Mental Break
#1 of Isolation
A bright light flashed into Liam's eyes. He was lying on a soft floor for some reason, and he had no idea how he got to this point. Liam struggled to sit up only to find himself bound by a straitjacket. With a few grunts and one mighty heave, he was sitting up normally and finally looked around. Padded walls, no doors, no furniture, and only a single tiny camera high in a corner, "Where am I?"
No response.
Liam was able to rise to his feet and looked at his surroundings with a more careful eye. He found a break in the padding, no doubt where the door was located. Unfortunately he couldn't open it from this side, so the next best thing was to ram it, "Let me out!" His shoulder bounced off of the padding and his tackle did little to budge anything.
"Mr. Jones. Is that really you?" A voice, perhaps an older man, came from the camera.
"Who are you people... why am I like this?!" Panic was settling in, and as much as Liam tried he couldn't subdue the invasive emotion. Silence was the answer, "Come on! You have no right!"
"Mr. Jones. Do you remember how you ended up in this room?"
"That's what I asked you!"
A brief pause, "What is the last thing you remember?"
"The last thing..." Liam thought hard. He was making himself some breakfast for the first time in a long while as his classes had been cancelled for that day. The sweet smell of the sausage complimented by the scent of egg wafted through the kitchen. Beyond that was nothing, "You... you bastards kidnapped me! I was just eating breakfast at home!"
Some paper rustled, "In the risk of a relapse, I regret to inform you that your memory was from approximately one year ago. You've been here since then, and you were placed into this room this morning to protect the safety of the other patients and employees."
"What? That... patients?"
"You are in a psychiatric hospital. One year ago you went on a violent rampage harming many people, friends and family included. Do you remember?"
"Remember? I won't remember any of your lies!"
Some more rustling, "You will be injected with a sedative and placed back into your room for observation. If you are still passive you will be allowed to engage with your fellow patients." The uncaring voice was followed by the opening of the hidden door. Two bulky men marched in an subdued Liam before shoving a needle into his arm, "This is not toxic."
Hours may have passed, it was hard to tell when there was neither a clock nor windows in his small padded room, complete with a solid foam bed and restraint hooks. An older man walked into the room, "Mr. Jones, how are you feeling?"
"Who are you people?"
The doctor nodded, "I am Dr. Gatts, you could say that I'm in charge of all treatment. Your case is a special one though, I've never seen a break in psychosis quite like this."
Liam swallowed, though his throat was completely dried out, "Why am I here?"
"After evaluation, a nurse will bring you to the dining area and you will get some water. For now, what did you do yesterday?"
Was he toying with Liam? But if he went through a psychosis, then his memory would be gone. Or would it? He never did pay attention when he took a psychology class, "I went to classes... turned in a project."
"Actually, you were laughing loudly, you punched security and nearly strangled him to death even though you were being tasered. You don't sound the same as you did." He made a note on his pad, "You will be supervised closely and your medication will continue, but for now you will be able to walk around under your own power. Nurse, please escort Mr. Jones to the dining area."
A middle aged woman entered the room behind Gatts, "As you say doctor." Her voice trembled slightly. Liam was untied and stood up on his own, but found his legs shaking, "A side effect of the medications, it won't be permanent."
Sterile halls, a sterile floor, and a few groans and chuckles that echoed from a blocked off wing of the hospital. That and the violent shaking which had now spread to his entire body, "What did I do?"
The nurse snarled, "You're a violent little punk. Probably killed someone." He cheek, though covered in a thick fur, was clearly bruised, "Sit down, don't move or I'll get security to put you out again."
The nurse walked away as Liam struggled to sit on the bench tables that constituted the dining area. A few other patients in varying amounts of bondage were sitting about. Only a few had to bed fed by a nurse though, "What-t's your n-name?" A frail woman with dark, messy fur and a voice as shaky as Liam's legs sat next to him, "I-I'm O-Olivia-a." She seemed to be about the same age as Liam, though her curled appearance was disturbing.
"I'm Liam." He looked around, "How long have I been here?"
Her smile was akin to something you'd see in a psychotic cartoon character, "A y-year. Y-you la-augh a l-lot..." Liam was never a very cheerful person. He was reliable, always ready to help out when he could, but never cheery, "N-no visi-isters..." Olivia was rocking back and forth and appeared as though she were a gentle breeze away from falling.
The nurse returned and slapped down a tray full of food reminiscent of elementary school. Next came the water and a pill cup filled to the brim with every color of the rainbow, "Finish it all, I'll be back later you prick." She stormed off.
"I wouldn't take those if I were you..."
That was a voice from his head that sounded like his own, "Maybe I am insane..."
"One of those will slowly rot your kidneys. Get Gatts if you don't believe me."
"But... you're me?"
"Who a-are you t-t-talking to?"
Liam said that out loud, "How can I get Gatts to come here?" Olivia pointed to a hall where Gatts was passing at the moment. If Liam was really that bad, running to him would not end well, neither would shouting, "Dr. Gatts, may I speak with you for a second?" A calm voice was the best option.
"Allow me"
Liam's arm moved on its own and pulled out a specked blue and brown pill from the cup, "Where did you get that?!"
"The nurse brought it to me." Olivia nodded as a confirmation.
Dr. Gatts ruffled his brow, "I see. How did you know that one was bad, if I may ask?"
