MADHOUSE || PJM

#1

the sun shone brightly through the windows, warming my skin. i watch as the birds fly through the beautiful blue sky, and i can't help but wish i was free as those birds. i sigh, resting my chin on my hand as i get lost looking outside.

"miss y/n."

at the mention of my name i look back to the front, realizing that the teacher is standing right across from me, her arms crossed over her chest.

"do you think birds are more interesting than my class?"

yes, but i don't want any problems. "i'm sorry, it wasn't my intention to be disrespectful in any way."

she nods, still not looking very happy, but turns around to the board.

you might think this place is a normal college, but this place is far from normal.

this college is a psychiatric institution/hospital that has, in its majority, young patients that suffer from some type of psychological disorder. we live here until we are well enough to leave and live our normal lives again.

the three levels of this building are categorized by levels of disorder, starting from light, medium and severe.

the first level patients, like me, can attend a few normal classes to prevent us from falling behind academically and to make us think that we are normal.

but the truth is, everyone here is a little mad. everyone has their own madness, the one they have to live with and learn how to control. so instead of a psychiatric institution/hospital, i like to call this place.. a madhouse.

i didn't even know a place like this existed until my grandparents proposed me to come here, last month.

my parents are no longer here. they were violently murdered two months ago. just thinking about it causes me nausea.

i was there when everything happened, but i can't remember clearly that horrible night, everything is so blurry in my mind as i think of it.

i only remember their screams, blood.. and the hideous sight of them lying dead in our living room. after that, i woke up at the police station.

the murderer killed them expect me. the police told me the murderer was a serial killer who had already killed families before mine, and that they were trying so hard to find him.

they said i was very lucky to be the only one who survived, but i don't feel fortunate at all.

after that, my grandparents decided to send me here. i think they weren't ready to deal with an 18 year old, diagnosed with a traumatic stress disorder, depression with panic attacks, and with suicidal tendencies.

they feared for my life, and i was sure i reminded them constantly of my parents, i understood their pain.

"y/n.."

a soft voice whispers behind me which causes me to turn around slightly as my thoughts wander out of my busy mind.
it's jihye, the only friend i made until now.

"i need your help with english, i have a test tomorrow."

english is my first language as i grew up in a small city in the us. my family and i lived there until my father made some enemies at work. he was a lawyer, who sent people to jail that probably searched for revenge.

so he decided it was better to move back to korea, where we are originally from.
we bought a beautiful house in the mountains, but only 6 months later, that monstrous killer ended their lives.

"i'll see what i can do to help you. i'll see you after class."

i gave her a fake smile, completely forgetting how my true smile felt.