Psychogenic

10-17

I laid in the same, cold dark room all night until the doors were finally opened. In came a man.

He dropped a plate by me, glared, and then walked out. On the plate laid the usually disgusting meal we had every morning. Oatmeal and bread.

With a sigh, I began to eat. Why was I even in here? My mind was so cluttered yesterday I kind of forgot what was going on. So I thought back.

They tried to take Vic so I shoved the guard, and here I am. Maybe this is confinement because I'm a possible threat? No, I would never be a threat. I'm scrawny and awkward, I doubt anyone would really be intimidated by me.

After I finished about half of my oatmeal, the man came back in and retrieved my bowl, but I stopped him before he walked out.

"Where am I?" I asked meekly, noticing now my throat was dry and sore.

"Confinement cell." Was all he said before slamming the door.

So I was right, this was my punishment for dis-behaving. God I'm stupid.

And what about Vic right now? I wonder if he ever got hurt like he was going to. If there's one good thing that comes out of this mess, it might be that he didn't get hurt.

I know, it doesn't make much sense for why I care so much for Vic. We haven't known each other for very long, but it looks like I'm stuck with him for a long time, so I'm enhancing things more.

Plus he's really damn cute.

But whatever, put that aside. That's the last thing I need to be thinking about right now. I was solitary and cold, that's what I need to focus on.

Or I need to focus on getting out of here, I'm not really sure if it'll make a difference though.

Vic

"He'll be in there for awhile." A girl named Philomena told me in the free room. "If he shoved the guard, that is."

"He did, how long?"

"You know I don't know time." She shot back, messing with her fingers. I nodded. She had a point, there was no clocks around here.

I hope he's okay in there. I'd freak if I was confined in a cell and not let out for a long time. He did save me from my punishment though, I'm grateful for that. But I could've handled it I think.

Sister Cecelia returned to the room shortly after Philomena went to play cards with the so called chronic masturbater. There were rumors. Not rumors, statements.

That kid couldn't keep his hands out of his pants apparently.

But anyways, my thoughts subsided when she spoke again.

"Hello again. Stay put everyone." She stated, so I sat back down. "You haven't heard it until now, but there is a big storm coming our way. I know how scared some of you may be, so there would be a lot of chaos." She paused, her eyes scanning every ones faces. "Chaos won't due." She clapped her hands. "So Sister Margaret has planned a movie for us tonight. Everyone will watch it together, and behave." She stated, now glaring at us.

I felt her eyes land on me, so I looked to the ground out of instinct.

"That is all, continue on." She concluded, walking away shortly after. I didn't miss her glance in my direction before though. That lady gave me the creeps. She's crazy for keeping everyone here for one.

After she left, everything continued on as usual. It was like when a Sister walked in, everything froze. We were scared of them. Well, them not necessarily me. If they want to punish me for doing what any normal human being would do, so be it. It may slow me down, but my mind's already sent on getting out of here.

And I will.

It may be a long time until I escape, it may be soon. But either way, escaping is escaping.

Enough about my hopes, for now I had to deal with everyone here. Most of them didn't talk to me, or tried to avoid me. The only people who have really talked to me were Kellin, the staff, Philomena, and a little girl named Arabelle. I see people give me questioning looks, but they never bring themselves to conversant with me. And God forbid I won't initiate a conversation with them. They're scary.

That's right. The patients here scare me, not the nuns or whatever the fuck they're called. I don't really care in all honesty.

✝

I sat in my bed, rocking myself back and forth, listening intently to the sound of the bed creaking. But then I heard something else. A small box meshed into the door opened, but there were still bars. I got up and moved towards it cautiously, gazing out to see others repeating my actions. A guard came down the hallway, cleared his throat and spoke.

"New policies require us to have our bar boxes open within the asylum, except for confinement cells." Was all he said before walking away. There were waves of "Ohs" and "Ahs" before everything settled down again. How long until the movie?

It clicked with me then and there. While everyone was watching the movie, I could possibly find a way out. Or at least get an idea of how to escape. But I can't leave Kellin here. After what he did, this could be repayment. I shouldn't even call it that anyways, everyone innocent that was conned should get out.

