Sarah Paulson Mental Health One-Shots

Our Purpose -Wilhemina Venable

TW: Self harm, mention of abuse

It had been just a few hours in this new unfamiliar place.

Outpost 3.

You were completely terrified of this place. Considering the current state of the world, it was very hard to contain your feelings and thoughts. Everything felt blurry and uneasy. Your only outlet was the library that no one often came into, considering everyone would just gossip and talk of useless things in the recreation room where there was music, drinks and people. But you'd rather be stuck with your books.

It was the only time you could take off the long white lace fingerless gloves that covered your self harm cuts. The gloves were so irritating and itchy but you were stuck with all these people for god knows how long and you didn't want them to find out the truth about who you were. Weak, sad, useless.

You brushed a finger along the spine of the stories that lined the shelves. Your heels patted along the hard wood floor as you scanned the books in search of something to read. Your light purple dress with puffed short sleeves and long skirt, flowed behind you and your curled hair bounced by your shoulders. Your eyes finally settled on "Jane Eyre".

You opened the book and sat on a soft couch, the golden light of the candles illuminated the room, causing a flickering effect in every corner. You began reading the book until you suddenly feel a hand on your shoulder, making you jump. You immediately grabbed your gloves and put them on. Only then did you turn around to see the one and only Wilhemina Venable.

She now had her hand retracted with a confused expression at your sudden urgency to get your gloves on.

"M-Ms.Venable. Can I help you?"

"...Yes. Dinner. You're late."

"Oh. I am so sorry. I lost track of time," you said with wide eyes, standing up and placing your book on the small glass table in front of you, knowing there was no excuse for missing dinner, seeing there was nothing to do.

"...That's alright," she started with a more soft and elegant voice. "Just- don't let it happen again," she continued, returning to her usual stern, cold expression.

She seemed to have a habit of softening up around you but always catches herself and puts on her facade of just being an overall cruel woman. But you've seen a side of her no one sees. Humanity.

You hastily make your way to the door with Wilhemina right behind. Just as you walk out, you feel her gentle hand resting on your back and it stays there until you worked a few steps into the hallway. You look over at her for a moment and she quickly retracted her hand after seeing you glare at her from the corner of her eye.

You finally arrived in the dining room, met by the judging gazes of almost all the other residents of the outpost. You sat beside Emily and Ms. Venable. As Ms. Venable banged her cane on the ground, you all began eating. You picked at your cube for a moment before taking small bites with your fork. You look over and see the woman looking at you once again. As usual, the moment you notice, she acts as if she had never laid eyes on you in her life. Once you were finished, you fidgeted with your fingers and placed your hands in your lap, keeping your gaze fixated on your gloves, thinking of what lays beneath them.

You snapped from your thoughts when the familiar sound of her cane hitting the floor fills your ears once again.

"You are dismissed."

You stand up from your seat, straightening your dress until a voice stops you from making another move.

"Miss y/l/n. Come here a moment."