didn't understand me.

“Ah, yes. Mr. Knight mentioned her. Just sit her over there," the secretary replied, motioning to the row of chairs. What the hell? Was I a dog now? The skinnier cop popped me down on a chair. He uncuffed one wrist to loop the chain through one of the bars on the chair that served as an armrest then recuffed my wrist. I took enough time to notice the chairs were screwed into the wall and floor to keep them in place. The beefier guy dropped two duffle bags at my feet.

“What's this?" I asked, nudging one bag with my foot. The cop turned back around right before he was walking out the door.

“Your clothes." With that he disappeared over the threshold. As the door clicked shut behind him I heard a lock slide into place. My eyes grew wide as I turned to look at the secretary. She was flipping through a magazine as she hummed to some made up tune. Were they trying to keep people out or in this place?

“Cool it Sanders!"

“Kiss my ass Ronald." Just then a group of men walked through the inner double doors. Two muscular security guards led in a struggling -equally muscular- guy. He had short brown hair, hazel eyes, and a lip ring through the same spot as mine. What intrigued me most was his tattoos, which he was covered in, and his clothes, they were normal. He wore black jeans, a Pantera shirt, and Nikes. No ugly scrubs? On his wrists were handcuffs, I doubted they were his fashion choice.

"Another fight?" the secretary asked like it was an old episode on rerun.

“Yeah," one of the guys grunted. They forced the guy into the chair two seats away from me, handcuffs put in the same style as mine. He looked towards me and grinned, showing off his dimples that didn't seem to fit his tough exterior.

“Hey. New here, huh?" One of the security guards smacked him in the head making the guy turn around to glare at him.

“Quiet Sanders. She doesn't need you making her situation worse." He turned back to the secretary. "Becky, we have to go back and watch everyone. Here's the key for them when Mr. Knight is ready for 'em."

“Okay. Thanks Ron." With that the two guards left back through the double doors and Becky went back to her magazine. I began to bounce my leg out of nerves. How long was this Knight dude gunna take?

“So as I was saying." I snapped my head back to the guy to see him smiling again. "You new here?"

“Uhm." I casted a nervous glance to Becky who was too engrossed in her magazine to notice the interaction. I looked back to him, swallowing the lump in my throat and licking my chapped lips. “Yeah. That obvious?"

“A little. I just usually know everyone here and you didn't seem familiar," he replied with a shrug. “Well, welcome to your new home. I'm Matt Sanders.”

I hesitantly looked at the hand he had stretched half way across the separating seat between us. I slowly reaching forward, working against the cuffs. When I finally grasped his hand I simply stated, “Brenda Summers.”

“What are you two doing?” A sharp voice demanded. I snapped my hand back while Matt took his time, narrowing his eyes at the figure walking through the double doors. He was at least five foot eleven with balding, black hair and brown eyes.

“Introductions Jeff," Matt replied coolly.

“That's Mr. Knight, Matthew." This caused Matt to roll his eyes. This is the guy running this place? “And who are you?"

“Brenda Summers," I spoke before latching my teeth onto my lip ring. His eyes seemed to twinkle at the sound of my name. I almost wanted to pee myself, almost.

“Ah, yes. Ms. Summers. It's a pleasure to meet you."

“Pleasure my ass," I muttered. Mr. Knight heard me and began to laugh like it was a huge joke. I glared as he composed himself.

“I'm terribly sorry. I know these aren't the best conditions, but it still is nice to meet you. Now if you would kindly grab your bags and follow me please." I raised an eyebrow, jerking my arms up to show I was stuck. His eyebrows furrowed together as if just realizing I was handcuffed and it was the most odd thing. By how Matt was in the same position as me I could only assume he was humoring me. “Oh. Well it would be more efficient to uncuff you."

“No shit Sherlock," I grumbled as Becky handed him the key. Matt snickered as Mr. Knight uncuffed one wrist and then, to me at least, agonizingly slowly undid the other one. I automatically began to rub where the handcuffs had made red marks and cut off my circulation.

“Please follow me Brenda." Since I knew the door was locked (and probably attached to a buzzer near the secretary to open it), I had no choice but to do as he asked. I put one duffle bag over each shoulder before following him through the double doors.

“Bye Brenda!" I heard Matt call before we were out of earshot. It looked just like a regular hospital. Mr. Knight led us left down a mostly empty hallway. When I looked through the doors' windows I saw nothing too interesting. An employee lounge, a few rooms with cots, and two doors with no windows but gold plaques that read "conference". Suddenly we stopped in front of a door with Mr. Knight's name on it.

“This is where I'll be located at in the mornings and evenings if you ever need me," Mr. Knight told me as he fumbled with his keys.

Hopefully I never will.

“Here we are." He swung open the door to reveal a normal office. White walls and dark green carpet. A huge wrap around desk with a computer and papers littering the desktop. A big rolly chair was behind the desk and two dark green chairs in front of it. A plant or two grew in the window and a picture of him and a woman was perched on the wall.

“You're married?" It was in disbelief, but to others it might have sounded like curiosity. Luckily it did to him.

“Yes ma'am," he replied with a bright smile. He motioned for me to sit in a chair. I did, putting my bags at my feet. “She's a nurse here. You might see her."

“Oh." He took a seat behind the desk.

“So do you know why you're here Brenda?" I gave him an annoyed stare.

“Because Rachel and Joseph think I'm a nut job." Mr. Knight's lips pursed together to form a straight line.

“Not your parents?"

“No. They don't deserve that title anymore," I replied with venom dripping off my tongue. He nodded. I knew he didn't like my attitude about it though.

“Well Brenda I want you to know no one here thinks you are a 'nut job', as you so nicely put it." I snorted at him.

“Yeah. Your sign out front really makes me believe that," I remarked sarcastically. Again with the lip pursing.

“That is what we must classify ourselves by the state. I, for one, don't like the thought." I just rolled my eyes. Likely story. “While you stay with us I just ask you follow our simple rules."

“Which are what?" I inquired. Just then his phone went off. As he answered I sunk in my seat and drifted off into lala land. After a few minutes he hung up.

“I'm sorry Brenda, but there are matters I must attend to. I will walk you to your room and let your roommate explain the rules," Mr. Knight announced, standing to his feet. I said nothing as I stood and picked up my bags. I followed him out the door and into the hospital again.

We headed into an elevator across the hall. Once the door slid shut he pressed the three. I felt the device shutter into motion. Once on our designated floor, he led me down the hall. He came to a stop in front of a shut door with the number 322.

“And here's your room," he announced happily. He swung open the door to show a room with white walls and red carpet. There were two beds on opposite sides of the room from each other. Each had white sheets with a red comforter, a red and white pillow, and a white end table. The only difference is one had a black trunk and the other had a brown one. The black trunk had a bag on top of it and a picture sat on it's end table. My roommate's I guess.

“Looks nice," I spoke plainly. I plopped my bags by the unused bed and looked around. There was a window, but bars covered it.

“Glad you like it. Jessica is currently in the television room, but she will explain everything when she gets back. Your bathroom is through that door. Please stay here until she returns." With that he walked back to the door. “See you later Brenda."

He left, shutting the door behind himself. I heard the familiar sound of the door being locked. So much for the personal choice of choosing to explore. I laid down, sighing loudly. It seemed too normal here. There had to be a trick to this place.