𝟸𝟾 ᴅᴀʏs (hiatus)

𝟕.

"𝙾𝚞𝚛 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍,

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚢.

𝚒𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚏𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚑𝚒𝚌 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕,

𝚆𝚑𝚢 𝚍𝚘 𝙸 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎?"

—

D-1

"So, Adelaide, are you ready to go meet Miss Debonair?" Miss Katherine asked, combing my hair into an elaborate braid. It looked pretty.

"Yes, but you still have not told me what my program entails." I pressed, fiddling with a flower that Jonathan gave me this morning.

The daisy looked gorgeous, it's quite unfortunate that it would wilt in a few hours.

"That is what Miss Debonair is here for darling." Miss Katherine started off with a nervous laugh, "She is your personal psychiatrist, here for you to get better. So, you better get along with her okay?"

"Yes, of course, miss." I replied.

After that, Miss Katherine got a call and was busy with that. Sitting idle must not seem like an option for most, but I was most content with that. Considering the chair was comfortable enough to rest in, I decided to doze off.

After about 10 minutes? I was awoken by the boisterous laugh that erupted out of Miss Katherine. Apparently, her neighbour's dog gave birth and the two women are discussing whether they must take a paternity test or not.

Their gossip is duller than the asylum's walls.

"Miss Katherine?" I called.

"Yes, sweetie?" She responded immediately, asking the other person in line to wait. It was nice of her to answer my call first instead of telling me to hold.

"Can I return to my room? The meeting isn't till an hour if I'm right." I asked.

"Ah, yes, feel free to return to your room. I will come and collect you when it's time." She smiled and dismissed me.

Taking my leave, I twirled the daisy in my fingers and placed it in a vase. I was gathering my things, when Miss Katherine called me out,

"Adelaide, don't mess up your hair." She warned me with a stern look and went back to her gossip, talking loudly.

Manic much?

I took my time walking to my room, contemplating what design would suit each wall as I passed by them and also took the phone out of the dial. For educational purposes of course.

Reaching closer to my corridor, I started picking up sounds. I walked by closer to my room, the sounds started getting closer, and to my dismay, it was indeed from my room.

The impulsive part of my brain urged me to barge in, but I did not. And I took that decision after hearing muffled arguments. Alas, the impulsive side did end up winning and I opened the door, only to find Jonathan and Charles wrestling on the floor.

Both of them were too engrossed in their argument that they failed to realise I was there.

"Oh, you did not! I wanted to say that myself." Jonathan said.

"You should have been quicker then, not my fault you fell asleep." Charles replied, out of breath, trying to tackle Jonathan.

Despite being thoroughly amused by them, I needed to go to my bedroom, and I couldn't do that when these two happened to block the entrance. I cleared my throat.

That did not deter them from their fight. So, I cleared my throat twice, it seemed to have no effect either. And so I went on a coughing fit, and that, thankfully broke them out of their fight.

I wished I had a camera to capture this moment. Both of them looked as though they were accused of the most heinous crime, shock and disbelief etching each crevice of their face.

"Are you two done here? Either way, it would be nice of you to move a little, you're blocking my way." I said.

Without a word, both of them instantly got up and moved to the side making way for me.

"Thank you." I said with a smile and went to sleep, not realising the crisis I had put the two through. Oh well.

"Did we just-", "Yeah." The two looked at each other, eyes wide and blinking rapidly, trying to comprehend the situation.

A while later, I woke up due to a knock on my door. I was reluctant to get up but I remembered my meeting. Hastily, I got out of bed, not bothering to look at myself in the mirror and opened the door.

"Hello, miss. I'm sorry, I fell asleep." I said apologetically, withholding a yawn.

She simply pulled me by my arm and began fixing my hair, murmuring about my impudence. I stood there awkwardly as she fixed my hair, listening to her ramblings, as usual.

"Now, you will go to that meeting on your own, I will wait outside. Mind you, you will be given sedatives before the meeting begins." As she said that, she injected me.

"Sedatives, again?" I ask.

"It's a low dosage. You will be aware throughout the program. It is just to make you a little drowsy, to dull the pain, that's it." She said hastily, ushering me in the direction of the hall, where the program was to be held.

As each second grew, my steps began faltering, indicating that the sedatives began kicking in. A little while later, my vision started blurring out as well. Since she mentioned it was a low dosage, I assumed she used a high-power sedative, and kept quiet. In a few minutes, Miss Katherine was supporting all my weight.

"We are here, darling" She said, as we stood before a room. Looked similar to all the other rooms, but it was deep brown in colour. It made it stand out. A plaque was also on the door, but it wasn't clearly visible due to the sedatives' effect.

She made me sit down and gave me a cup of water while waiting for me to regain a little focus.

"You have to be good in there, okay? You will make it through. I know so." She said and placed a gentle kiss on my temple.

I was thoroughly confused. It was a simple counselling session, was it not? Then why all the sedatives and reassurances? Yet I felt comfortable beside Miss Katherine then, her words giving me assurance, for something I am about to go through.

I really wish I was left in the dark, as usual.

I was confused even more when she pulled me into a hug, gently whispering in my ears,

"Do not dare reveal I gave you sedatives. If you stumble, please say you were asleep. Do not reveal it darling."

Her concerned tone made me nod along, unknowingly, of course.

Thanks for reading!

-persii