MENTAL LOVE

Memories

A decade later, standing outside the familiar walls of the mental hospital stirred haunting memories, yet now, I return not as a patient, but as an employee, ready to confront the past from a different perspective.

Oh, I'm sure you're all just dying to know how someone like me landed this job, given my, ahem, colorful history. Well, it's quite simple, really. I just casually acquired a fake ID, some forged documents, and voila! Here I am. Easy as pie, right.

I wish life were that simple for all of us. It took me nearly two years of relentless effort just to get to where I am now.

As I stepped into the building, the first thing that assaulted my senses were the patients' cries, varying in intensity from one to another, echoing through the corridors.

I was well aware of what was happening; a glance at my wrist confirmed it was 2:30, the time when they would compel us to take our pills by force. It revolted me to witness how they treated us, pinning us down like animals, coercing us to swallow the medication even as tears streamed down our faces.

I continued my walk until I reached the main office. It had been a decade since I set foot in that room, the last encounter I had was with Doctor Smith, who was 65 at the time. I pondered that he might have passed away by now, and an unexpected smile tugged at my lips at the thought.

My smile vanished instantly as I stood face to face with Doctor Smith. I couldn't believe he was still alive; pushing 80, I wondered what on earth he was eating to defy the odds like that.

"You must be the new counselor," Dr. Smith remarked in a hushed tone. "Oh, yes," I replied, masking my voice with an artificially sweet tone, determined to keep my true identity concealed from him.

After enduring what felt like an eternity of a 20-minute conversation, it seemed his focus was less on explaining the rules of this place and more on how he turned this hellhole into something. It was like a guided tour of his personal conquests rather than a briefing on what to expect here.

"Before you leave, I didn't quite catch your name," Doctor Smith queried. "Charlotte Rose," I answered politely before making a swift exit from his office, leaving no room for further conversation.

After my long walk, I arrived at my patient's door. I unlocked it, entered, and closed it firmly. The room remained shrouded in darkness, lit only by a faint glow peeking through the cream-colored window, covered by a menacing black curtain. "Hello, Charles," I greeted with an unsettling smile. "I'm your new counselor." I added, "But two can play this game," yet instead of faltering, his twisted grin expanded, intensifying the eerie atmosphere between us.
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Hey everyone, I hope you liked it! I'll try to upload more often. Feel free to leave comments on how I can make the story better.