Asylum Horrors

Blood, Sweat, and Tears

  The guards are now dragging me out of the common room by my hands, and I'm yelling and squirming for them to let me go like I was at the police station, times before. I told myself that if I create more of a commotion, then my punishment may be worse, and then I'd be in a bigger ordeal, so I just stopped while I was ahead. They're still dragging me until we get to a flight of stairs leading to the floor up under where we were now. I was expecting them to sit me upright so I could walk down, but no. I was instead harshly kicked down the stairs, the guards watching me fall. I couldn't breath again, and I could feel bruises coming along my arms, legs, and rib cages.  

  It wasn't until I came to a halt that the guards decided to walk down and drag me again. A few doors down, and I was there in the Boiler Room. It was humid and I still struggled to catch my breath. It was also very bright inside, like a fire was being lit in the floors of the room. There were 2 bathtubs full of water.  

  I was thinking that Sister Josephine had sent me here to clean me up, but I was wrong to believe such things. I was finally helped up, but I didn't dare move or roam around. 

  ''Strip,'' The guard that kicked me down the steps demanded. I was perplexed so I just stood there, back away from them, hoping I was in a bad dream and that it would all end. ''Do I have to say it again patient? Strip,'' I hesitantly and slowly pulled of the hospital gown and let it fall to the ground. To my surprise, I wasn't wearing anything further. Someone must have removed my bra and undergarments when I was sedated. ''Get in the tub,'' He pointed to the tub on the far left. It's sides were stained with something unidentifiable. Blood or dirt. I slowly walked to the tub and stepped in. ''Sit down.'' he again ordered.
 
  I did it with no stammer. The water was ice cold, and I bit my tongue to keep myself from screaming. The guard walked to a large control panel in which he clicked the same up arrow. He also got 2 short pieces of rope. In my mind, I prayed that I wasn't going to be raped in this room.  

  He came back and tied my hands to a little placement embedded into the tubs. I didn't dare say a word. I kept praying to myself. To my surprise, the guards left me. All alone. 

  ''How am I supposed to take a bath with my hands tied up?'' I thought to myself. I pushed past all of my worries and relaxed. Glad to be alone in the water, even though it was cold. After a few minutes, the water started to get warmer, and warmer until it got hot and hotter and hotter. The water started to boil and I felt my skin getting red, my blood boiling. 

   I squinted over to the control furnace where the guard was. On that furnace was the number, 240. He heated the water to 240 degrees. I was surely to boil to death. My vision was getting blurry, my skin becoming numb, and my breathing becoming shallow. 

   I was dying. Finally, I blacked out. I was suddenly awoken by a jab to my neck. 'Wake up. Put these on.'' My vision was slowly coming back, and I could piece together that the guard was back. He dropped a pile of fabric to the ground and untied me. My skin was lobster red and tight, like I got a sunburn. I got out of the water and quickly put on someones old underwear and a new, clean, beige gown. When I was done, the guards grasped my wrists again where the burns were worst. I whimpered in pain. They pushed me out the door, back up the stairs, and to Sister Josephine's office. The guard that watched me fall down the stairs lightly knocked on the door. ''Sister, the one you wanted is here.'' There was a short pause and she spoke.

  ''Bring her in. Just her,'' They finally let me go, and I walked in, quietly standing in front of the door in case of quick exiting. ''Sit,'' Sister said hastily. I walked to the chair I was in before and sat down. ''You got in a fight today with a patient, am I correct?''

  ''Yes mam.''

  ''Breaking rules on the first day in eh? There are consequences for broken acquisitions,'' She got up and went over to a shelf where the group of belts and whips where. She picked up a long, skinny, black leather whip, and cracked it in her hand. ''Stand up child. Bend forward and pull down your knickers.'' 

  ''What!'' i yelled. 

  ''I said, stand up, bend forward, and pull down your knickers. My name is not what, It's Sister Josephine, and if you don't do as you are ordered, you will get a hell of a lot more pain that you will now? Do you understand me,'' She was serious. This was my punishment. I slowly got up and pulled my underwear down to the separator between my buttocks and thigh. ''i am doing this because in this place, you need to toughen up before the devil takes over your soul. You will not be soft like those heathens and sinners out there, dating there own brothers or sisters,'' And with that, she beat me with that belt, one swipe at a time. I lost count after 20 strokes, but I knew that I was bleeding, and that these welts were too deep and would probably never heal. ''Pull up your pants girl and leave my office. Go straight to your ward. There will be room checks tonight, and if you're not there or caught with something, consequences will be much more painful.'' She turned around and put that belt back on the shelf, and as she was doing that, I quickly limped out of the room and to my room, tears and sweat running down my face, and blood staining the backs of my underwear.