Cassius opened his eyes, taking in the cold plain room he was locked in. He sat up and stretched his tired limbs. Moving his legs to the side of the bed, he searched through the covers of the bed for his phone. When he received it, he noticed it was 11:52 AM. He usually never woke up around this time but since his mom sedated him last night, it was a longer effect.
He unlocked his phone and searched through his contacts for the only number that mattered at the moment. He composed a text to the person. The red heart.
@ 11:54 AM
Hey sorry I didn't get to come say goodbye yesterday but some shit happened. Call me. I want to see you today.
He stood up, slipping on a buttoned up shirt and some jeans. He sprayed on some cologne then went into the adjacent bathroom. Cassius shaved some unruly facial hair, keeping his goatee. He brushed his teeth and washed his face. Slipping on some shoes, he walked to the door.
He turned the doorknob to no avail. Smirking, Cassius used more force with twisting the knob but it wouldn't budge. He wiggled it, shook it, pulled, pushed. The door wouldn't open. He brought his fist to the door, banged.
Footsteps were heard, stopping at the door. "C man? You up?"
"Ryan.... why is this door locked? I thought y'all said y'all wasn't doing that shit anymore." His voice sounded broken.
His family had been sedating him when he went into manic episodes all his life. It would temporarily knock him out so when he awoke he would be brought back into reality. When he lost sight of what reality was, is when Laura and Josiah realized their child was more than a diagnosed bipolar 1 patient with sociopathic behavior. He was far worse.
"Your dad just wanted extra precaution.. I'll go get the key."
The footsteps were heard again, walking away. Cassius sighed, his breathing intensified. He hated not having control and right now, he wasn't controlling the situation. A key was heard jingling then pushed inside the hole. He watched the knob turn and open.
Ryan stood, dangling the key chain on his finger. He dapped Cassius and he pulled him into a manly hug. "What's up bro? How are you feeling? Better?"
"Yeah."
"Is your mind clear?"
"Yeah." Cassius continued to keep it short and sweet as they strolled through the humongous house he had bought his parents.
"Hearing those voices?"
"I don't hear voices Ryan."
"Well nigga you hear something."
He didn't answer as they reached the dining room. His mother and father on both sides of the long table. Two plates of bacon, homemade biscuits and grits sat in the middle. Laura jumped up from her chair and hugged her son, kissing his forehead. "Oh baby, I love you!"
"Love you too mama." Cassius grinned and sat down in front of a plate, digging in.
Ryan followed suit beside him. "Damn- I mean, dang Ma this food good."
Cassius laughed, biting into a biscuit when he caught his father staring at him blankly. Those blue eyes that he genetically received from his father bore back at him.
Josiah swallowed in a deep breath, wiping his mouth on a napkin and kept his eyes on his son. "You look just like your grandfather." He analyzed.
Clenching his jaw, Cassius heard this many times. He knew he looked like his grandfather. He'd seen pictures. Even as twins, Cassius looked more like their grandfather than Chandler. Maybe it was how deeper the blue in Cassius's irises were. Or how more prominent his freckles are. Or the cold frown he always wore. Or how taller and more buff he was.