But I can't save everyone. I wish I could.

And so I sat there for the rest of the night mostly, thinking through just how exactly I might escape. The doors eventually began to open, and everyone protruded from their darkness. We looked at each other before turning towards the guards who yanked our arms. Most complied and followed, others tried to get away.

But in the end, we all ended up in a giant room in front of a tiny screen. My eyes scanned the room, but Kellin wasn't here. And five minutes later, he was still missing. I thought she said everyone.

Maybe confined patients don't count.

I turned to a guard standing not to far ahead of me. And without thinking, I stood up and crouched down, pushing past the other patients. I bumped into Philomena and asked her to take my spot. She agreed and headed off.

Was she on the bus? Not to be rude, but she seemed perfectly fine to me.

Whatever.

I got close to the guard and glanced around. Everyone was zoned in on the stupid movie on the screen.

Quickly, I grabbed the chain of keys hanging from his belt. Fortunately, he didn't notice me retrieve them, so I hurried out the curtain and into the free room. No one was there, but I did hear loud claps of thunder.

My feet led me down multiple hallways until I found a staircase leading to a basement. When I got the bottom, no one was out and about. There were cells with two locks, so I assumed I was in the right place.

Now to find Kellin.

I paced down the hall, trying to see if there was specific cells. How do they even keep track of this.

"Kellin?!" I finally yelled, loud enough for everyone down here to hear, but not loud enough for anyone else. People stirred, as I assumed they would. I got no response though. I tried again a few more times.

A bang on one of the cell doors startled me.

"Vic?" I finally heard, so I rushed to the door.

"It's me, give me a little. I don't know which key is which." I got no response as I dug through the keys.

"It's key number twenty-three, I saw him pull it out." He said, and I couldn't help but to smile.

Sure enough, when I entered key twenty-three into the locks, the door slid open. There stood Kellin. He looked like a mess, but that didn't bother me right now. I probably did too.

"We're going to get caught Vic." Kellin said, but came out the cell. Quickly, I locked it back up and sped off with him following shortly behind me.

"We're going to get out of here." I stated firmly, grabbing his hand. It was sweaty. I pulled him down the hall and up the stairs. "Let's try to the front door." I stated, so he nodded in agreement. I pulled on the handle, but it was of course locked.

"Shit." He muttered, so I pulled him down towards our usual cell. I unlocked it and pulled him inside of it with me.

"Any ideas?" I asked frantically.

"I saw a door down there." He pointed to the right, so I nodded and ran back out, not locking the door behind me. Sure enough there was a door, but I didn't know where it led too.

When I pulled the knob, there was a set of stairs, so we went up them quietly. At the top was a short and skinny hallway with one door.

With one glance at Kellin's worried expression, I pressed my ear to the door. There was no noise.

Until the door opened.

There stood a women who looked as ill as the rest of the patients. Her eyes widened.

"Who are you? W-why are you up here?" She whispered, glancing back into the room. She then came out before us.

Her black hair was a tangled mess, and her brown eyes were filled with such anger and sadness it intimidated me.

"I'm Vic, that's Kellin....who are you?"

"Hannah, now answer my question." She replied boldly.

"We're looking for a way out." Kellin whispered. She smirked.

"Really?" We nodded. "Let me come with you." She now glared, cracking her knuckles.

That's where I went wrong.

"No." I said. There was an obvious reason she was here. She didn't deserve out of here, we did.

I grabbed Kellin's hand and pulled him off, trying to get back down the stairs. I heard her stomp her foot, then inhale.

"Help! Help me they're trying to escape! Help me!" She screamed loudly from behind us.

"No no no no shh, you can come just please shh no." Kellin said frantically, now in tears. She didn't stop though.

I grabbed his hand again and tugged him down the stairs and through the cell hall into the main room. You could still hear her from here.

I heard footsteps from the projection room, so I bolted for the main door, trying to bust the lock. But I couldn't get it.

My body slammed against the door as a guard took his keys away and slapped me. I looked for Kellin, who I found shortly after pinned to the floor.

This was all my fault.

I fucked everything up.