Liam couldn't say that a voice told him, "It just looked like nothing I've ever seen before."
Dr. Gatts called over a security guard and whispered something quietly. The guard ran off, "Let me take that from you, this is very toxic. Truth be told, it's only used to break down certain chemicals before they can be properly mixed into liquids. She will be terminated immediately and no doubt be brought up on charges, may I see your other pills?" Liam handed over the cup.
"Sh-she's a b-b-BITCH!" Olivia shouted. The other patients looked over and some laughed, some cried, some howled... it was a mess. Liam assumed that the nurse didn't make many friends.
Gatts set the pill cup down, "Okay, you're all set son. Make sure to eat all you can to avoid upset stomach."
Olivia pressed up against Liam, but she wasn't being rude. Someone as nervous as her probably craved any sort of attention, "So, that was interesting. I don't like this place, and I have no idea why I should be here."
"Yo-you're cu-ute." Liam ate his food, acknoledging Olivia with a small smile but not verbally, "Yo-you'll be s-safe."
Liam sighed at the bland and sloppy food, "If what they said was true, it's the rest of you that should be worried. I'm a violent monster... I think."
Olivia blushed and giggled, "R-red pills t-t-taste fu-funny."
"What would have made me break..."
"Wouldn't you like to know."
"Yes, I would."
"Too bad. Also too bad for that nurse, she won't make it out of here alive."
If any voice in the head is alarming, it is one that says that, "What do you mean?" Liam didn't notice himself squeeze his bottle of water to the point of bursting, "Answer me!"
Security gathered around the table, "Is there a problem?"
Liam took a quick breath and did his best to settle down, though the sedatives had almost completely wore off, "It's fine... it's fine..."
"That's right, fine. Just fine. I may be you, but I'm a better you. I saw things you'll never see."
The voice was mocking him, and it knew that he couldn't do anything about it without getting tasered or sedated, "Just a blip is all..." Security backed off and Olivia hugged Liam, "I know reality from fantasy, I haven't had a reason to snap..."
"Keep telling yourself that. You'll be crawling back to me in no time."
"So cute, I just want to eat you up." Liam's eyes went wide as a shiver shot down his spine. That was Olivia's voice in a hushed, sensual whisper, "Don't you worry about a thing."
"Wh-what?!"
Olivia cocked her head and the sadistic smile grew, "Wh-what? I d-don't kn-ow why y-you're loo-looking like th-that."
This was a psychiatric hospital, so she was here for a reason, "Why are you here Olivia?"
"F-family ab-abuse." Maybe Liam's voice was playing with him. He quickly gobbled the pills, "Y-you ma-ake this pl-pl-place bett-tter."
"To be honest, I just woke up."
She smiled more, "W-we ca-can't sleep for-forever."
"True enough." Liam finished his terrible meal, "So what exactly is there to do around here?"
"Sl-sleep. Eat. Oc-ocean look-king." A window just near the kitchen had the sight of water. Maybe they were near an ocean, "So-some do st-st-stuff. Not m-me. I'm wai-waiting." Liam didn't have to guess what that meant, just about the ethics of some of it. He was essentially a prisoner here and if it wasn't eating or sleeping, it was sex. Not that he was thinking about it, he really wanted to get out.
Liam heard horror stories about these places that most doctors tried to claim were all exaggerated or made up, and he tended to agree. There were always some bad places, but they weren't horrible, "So they want me to spend my life in a drunken stupor. I'd like to know how long I have to stay."
Olivia was still smiling. She was cute in a crazy sort of way, "We d-don't l-leave."
Liam knew nothing about her, but through her smile the grim tone of voice broke through, "This is a permanent facility? I've never heard of that existing."
"Oh, it does. Usually for those that may never recover." Dr. Gatts was standing beside Liam, "This place is for extreme cases, and as such we are isolated. A penninsula in order to better isolate the patients from outside triggers and stressors. You will be kept in safety here Mr. Jones, do not fret. Visitors are also welcome. If it helps, I've informed your family of your amazing recovery."
Dr. Gatts nodded and left again. It appeared that when he does rounds, he quite literally circles over and over. Olivia nudged Liam, "Y-you're my fr-friend now, o-okay?"
Liam shrugged as the situation slowly sank in, "If you say so, but I'm not sure how good of a friend I'll be."
The day went on, and the patients were confined to their rooms just after dinner. A small buzzer existed for bathroom use, but beyond that all he could do was wait for the sun to set and the sweet embrace of sleep. He was warned that his medication would make sleep tougher, but setting bedtime at seven in the evening was a bit much. It was starting to get dark around the time he was shooed away from the commons, so he reasoned that it was most likely winter.
Several hours passed of Liam just trying to get to sleep, a tad paranoid that he was still being watched, "Finally..." He dragged the word out as his mind slowed down and his body was limp, then a scream echoed in the hall. Not one of someone who went insane, but a bloody, fearful, and painful scream.
He leaped to his feet and looked out of his little window, surprised when his door popped open. Other patients were knocking around in their rooms and the sound of jingling keys could be heard at the entrance of the hall. At the far side was the nurse lying on the floor in a pool of black liquid. Security opened the door and the lights came on.
It was blood. He was the only patient out of his room. Security wouldn't take chances and the sting of electricity knocked him out.