Mad House

She didn't like the way he looked at her. Not in the slightest. It wasn't the way everyone else saw her; to them she was invisible, a whisper of thin air. But he looked through her and saw the essentials, which to him happened to be her bust and behind. It was painful enough not to exist but it was a whole other level of pain to only exist in the form of your chest and ass.

"You say you don't exist, Ms. Mathias?" Dr. James asked, his voice low and dragging out as if it were a worm crawling in the dirt. She examined his face. Other than fixating on her boobs, he seemed utterly bored.

"I don't exist, sir," she replied feebly.

"That can't possibly be true. I'm looking at you right now, Ms. Mathias."

She shook her head vehemently, gnawing on her bottom lip. "You're looking at my breasts, sir. The rest of me doesn't exist to you, or anyone for that matter. I'm nothing."

Dr. James snorted in an attempt to contain his laughter. How would have ever thought that someone could deny that they even exist. He'd heard of patients in other places in the world thinking that they had died and were a walking corpse; but to not exist at all? Now this girl had to be down right delusional! Then again, looking at her file, he knew that she wasn't the sanest patient in the loony bin.

"Fair enough," he remarked, ignoring what was said by Adeline a moment ago. "You're a new patient here, aren't you?"

"I arrived yesterday."

"Do you like it here? Answer honestly."

"It's definitely not the worst place I've ever stayed," she forced a smile as she felt memories she couldn't quite remember start to surface. She tried to focus on them, but they fled from her brain. She didn't fret on it though.

"Has anyone explained the rules of Brindlebrim to you?" Dr. James flashed a terrible grin. "I'm sure a pretty, young thing such as yourself will pick it up easily; it's not hard. Rebelious, criminal, and obnoxious behavior will be punished. This includes being disruptive, rebellious, or defiant of myself or the staff, as well as stealing, lying, possession of contraband items and the like. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Adeline said timidly as the psychiatrist rose from his seat. He took for silent and terrifiying steps across the room and stood behind the young girl. He pushed his glasses up and looked down at her. Such a pretty young girl, he thought. Bet she's all tight and smooth. Long black hair to tug on and big grey eyes to glare into as she would cry for help. Who would believe her? A psychotic girl who didn't even believe she existed? Who would she even turn to?

"Next; you are to obey all staff, therapists, nuns, and so on. You are to adhere to all their requests and commands. Defying them, not taking your medication, and other activities will get you solitary confinement. Do you understand me, Ms. Mathias?"

"Yes, sir," she repeated. She suddenly shivered and felt the warmth of his breath on her neck. He'd gotten into a squatting position somehow, holding himself up on the balls of his feet. She jumped in her seat, astonished by his silent tactics. He ran a cold finger across her cheek and rested it against her lips. It felt rough and it tasted like nicotine and pencil lead.

"Last but not least," he said with a sick, twisted smile as pushed the tip of his finger inside of her mouth and felt her tongue. He closed his eyes and shuddered in a demented form of pleasure. "You are to obey me above all else. If I say jump, you say how high. Disobeying me may have even more serious consequences than others. Am I understood."

"Crystal clear, sir," she closed her eyes and let the doctor extract his finger from her mouth. She swallowed hard and tried to force the taste of his nicotine finger out of her mouth. He strolled back to his desk in a timely fashion and sat back down in his lofty chair. He tapped his pencil against paperwork and cleared his throat.

"Now, with that out of the way, there are more things to know. You will meet with me once a week to check on your progress here at Brindlebrim. Also, you will finish out each day with group therapy until or if I say that you are well enough not to attend those sessions. Other than that, just take your prescribed medications, wearing the uniform dress, and obey all rules."

"Thank you, Dr. James," Adeline said carefully. She knew men of his kind all too well back when she was once an existing being. Men who were powerful and could put their hands where they chose, striking fear into the hearts of others so that they could never defy him. He was a vile man, but she would make the best of it. With no sense of sentiment to this earthly realm, where else did Adeline have to go?

