Ugh. This can’t be happening. Not again.
Here they were, accusing me again. Not that I’m surprised about it or anything, after all that’s all they’re good at.
Here stood before me the police officers as well as my neighbor, whom hated me for no apparent reason.
“Ma’am, you are under arrest for breaking in Miss Clove’s property.”
“W-what? What do you mean breaking in? I would never do that!”
Clove stared at me hard and long enough with pure anger. Suddenly, her face softened and her brown eyes looked confused for a second, analysing every inch of my face, as if she’s searching for something.
I see Miss Clove whisper something into the officer’s ears while looking at me. The policeman nodded at her in understanding and turned back to face me.
What I heard next blew my mind.
“Ma’am, we are sorry for this but you will be sent to a mental asylum.”
What the hell.
Surely, this must be a joke. Me? In a mental asylum? All because I’m being unjustly accused by some bitter woman!
I can’t believe it. This can’t be happening.
However, before I start protesting I got forcefully teared away from my front door and lead to the police car.
I sat in the car quietly, silently fuming and getting over my shock. I swear Clove will regret this.
When we arrived to the hospital, I got grabbed by the nurses and lead to what looked like a laboratory.
They told me to take a seat on the chair placed in the middle. I didn’t comply, I even tried to explain to them my poor situation but they wouldn’t hear me.
I trashed around, shouted and yelled in anger. After all, how could I not be upset at all of this?
Next thing I know, I got forcefully stuffed into some sort of straight up white jacket.
The nurse accompanying me to my “room” looked a little familiar, which is weird since I’ve never seen her before.
Shaking my head from the thoughts, I stroke a conversation with her and told her my misery.
She was quiet the whole time, only nodding in understanding and… sympathy?
When we arrived, I saw one big black metal door with the number 158 on top.
I whimpered, I just wanted to go home.
I entered my new room, it was empty. What settled me off is that feeling of familiarity surging up again. It must be because I miss my house and my own bedroom.
It’s been 2 weeks that I’m in here, and I’ve already grown accustomed to the routine already. I got along well with the patients as well as the doctors.
Especially with my therapist. Not that I even need one or anything.
It was time for my therapy, I sighed in delight. It was my favorite time of the day.
“Good morning Patient #158.”
This irked me, why couldn’t he just call me by my name. I’m a human too and I’ve got feelings just like everyone else.
I chose not to answer to that
“I’ve been doing great today Mr. Johnson how about yourself?”
“I’m quite fine myself thank you. Did you take your morning pills.”
“Yes, I did.”
“Good job.”
I beamed. I was always the kind of person that loved praises.
After 1 hour has passed, it was time to go back to my room and so, I bid farewell to Mr. Johnson.
I still had this feeling of familiarity which I didn’t bother to talk about with him. He would probably just shrug me off, like most therapists.
I got up from my seat and took the exit.
The nurse walked me back to room 158.
***
I sighed and leaned back in my seat. Lilian, my best coworker and nurse, entered the room and leaned against the door.
“So? Any progress?”
“No, she still seems lost.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised, it’s not the first time she’s been here, you know?”
She was right. #158 was already admitted in this asylum before, they released her for a while, thinking she might have recovered from her excessive paranoia. But it seems like she didn’t. Last month, she attempted to murder her neighbor thinking she was stalking her while the poor woman was just trying to help her. This patient went as far as altering her own memories to forget about her past.
Let’s just hope that #158 will be freed from this vicious cycle, one day.
