I Need a Hero

When Nick finally took me back to my room Jessica was awake. She laid across her bed, hands folded behind her head. The comforter was under her and my bed was made again. She looked over as I walked in before examining the ceiling tiles again. I plopped down on my bed, looking at her.

“You feeling better?” I asked. I was slightly shocked she didn’t change out of the clothes I had put her in. It seemed like she’d think it was a sign of weakness still.

“Yeah.” It fell quiet after that. I sighed, running a hand back through my hair.

“Are you pissed at me or something?” Jessica sat up, raising an eyebrow at me.

“Why would I be pissed?”

“It’s obvious you don’t like to be treated like a victim of anything. I feel like you’re angry because I forced you to let me help you,” I explained. She let out a short laugh, standing and crossing the room in three wide strides. She sat next to me, slinging an arm across my shoulders and pulling me into her side.

“I’m not angry at you in the least Brendy. No bad blood between us, okay?” I nodded, smiling slightly. She giggled, giving me a nuggie. “Good.”

“So Jessica, do you mind me asking what your therapy is?” She stiffened up, standing and going to stand at the window. The rain was softly falling in a light sprinkle instead of full on rain yet.

“Well it’s not like you’re never going to find out,” Jessie suddenly remarked, turning around and shrugging with her palms up.

“You don’t have to,” I automatically pointed out with a frown.

“No, no.” She waved it off. “You deserve to know. It’s not like I’m not used to anyways.”

“If you’re sure.”

“Positive.” She laid back on her bed, closing her eyes. “They know I have an odd fascination with dead bodies so they say, and I quote, ‘how do you like feeling dead?’ They usually put me in a tub of ice water until my body temperature drops to almost dead. Then they just let me shiver there, making me tell them how much I despise it. They think it’ll ‘help’. Bullshit really.”

“That’s horrible!” I exclaimed. Jessica simply shrugged. “Isn’t this all fucking illegal?”

“On multiple levels. First off, locking up people who don’t deserve it. Then of course cruel and unusual punishment.” I stood to my feet, furious.

“How can you be so calm with this?! This is illegal! How are these people not shut down?!” I shouted, pacing in circles on the open area between our beds and the window. She propped herself up on her elbows as I screamed profanities and called the workers every name in the book.

“I would calm down if I were you,” Jessica warned.

“Fuck them! They can kiss the palest part of my ass. This is the crazy shit I have ever heard. I want out! I want to fucking go home!” I screamed, banging on our door for extra effect. Jessica quickly jumped off the bed, shoving me away from the door.

“Are you fucking crazy yourself?! That kind of shit gives you a straightjacket,” she hissed lowly. I grab two fists full of hair, yanking at it.

“I don’t give a damn! Give me a fucking straight jacket. I hope this whole goddamn building burns to the fucking ground!” I screamed. I’m not sure what snapped, but I know something did. And it wasn’t going to stop. Suddenly our door was thrown open by Ron and Dr. Stiles.

“What the hell is going on here?” Ron roared.

“Fuck all of you!” I shouted, flipping them off. Dr. Stiles was quick to grab the walkie-talkie in his lab coat.

“I need back up on level three.” Ron approached me, causing me to shout and throw a right hook. It caught him right on the chin. He stumbled, gripping his jaw. His eyes filled with flames. Just then the muscular ‘nurses’ appeared. They walked forward and I screamed again.

“Get away from me!” I tried to punch them, but their hands were holding my upper arms before I could stop them. It took a bit of struggling, but they managed to get a straightjacket on me. I peeked over to see Jessica standing by her bed, frozen with eyes wide open.

“Take her to the therapy room,” Dr. Stiles ordered as they pulled me out of my room and started down the hall.

“No! NO! I’m not going to fucking therapy!” I screamed hysterically. I began to shake and stomp my feet into the ground to stop them. I broke free from one, the other barely hanging onto my arm.

“Ron, get the damn medication! Nick! Stop just standing there with those fools, get her!” I was still fighting the other nurse when I heard that. I looked up to see Nick walking out of the cafeteria with Matt, Brian, Johnny, Zack, and Jimmy behind him. Everyone had what reminded me of deer caught in headlights. Suddenly I felt something sharp stick me in the neck. I winced, looking up to see Dr. Stiles smiling, an empty syringe in his hand.

“Help me,” I called softly before I felt myself falling. Luckily I was out before I hit the floor.



- Matt’s P.O.V. -

“What- what just happened?” I asked quietly as Ron and one of the nurses, Greg, picked up Brenda’s limp body, carrying her down the hall. Nick just shook his head, running a hand through his hair.

“I can’t think it’s anything good.”

“No, I can’t really imagine anything good from them heading down the padded room hall,” Brian remarked sarcastically. My eyes automatically settled on Jessica who was planted in her spot in front of their room. She had, stupidly, been left unattended by the commotion Brenda had caused. Jimmy left us to walk over to his sister. He brought her tightly to his chest, whispering something to her. I turned around to face Nick.

“Anyway we can all sneak into the library?” Nick got a thoughtful look.

“Yeah. I’m going to have to go see Knight though. I have a feeling Dr. Stiles will be in there bitching up a storm. Make sure to cover the window and put a chair under the handle just in case.”

“Got it,” Johnny said sternly. Nick led us to the elevator where we went to the fourth floor. He ushered us into the medium sized room before leaving. We all sat at the circular table once I shoved a chair under the handle, as instructed. The only way this place even slightly resembled a library was the two, eight foot high bookshelves holding old paperback books.

“What happened Jessie?” Jimmy asked softly. Jessica was still in his side, hiding her face in Jimmy’s arm. I couldn’t help, but feel a sinking feeling in my stomach. I had never seen Jessica this shaken up. Not even after her first ‘treatment’.

“She just- she snapped. Start saying anything in the book about this place.” Jessica shook her head in disbelief. “I tried to warn her not to scream, but she wouldn’t listen. I should have stopped her.”

“It’s not your fault,” Zacky consoled gently. She shook her head again, burying her face into Jimmy’s chest. I ran a hand through my hair. I really hoped Brenda wouldn’t be one to just go weird all of a sudden. Looks like my hope wasn’t answered. I looked at Johnny who was unusually quiet. He was studying the floor, twiddling his thumbs.

“It’s going to be fine,” I spoke quietly, making sure to not attract anyone else’s attention. He looked up with a weak smile.

“Of course it is. Why would I even care if it didn’t?” He mocked. I wasn’t buying it. I knew Johnny was freaking out about the thought of Brenda in the padded room, I was a bit too. I guess my older brother protectiveness never left. For Brenda and Johnny’s sakes I hoped Brenda could make it through this.