Nightmare

Dream/Flashback Continued...

“I’ve got a plan to get out of here.” Matt announced the next morning, as he and Brian sat on the floor once again, this time eating breakfast (after “taking” their morning medication). They decided it would be safer to stay in their room as much as possible, seeing as Brian wasn’t quite the same person most of the nurses were used to.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. We’ll just...walk out of here!”

Brian gave him a look that suggested he was now the one questioning Matt’s sanity. “Are you sure you aren’t supposed to be in here? Cuz you know...that plan is pretty fucking stupid.”

Matt rolled his eyes. “Just listen. One of the girls who works at front desk knows that shit isn't right around here too. If I could get her in on it, maybe we could just walk out while she’s on shift. We only have to make it to a police station or something, then we can expose this hellhole and be free men once again!” he finished dramatically.

Brian was definitely lacking Matt’s enthusiasm. “It won’t work. You think they don’t have any cameras or anything? We won’t make it three blocks.”

“We only have to make it to a police station.” Matt repeated. “Come on, what do we have to lose? Worst that happens is a needle in the arm and we’re back here. To try again another day.”

Brian sighed. “That’s the worst for you, maybe. If you get lucky.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I’ve tried to get out of here.” Brian said darkly. “And it just doesn’t fucking work. It’s what got me put on those pills, actually. After the second time we tried to leave.”

“'We'?”

“Someone else used to sleep in your bed, you know. And before you ask, I don’t know what happened to him. My guess is he’s dead. Lucky son of a bitch...”

Matt was getting a little annoyed with the doom and gloom attitude. “Why’s he lucky? You’re still alive, at least.”

“And what did that get me? It’s been two fucking years since then. Nothing has changed.”

“Third time’s the charm.” Matt quoted, his attempt at wisdom.

“You know you’re an idiot right?”

“I’m just optimistic.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

***

Around five, Matt decided to go find Val.

“You know you aren’t supposed so be up here...” she said uncertainly as he walked up to the front desk.

“Yeah, okay. When’s your break?”

“Um...six thirty, but I’m not sure I can hang out.” she seemed rather reluctant to do so now, after seeing what he had done to Johnny the previous day.

“Just a quick little walk outside? Won’t take ten minutes, I promise.” he flashed her his dimpled grin, which had worked wonders on ladies before. It would seem this time would be no different.

“Well...I guess so. I’ll meet you near the doors by the rec room?”

“Can’t wait.” he blew her a kiss before heading back down the hall, grin still on his face.

***

The area outside where patients were allowed to go was surrounded by a high fence, but it also had a fair number of trees; it could almost pass for a walk in the park if you had a good imagination.

“So what did you want?” Val asked as they headed outside. The day was overcast and it looked like a thunderstorm was on its way, so there weren’t many other people outside. There wasn’t a chance of anyone overhearing them. “And I’ve got something to tell you, too.”

“Well, ladies first.” they sat down on a bench beside a “pond” - it looked more like a muddy puddle.

“They’re gonna come 'talk' to you tomorrow.” she made air-quotes, but looked genuinely worried. “I guess after what you did to Johnny, Dr. Baker’s kinda fed up.”

Matt shrugged. “I’m not scared of them. Besides, with any luck I won’t be here tomorrow.”

“What? Why?”

“Me and Brian are leaving. If you’ll help us.” he decided there was no point avoiding the entire purpose of the conversation.

“I can’t do that! Do you know what they’ll do -”

Matt gestured for her to slow down. “Just hold on a minute, and hear me out. You don’t have to do anything. We’ll just walk out when you’re here and no one else is around. When does your shift end?”

“One a.m.” she said grudgingly. “This will never work.”

“You know this place is fucked. Think of it as...liberation of the lunatics.”

“I’d rather not, actually.” she stood up. “I need to get back though.”

“So you won’t say a thing?”

Val sighed. “No. I might be able to loop some camera feeds too, but we’ll see...you know you’re an idiot right?”

“Why does everyone say that?”

***

“I think we’re good.” Matt whispered, peering down the hallway as a security guard turned the corner. It was a good thing Val was on their side, otherwise Matt’s “great plan” would have been short lived when he remembered they locked the doors every night. Luckily, Val had shown up around ten to unlock it, and tell them the best time to leave would be around eleven thirty, just as most of security was changing shifts.

“This is never going to work.” Brian muttered, but he followed Matt out into the hallway regardless.

“Shut up. Just follow me.” Matt headed towards the entrance, rather quickly for someone who was supposedly “sneaking out”.

“Shouldn’t we be...you know, careful?” Brian was almost jogging to keep up with him.

“I said shut up. We need to be quiet, not slow.” after a couple more minutes, in which they miraculously came across no guards, Matt cautiously opened the door to the reception area. Val jumped when she heard the door creak, but got up and practically ran over to them.

“Here.” she handed Matt an ID card. “You need a key to open the gates out front. This is a guest pass, so it should work. Now hurry up!”

“Thanks.” he whispered, giving her a quick one-armed hug. “Come on.”

Brian whispered his hurried thank you as well before going after Matt, who was already halfway across the lobby. He half expected alarms to start going off when Matt opened the front doors, but everything remained quiet.

Outside the brewing storm from earlier was in full force. “God forbid an escape ever happens during a nice, clear night.” Brian grumbled.

“Come on.” Matt said again, walking out into the rain. By the time they reached the front gates, they were soaked. Matt used the cardkey, and a message showed up on the system, with a timer counting down from thirty seconds started underneath it.

“PLEASE ENTER PASSWORD”

“What the fuck is this?” Matt looked a little horrified. “She never said anything about a password!”

“Your girlfriend fucked us over.” Brian looked like he was contemplating turning around to murder Val before the timer ran out. “I hope you lived a good life, cuz we’re as good as fucking dead.”