At that moment, three sharp knocks sounded against the wooden office door. Before waiting for a response, a young nun let herself into the room. She was pretty and had long brown hair that poked out of her habit in some places. She smiled in apology.

"It's nearing dinner time. I would like to get Miss Mathias settled in before then, if that's alright, Dr. James?" Her voice was sweet and smooth like syrup. The doctor waved his hand and gave a curt nod. Adeline stood quickly, all too eagerly in fact, and followed the nun obediently. The two spoke little as they made their way back to Adeline's assigned room. She kept her eyes down and picked at the hem of her issued dress.

"Thank you," Adeline commented when they were finally at her door. The nun nodded with a sullen smile. She knew how the doctor was and she wanted to spare the poor damaged girl from his clutches. She knew she couldn't do it all the time, but every time she had the opportunity she would always intervene. The other nuns shrugged it away and prayed for his wicked ways to mend but not Sister Valeria.

"Do not make a fuss of it," the sister assured her, brushing it off as if it weren't the great thing that it was. "Now, wash up and make your way to the common dining room downstairs. Your name is on the public access list, so you may roam the halls until lights out; as long as you steer clear of other rooms and restricted areas. Understood?"

She was getting tired of that question. She breathed in deep and nodded, knowing that as soon as the nun left that she'd forget she ever saw Adeline. Everyone always did. She wasn't actually there, after all. A figment that only some noticed and then forgot soon after. Sister Valeria let her be and she found herself in the girl's communal bath and washing her hands and face. As she looked in the mirror, she found that her cheeks were tracked with trails of dried tears she hadn't realized she'd cried. Her midnight hair was a tangled mess and her grey eyes were brimming with more tears. She let a few fall before entering the hall again.

She wandered aimlessly at first, staying close to the wall. She moved quietly and slowly, and no eyes fell upon her. The other patients didn't notice her and it made her both relieved and a little sad at the same time. She kept her head down for a while, letting her long dark hair curtain her view. She thought of it as a fun little game to pass the time; navigate the hall with little visibility. Then again, that is how she bumped into him; her head ran right into the center of his chest.

"Ow," a voice murmured.

"I'm sorry," she whispered and looked up at her obstacle. A boy with soft eyes and blond hair gazed down at her. He tilted his head and smiled. His eyes were wide with excitement but the pale blue of the iris made Adeline feel calm... and seen. There had been people before who could see her, but only parts of her; usually her chest. But not this boy. He saw her. All of her. Even the parts that she couldn't see in herself, at least that's what she thought, and that scared her a little. It was uncomfortable.

"Don't worry about it," he waved the words away with his hand and offered her a lazy smile. "Hey! I don't think I know you! Are you one of the new patients?" His voice was soft and low, his lips impossible not to watch as he shaped his words. They were beautifully pink.

"Um, yeah. My name is Adeline."

"Do you mind if I just call you Addie?" He asked happily. He seemed so childish that it made her want to smile. Instead, she giggled and nodded. He gave a hearty chuckle as well just as the lights began to flicker and a strangled howl sounded through the house. Niall slammed himself against the wall and hastily covered both ears. His eyes formed tears and he hyperventilated as he slid down the wall. He brought his knees up to his chest, rocking himself slightly.

"Are you okay? What was that?" Adeline asked, more to be kind to the whimpering boy rather than out of actual concern. She didn't want someone who seemed so innocent to hurt so badly. She dropped down to his level and put a soft hand on his shoulder.

"The thunderstorms. The lightning... and the howling thunder..." His voice faded in and out as he tried to stop himself from sobbing. Suddenly his hands dropped from his ears and clasped the hand on his shoulders. His hands were rough and warm. He breathed deep and looked her in the eyes. "I've been through a few thunderstorms myself... I don't like lightning."

She smiled at him and ran her free hand through his blond hair. "Me either. I didn't get your name, by the way."

"My name is Niall," he said proudly like a kid showing off his baseball card collection.

"Well, Niall," she started softly, "Would you like to get some dinner with me?"