Sinister Stories

A Smiling Happy Face

By the time I woke up, there either was no one in or they had gone out. I had no lectures for the morning but I had forced myself awake. I had to. 

I considered taking a shower. 

But I didn't. 

I considered having some breakfast. 

But I didn't. 

I considered messaging a 'friend' but I didn't. 

To be honest it was just the same as every morning. That horrible feeling. That there was only one thing on my mind. Which made mundane tasks seem worthless. 

Inside my dorm, all I could see was destruction. The mess from the night before or maybe the night before that. I'm not sure. The days and nights all rolled into one. 

Sighing, I pulled out the drawer of clothes. It was once organised. Tops in the first draw, trousers in the second and jackets in the third but as the year went by I kind of just stopped doing it. As with every other useful thing. 

Now most of my clothes were in the basket (which should really have been washed) or the floor… or in the bed for some reason. 

I really had to get it tidied but I could never bring myself to do it. 

I didn't find any clean trousers so a pair from yesterday would have to do. And the top didn't seem much better. Hopefully it wouldn't matter. Where I was headed that morning, I'm sure they'd understand. 

Getting swiftly changed, I grabbed my keys about to head out.  As I did.  The communal door opened.  

It was one of the guys from my flat and his mate. 

I instantly wish I had left sooner. Or stayed in bed as usual. 

My head dropped.  

"Hey man!" My roommate taunted me. Grabbing my shoulder forcing me into his beefy chest, "what are you looking so sad for?"

His friend chuckled. His childish nature kicked in, "wait, is this the guy that's so depressing no one wants to be near him?" 

My roommate playfully covered my ears but I could still hear his remarks "don't say that.  He'll try to kill himself again!" 

"Get off" I whimpered. 

Forcing my way out from the choke hold, I made my way out the building in a hurry. 

They laughed as I fled. 

It made it even more clear than before. 

I needed to go today.

It wasn't far. Ten minutes or so. When I got to the door. It wouldn't open. 

I thought maybe it was push not pull. But that didn't work either. I was getting worked up. I was here for help and it was causing me stress before I could even get in the building. 

Looking up, I saw a receptionist.  I knocked lightly on the glass of the door. And tried to smile. They looked up and grimaced almost before looking away. 

Were they not going to let me in?

I stood baffled for a second. Then knocked again.

They jumped from their seat and stormed to the door. Opening it for me. Nothing was said. Just an evil glare. 

Once they returned to their seat. I found the courage to make my way over. 

Without taking their eyes from the desk, an unamused voice rose, "got an appointment?" 

"Uh. Ye"

Their marron eyes shot to me, "it's yes or no love. Not uh… uh…"

"Yes." I awkwardly responded.

"Name?"

"Briggs."

"Your full name," they growled. 

"Sorry uh, um I mean." I took a second. And gulped, "Annan brings. I have an appointment"

They nodded. "It's over there" 

Uncertain of what was meant. I looked over. They had pointed to a standing computer type thing. Not a room. 

"Sorry" I began, "I'm here to see a Councillor?" 

"That's it there."

"But it's a computer"

They leant back in their seat, "Mr bigs if u want help-"

"It's briggs"

They scowled. I quickly apologised for interrupting. 

"If you want help, I suggest you go to the computer. It's a questionnaire to assess you before you get seen. Now scram"

Hastily, I made my way over.

I wasn't exactly expecting to have to do some kind of quiz. I just thought I would walk into a room and sit and feel too uncomfortable to open up about my feelings. So maybe this was easier?

There was a set of statements. 

1 to 5. 

Main problems people deal with. It told me to click the one I found most revenant 

'I am thinking of killing myself'

 20 questions followed. 

Ranging from 'were you abused as a kid?' to 'are you being bullied now?'

With all my honesty, I answered all 20. 

An end screen came up. 

'Hey Annan. I'm really sorry that you feel this way. Your life is worth living. Even if sometimes things get hard. We are here to help you'

As I read on down the page. 

My eyes stopped being able to focus. 

I rubbed them. And rubbed them. 

It was as if I was crying and couldn't defog my vision. It kept on. But as I rubbed. It burned as if I was using a hot chilli to clean them. 

I screamed out in panic. 

"Be quiet!" The receptionist blurred. "This is what you wanted. Wasn't it?"

I turned around. Falling straight to the floor. My hands and feet were red hot as if I was standing in fire. 

"What? No I… I just wanted help!" 

I couldn't make it to my feet again. I struggled to even get up onto my hands. Soon enough the pain was too much. I fell flat on my face. 

I could hear electronic wiring. 

Like something was rebooting. 

My eyes were still unsteady but I turned to the noise. To the computer. 

There was an electronic face on the screen where the quiz had been. It was smiling and blinking. Looking at me. 

From beneath the computer, from the cabinet it stood on, shit two steel structures. On the end of both were things that resembled hands. 

It came to grab me. 

"You picked the wrong option, Briggs," the receptionist grinned. 

The hands covered my mouth. The metal frames grabbed my body like I was a tortilla wrap. My entire body was red hot and sweat was dripping to the floor.

It pulled me into the computer frame. 

As it contorted my body to fit inside, I saw the screen one final time…

As my body was compressed inside like a tin can. 

The screen displayed a face. A smiling happy face….