drowning ➶ larry

Prologue

Three Years Ago

"Don't worry Lou, it's just for a couple of days." His mum tried to reassure him, but even she knew it would be longer than that.

"But why do I have to go mum?"

"You're sick baby. They're just going to help you." she replies. Louis was only fourteen. The start of his freshman year was in three days and his mother, Jayy knew he wasn't going to be here for it.

She felt for her only son, she did. But he needed help. Psychiatric help.  Jayy's husband, Daniel came down with a grim expression.

"Ready?" he asks solemnly and Jayy chokes back tears.

"What's the name of the place we're going mum?" Louis asks as they walk out.

"Um, Arnold Lodge." Jayy answers as they seat themselves into their small beat up red car.

Jayy waved to their girls saying that she'll be home soon and waving to the babysitter.

They drive off in silence.

"Mum?" Louis utters leaning forward in his seat.

"Yes sweetie?" she asks.

"Jace says the place we're going to isn't a good place. He says they're going to get rid of him. They wouldn't do that, would they? Jace is my friend mum." Daniel turns to look at Jayy with a sad face.

"No sweetie. They won't take him away." Jayy looks out the window, tears streaming freely down her face.

"Don't cry mum. Like you said. It will only be for a couple of days." Louis tries to reassure her but it just makes her cry even more. Daniel leans over and rubs her shoulder, the other hand on the steering wheel.

"It's going to be alright." he whispers and she nods wiping away the tears. They drove in silence after that. The only noise was the thrumming of the engine and Louis whispering to someone who wasn't there.

****

The ride took over an hour but they eventually reached Leicester. Louis was staring out of the window watching the trees zoom by. The city was mostly old buildings and countryside.

"Are we almost there yet?" the teenager asked for the twentieth time.

"Yes Lou. Just a couple more minutes." Jayy replied. After a couple more blocks they turned into a parking lot.

There was a building, brown and rotting with age. There was a sign at the entrance that read, Arnold Lodge. Louis stared with wide eyes.

"This is it?" he asks but his parents don't answer. They park nearest to the entrance and step out.

"Mum...I-I don't think I wanna stay here." Louis stutters.

"I'm sorry baby. It's only for a while. I promise we'll visit." Jayy whispers pulling him into a bone crushing hug, "Come on."

She pulls him to the entrance where a man in a scrubs meets them behind a counter.

"How can I help you?" he asks. He wasn't smiling. He looked bored...and annoyed.

"Um...we have a spot reserved. Under the name Louis Tomlinson." Daniel speaks up. The man looks into his computer typing something in.

"Ah. Louis Tomlinson." he looks at Louis, "That must be you eh?"

Louis nods looking around at the plain corridor.

"Well we have to do some things before we get you situated." he says walking around the counter.

"Like what?" Louis questions.

"We have to get you some clothes and shoes. Do some tests. Nothing to serious."

"What's wrong with my clothes?" Louis asks, looking down at his plain black shirt and jeans.

"Everyone here has a sort of uniform."

"Like prison?"

"No not at all. Now follow me. I'll have him back in a few minutes." the man says walking down the corridor not checking to see if the younger lad was following or not.

He walked into a room and came back out with a blue jumpsuit and a pair of socks. He leads Louis to a bathroom and hands him the clothes.

"Change into this. Keep your shoes off." he says. Louis takes the clothes and walks into the single bathroom. He puts on the jumpsuit quickly and slips on the socks.

He meets the man outside and the older lad takes the clothes.

"I can't keep my shoes?" Louis asks and the man shakes his head.

"Sorry kid. Its the rules." he says as he leads him into another room.

This room smelled of medicine and bleach. Louis almost gagged.

"Okay so I'm gonna take some blood." he says as he grabs a needle and some cotton. Louis nods and holds out his arm.

He hated shots. He looked away as he did it and when it was over he breathed out in relief.

The man asks him questions like, what he's doing here, has he ever harmed himself, and other things.

Louis answered as truthfully as he could but overall he just felt uncomfortable. After the interrogation, the man lead him back to the front of the building where his parents were.

"Okay. We're done." the man says. Jayy looked at her son with teary eyes.

"Say your goodbyes. Visits are on Wednesday and Fridays from three to six." he says with a bored voice.

Jayy nods and hugs Louis.

"We'll try and visit as much as we can Lou." she mumbles.

"But I thought I was only going to be here for a couple days." Louis whispers.

"Sorry kid. A bit longer than that. The least your staying here is a couple months." The man says and Louis gapes at him.

"Months? Mum?" Jayy looks at him with tears streaming down her face.

"I'm so sorry baby." she says. Daniel patted him on the shoulder.

"You'll get through this." he says.

"No...don't leave me here. Please I'm fine! Mum please! I don't wanna stay!" Louis cries holding on to his mum for dear life. She pulls away from him, kisses him on his cheek.

"I love you." she whispers and runs out the door. Daniel gives him one last sad look before following Jayy.

"Welcome to Arnold Lodge kid."

A/N: SO THIS IS THE PROLOGUE.

HOPE YOU LIKED IT :)

I'LL UPDATE AS MUCH AS I CAN