Chapter 36:
The corridor stretches for miles.
Fallon's legs feel weak, as the nurses have to use additional strength to walk her down the hallways.
The walls seem stiff. Rough in touch.
Fallon takes a deep breath.
She's trapped in a mental ward.
She can't move her hands without feeling the restriction of the thick, brown straps.
She's never felt so trapped in her entire life.
Her eyes wander to the drawings on the walls, assumed to be by patients.
She sees a stick figure image of two people, a man and a woman, holding hands.
Although, the woman is bleeding, and she has thorns stuck in her neck.
"Our patients always love to express their feelings through their art, although they should know by now not to ruin the walls"
One nurse rubs her fingers against the grey chalk as they walk, having noticed Fallon's stare.
Fallon stays silent.
Her heart is pounding.
It's ready to explode.
She's scared.
They take a left, beginning to walk down a slightly wider corridor.
They've arrived by the patient wards.
Fallon keeps her eyes glued to the ground, as a series of patients walk past, majority also wearing strait-jackets, although some have metal handcuffs gripping their wrists.
"Patients have different accessories, depending on the measure of their disorders, and the extent of the mental state" The nurse explains, as they walk past.
Accessories?
More like prison attachments.
There's a group of women sitting by a large window, chatting and playing cards.
"This is our hangout area, where patients have a certain amount of time to speak to one another, without being in their wards"
Almost instantly, they all look up.
Oh, no.
Fallon brings her eyes to the ground, avoiding eye contact.
Suddenly, one patient begins to scream at her, although she can't seem to be able to interpret her words.
"Inside voices please, Lia" The nurse grunts, rolling her eyes.
The woman stands up, attempting to strudge over to them, but her legs are strapped with ankle chains.
Her face scrunches with confusion, as if she didn't know. She sits back down.
Fallon inhales deeply.
Thank God.
From behind, she feels a hand comb her hair with their fingers. She instantly turns around, the static in her head ringing in fear.
The patient grins. "I like your hair"
It's a young girl.
Early twenties, Fallon guesses.
Way too early to lose their sanity.
Her eyes are big, full of life.
Although her blonde hair has turned slightly grey due to lack of wash, she still smells like sweet cinnamon apple.
YOU ARE READING
The Darkness Within
Mystery / ThrillerIt's late. Very late. Sweat oozes from her skin as she strolls through the dark alleyway. She's weird. Unusual. Traumatised by her husband's death, she struggles to ignore his continuous hammering memories that float through her mind. His smile...
