Silence Falls

From the look on Doctor McCarter’s face, he and Bert were acquainted with each other, Jack derived as he accompanied a seething but silent Bert back to his room. The look of heartbreak on the boss’s face as the young man departed was aired for anyone to see if they took the time to glimpse his way. Jack had never seen that expression on any employer’s face caused by a patient’s outburst. It definitely made him very inquisitive...perhaps too inquisitive for his own good.

“Bert, slow down!” Jack ordered ahead of him, making sure the steely authority was spiked densely into his voice for any passerby to hear. Orderlies didn’t have to be cordial to the patients they commanded, in fact none of them were cordial... except for Jack who could never see the merriment in smiting other people. Perhaps it was because he was still kinda new to the place and hadn’t worked there long enough to become as inhuman as the others. He prayed that that wasn’t the case. He didn’t want to be like them.

Bert took a second before coming to a complete halt, breathing deeply in and out of his nose to stop the steam that was surely spouting out of his ears. “Yes, sir.”

Jack caught up with Bert and forced him against the wall to again appear like one of the Orderlies, whispering beneath his breath. “How do you know the Doctor so well, huh? I overheard you two arguing back there. No one argues with the Doctor, and yet you did, and lived to tell the tale. Why? What makes you so damn special?”

“What makes you think I even know him?” Bert muttered, becoming confused as to why Jack wasn’t administering an excessive amount of pressure to keep him pinned to the wall. He scoured Jack’s eyes, looking for a trace to the reason why.

“Just go with it. Trust me.” Jack whispered, briefly winking at him. He watched as Bert hesitated but then obeyed by resembling a powerless patient with frightful eyes. Reverting back to corrupt Orderly, Jack gritted his teeth and barked savagely. “ANSWER THE QUESTION, YOU WORM!”

Bert chewed his lip for a second as he mulled over whether he should tell Jack the truth. He was an Orderly, but he wasn’t like his abusive employees. He knew he could easily beat Bert to get all of his answers if he wanted to. Hell, even if he simply felt like doing so he could. Yet here Jack was, pretending to be one of the vile orderlies but never having actually harmed him or his friends. Bert guessed he should be thankful to him for that, and should probably take advantage in bolstering their relationship so they could gain an ally with someone of power. Hopefully then, Jack could aid them with his employee privileges, and even join in their cause. It sounded too good to be true, but Bert had to try! What other option did he have at this point?

“Doctor McCarter is...my father.” Bert revealed, watching the awe blanket over Jack’s face for a minute before being expunged by feigned anger as a fellow orderly passed them by, shoving his patient around.

“Are you serious?” Jack whispered, forgetting to alter his voice to match with his aggressive demeanor. “I mean, a piece of shit like you is his flesh and blood?”

Bert frowned at the name calling. “Yes sir, it’s the truth. He was my father, but...that feels like several lifetimes ago.”

Jack sighed, once again breaking character. “God, I know what you mean! I WORK here and it feels like I’ve been gone for months by the time I return home every night.” Suddenly, something struck him, causing him to shake his head in bewilderment. “Wait, if the Doctor is your father, then...why are you here? Shouldn't you be sprinkling holy water somewhere or reading the bible in church to the people? What the hell did you do to get in here?”

“Is there somewhere else we can talk about this where you don’t have to hold me up against the wall and pretend to be an asshole? This might be a long story and I'm not sure how long you can keep this up considering how many times you’ve broken character already.” Bert asked faintly, making sure none of the roving patients or orderlies were in earshot.

Jack quickly browsed around, and spotted a tiny janitor closet nearby. “In there. Hurry up before someone sees!” He and Bert slipped into the janitor’s closet unnoticed before switching the lone lightbulb on. “Alright, try and make this quick before someone finds us! Why are you here?”

“I have lived in Silence Falls all my life, and have NEVER been one of those people that caused trouble. My parents loved me, and hoped that I would follow in my father’s footsteps when I got older. For a long time, I forced myself to believe it too and drove myself to that goal and only that goal. I never bothered with other people’s business which kept me safe, until one night I heard a man beating his daughter up next door. I couldn’t...sit there and do nothing about it.” Bert recalled the night he met Otep for the first time, leaning his back against the wall by a small shelf of cleaning products. “That night was my wake up call and why I got locked up. I intervened and saved her, and in return had my freedom taken away.”

Jack slowly nodded, his face softened in condolence. “I swear to god, these fucking reasons for getting sent here are becoming so fucking ridiculous these days I can’t honestly think about it without getting pissed off.” He locked eyes with Bert. “Do you regret it, saving that girl?”

Bert didn’t have to reflect over his answer. “No, I don’t regret it. In fact, if I could go back, I would do it again. She’s become my best friend in the whole world now because of it. If I change that, I lose her.”

Jack didn’t try to hide his smile. Most patient’s repented their reasons for being locked up whether it was because they had done something unforgivable or nothing at all. Sometimes, the patients believed that if they repented enough, God would have mercy on them and give them a second chance by freeing them. Sadly, that has yet to happen.

“You know, I’m strangely glad that you and your friends are under my care. Most of the people that come here are already insane from the overcrowded Medical Facility in the swamps, which makes it hard to have a conversation with someone in here that isn’t a nefarious Orderly.” Jack divulged, feeling oddly comfortable around Bert. “You guys seem pretty sane to me, and that actually loosens up some of that stress I carry with me every day. That also means you’re less likely to cause trouble for me. It’s hard trying to be an asshole when you’re not typically an asshole.”

“I don’t understand why any of you have to be one in the first place.” Bert replied with a shrug.

“I hear it’s because back then, the patients were impossible to control unless you made them fear you. If you’re afraid of someone and what they could do or will do to you, you’ll behave and do everything they say to protect yourself.” Jack recited disinterestedly from the hospital’s mantra that was as old as time.

Bert nodded slowly. “That makes sense in a sadistic way. I mean, the patients would be a lot easier to handle, and with less stress and effort on your part. But electroshock therapy? Why the fuck, man?”

Jack looked away shamefully. “As time went on, there was peace in this hospital...until a problem began to emerge when the council started to denounce every little thing our people did that they didn’t like. The Medical Facility is the first place you got sent to, if that overflows then you come here. When we finally began to overfill, some orderlies came up with the idea to add fatal methods to the discipline list, and less medical care. I don’t know why, but the council agreed to it fast. Patients were getting gravely hurt as a result of it and needed medical attention for their injuries, but we weren’t allowed to aid them. They would eventually die out and then…we would have more rooms for more incoming patients.” He detailed the daunting truth, deliberately informing Bert on what he was up against in these new surroundings. Something in him told him he had to protect these three boys. Something was compelling him to do it. Whatever had a hold on him, it wasn’t set on letting go anytime soon.