Silence Falls

“It’s impossible.” Cris whispered to himself, clutching a picture of a defected escalator within the same mall they had designated their homes. Only it wasn’t the same escalator they had exercised during their stay there, it couldn't have been. Theirs had operated smoothly to transport them from the ground floor to the second floor multiple times a day. This one looked like it had been out of order for several years and in need of a serious overhaul. This simply didn’t add up.

Bert reviewed the picture of the exterior of the mall in another photo Dr. McCarter had produced from a folder he kept in his briefcase, ignoring the soldiers that were posted by the entrance of the cafeteria with their guns locked and loaded. He had sat through his father’s interrogation with zero intentions of participating unlike his friends, but now he was all the way in. These photos were too much of a temptation to resist not getting involved. What caught his eyes the most in them was the exterior and interior state of the mall, and how poorly it was. This couldn't be real. That entire mall had been in superior condition throughout the duration of their stay. A little dusty, yes, but in functioning condition nonetheless! These photos conflicted that belief entirely, and could be verification they had lost their minds sometime in the past and never knew it up until now. Had their medications hatched these hallucinations over the years?

“THIS IS BULLSHIT!” Connor discarded the photo he had back at the Doctor’s face, then looked to Bert as if expecting him to concur. “These photos are bullshit! WE lived there, man! WE’VE seen what was in there! They're just trying to fuck with us and make us think we’re crazy!”

“Mr. Angeson, we are not trying to upset you.” Dr. McCarter inserted, forgiving the fact that he flung those photos into his face so brazenly. He gestured to the now strewned photographs across the cafeteria table. “These photos are authentic, I assure you. If the mall you took refuge in DIDN’T look like this then what DID it look like, hm?”

“Nothing like this...” Cris mumbled, mistaking the Doctor’s voice as being the one in his head. His blues eyes flitted over the rest of the pictures, comparing and contrasting from his own memory every inch of that mall he strolled through on the daily. This couldn’t be, he kept repeating in his mind. Why did they recreate the entire mall but designed it to appear...totalled for?

The four boy’s voices started to lower into mumbles, losing their coherency. They tackled to comprehend exactly what was going on even through the new medication that was already taking a hold of their systems and obscuring their senses. Sadly, nothing was still making sense. They had been there in that mall for days, perhaps even weeks, they didn’t have a clear estimation as to how long. But they remembered that place, and it looked nothing like it did in these photos! They weren’t crazy. They couldn’t allow these photos to brainwash them that they were, they just couldn’t. If they found out they had indeed lost their sanity along the way after all this time then...they had already lost the battle.

What would be the point of escaping this place to re-enter back into society if they couldn’t tell what was real and what was in their heads?

The Doctor sat there and studied them for a while in silence. He was unsure of what they were saying under their breaths, and it clearly showed that they had forgotten the rules to this interrogation, because now the two guards in the room were headed over to attempt to violently remind them. Doctor McCarter held up his hand once again to implore them to step back and let him handle this. The two burly men sighed irritably before retreating back to where they stood before. McCarter slid the folders he had set aside back in front of him. Flipping open the first one, he disrupted their mumblings by translating a document aloud. “Connor Angeson, reported to be confined due to cannibalizing his younger siblings, and small animals in the town of Silence Falls.”

Connor’s green eyes snapped towards the Doctor, and narrowed in on him savagely. Anyone could see he was irked by the reminder of his imprisonment being vocalized for everyone to hear and remember.

“Cristofer Haughton, reported to be confined due to his assisting his mentioned neighbor and friend’s cannibalistic urges that resulted in the life of many innocent infants and animals.” McCarter reported next in a casual tone.

“ASSISTING!? I never assisted hi-” Cris desperately tried to correct the Doctor before being cut off by his voice, his blue eyes frantic and wide at being incriminated of such barbaric wrongdoing!

“Brandon Margera, reported to be confined for murdering his wife and unborn twins visci-”The doctor began before projecting out of his chair just in time before Bam could make a grab at him. The other boys vaulted out of their seats too, watching as the two burly men captured a screaming incensed Bam out of reach of the good doctor.

“No more protecting them, Doc! This sinner needs to be punished!” One burly man snapped, before he and his comrade toted the struggling Bam right out of the cafeteria, his expletives booming down the hall after he was out of sight. Cris and Connor didn’t have a choice but to stand by, having been reminded by Bert that they would also be penalized if they interfered. The doctor found himself wishing to command those men to let Bam go but he also called to mind that he had to be mindful of his actions or else he wouldn’t get the chance to see his son again after this.

“Where are they taking him?” Bert finally spoke up, looking to his father for the first time without hatred. His focus was no longer on the Doctor, but his friend, Bam, instead.

“What?” Dr. McCarter whispered dazedly before shaking himself from his surprise at Bert’s response. “Oh. I overheard the commander mentioning electroshock therapy if we had any trouble here.”

“Oh my god.” Bert choked out, the blood draining from his face as he looked away in horror.

“Sonofabitch.” Connor hissed to himself, needing to pace around for a minute to shake off the fury within him. Electroshock therapy. Didn’t they cease doing those ages ago, he pondered to himself?

Remembering his place, Dr. McCarter cleared his throat. “Mr. Haughton, Mr. Angeson, you are dismissed from this meeting and can return to your room for the rest of the day. Bert, we must speak alone.”

“FUCK YOU!” Bert snapped at him, clenching his fist as he whirled around to face him.

“What about Bam!? He is coming back, isn’t he!?” Cris exclaimed, dreading that he might not see his friend ever again. Did people even survive Electroshock Therapy?

“Yes, and he won’t be long. The moment he gets knocked out, he’ll be returned to his room immediately. Now, leave us! I wish to speak to my son alone.” The Doctor ordered them one more time as he returned to stand behind his seat.

“I’m not fucking staying in here with you, so you might as well dismiss me too! I have nothing to say to you, you hear me!?” Bert snapped, getting flared up with a tremendous amount of anger.

“YOU WILL!” Dr. McCarter shouted at him, finally losing his composure. “If you don’t want those two to be next in line to get Electroshock therapy then you will SIT in here and TALK to your father! NOW!”

Cris and Connor looked to Bert, seeing his eyes blacken with resentment as he crossed his arms over his chest. A few seconds passed before he finally stepped forward and took his seat in front of his father. He was right back to glaring at him for this. Cris and Connor slowly withdrew out of the room, and were immediately directed away by their awaiting Orderly, Jack.