To Win a Painter's Heart

To Save Him

P.O.V Dr. Fielding

His cries and wails of sadness echo around the room. Then he went still, eyes wide as if he was experiencing extreme terror. Suddenly, he screamed in pain. His blue eyes were wildly looking around at something I couldn't see. Eyes empty. Then slowly his shuddering sobs stopped and he whispered, "Can I trust you?" This was the first time he had spoken the entire time he had been here. Why would he not be able to trust me?

My eyes widened as I replied, "Of course you can!" looking up at the tear stained face, immediately deciding that he was in dire need of tea. I neatly stood and walked over to the shelves on the right side of the room, ignoring the confused look he gave me.

I brought down the biggest mug I had and filled it with piping hot water. I pulled down a bag of loose chai down from the shelf, poured a fair amount into a tea clasp and put it into the boiling water, creating a very heavy, sweet aroma. I walked back over to where he was sitting in the red fluffy arm chair. I handed him the steamy cup. He cautiously smelled the tea, sighing at the smell.

I sat back down in my chair across from him. He was absorbed in smelling his tea that I startled him when I said, "Why wouldn't you be able to trust me, Alec'zander?" I asked as gently as I could.

His response comes quickly, "To answer your question your predecessors were the ones that put me in this facility." His british accent became more prominent as he spoke, shocking me and allowing me to wonder about his age. What does he mean, he could only be 20. How could he have possibly met my predecessors?

"The reason I am here is because 189 years ago I was limited to a mental institution in England, than for those 189 years I have been "treated," in those years I have died 28 times. Your predecessors were the ones who killed me." shocking me yet again. Can he be telling me that he is immortal? Somehow, I could tell he was telling the truth. I have to get him out of here. Just then, a plan popped into my head. Suddenly, I found myself yelling, "That's impossible! Security!" I could see the shock and hurt in his eyes. I wanted to go over and whisper in his ears that it would be alright but I couldn't while the guards were standing there.

They stood there patiently waiting for their orders. This time I didn't yell but spoke in a commanding tone, "Take this one to his room and put him in a straight jacket. He is at risk of hurting himself. Sedate him as well!" They nodded. They started to walk over but I held up my hand. They stopped. I walked over to where Alec'zander was now standing, shocked.

I gently wrapped my arms around him. One of the security approached with me with a small syringe. I held him tenderly, pulling out one of his arms sliding the needle into his vein. I pushed down the plunger, watching as the liquid slowly entered his veins. He thrashed violently in my arms, struggling to get away. I leaned down and whispered, "Hush now, please don't struggle, I don't want to hurt you," to ease his struggles and help calm him. I could see that he was fading rapidly and ducked down once again to whisper, "I do believe you and will get you out of this mess." His eyes widened in wonder, but then he was gone.

I watched as the guards sat him in the chair and pulled out a straight jacket. They let me put it on him. Sliding the horrid thing over his slender arms was one of the most painful things I have ever had to do. Then, they picked up his limp body and carried him out of the room and back to his. I followed them down the empty corridors, the quietness almost suffocating. They stopped at a small room at the end of the second hallway. They opened the door, showing me the many canvases stacked on the floor, one on top of another. The bright paintings were very different, to say the least. In one corner of the room, a painting caught my attention. It was of a man, hanging from a rope, the only one that seemed to be slightly normal, in a very distorted way.

The Security personnel set him on the bed and stepped out of the room, I followed closely behind them, listening to the click of the door being locked. I would have to ask for more appointment time to help us plan the escape. When I ask for more time, I could say we have had a major breakthrough. My mind was working a mile per minute as I walked back to my room. The only important thought was 'I need to save him.'