Sub Zero

Chapter Twenty

"How are you today, Dear?" Dr. Collins asks. Out of all of the  therapists, he's my favorite. "What do you think?" I mutter. He frowns. "Good, I hope. You seem to be doing well." I laugh.
"Why do you think that?"

Instead of replying, he leans in close to the gurney in which I lie on. "I don't think that you're crazy." My eyes widen, but I smirk. "Of course not. I don't even know why I'm here." He sighs. "Crystal, you're obsessed with an imaginary boy. That's why you're here." I keep myself from reaching up and smacking him. Instead, I laugh again. It echoes off of the white walls, and I immediately get quiet as I realize that I sound like a true lunatic.

I roll over on my side. "No, Dr. C. He's as real as me and you. You just can't see him, or hear him. There's no way you can tell he exists. But he's real. He's alive somewhere beyond these walls. At least, I hope he's alive."
"I understand." He sighs. "Well, I do believe that our appointment is over. I'll see you next week, okay?"

I allow myself to nod. I hears him stand from the chair beside me, and walk over to the door. The familiar clicks of the bolts remind me that I am locked in this cell, like some pitiful caged animal.

I stare at the wall for a bit. The cracks and chips seem to become more defined by the day, or for some amount of time. All I know is that when its night, the lights automatically shut off, and the wailing begins. The other patients here seem inhuman when it's dark. They scream and whine and moan like wild animals that have been captured.

Maybe they're like me. They want something more than anything, and they're "crazy" because of it. Maybe, just maybe, they weren't crazy when they first got here. It's the very idea of captivity and loneliness that have driven many of them mad. That, and the fact that the one thing that they would give up anything for has been stripped of them, and they have nothing left.

My life in the Asylum is a never ending cycle of terror. The appointments, the horrifying boredom, and then the dark. Every single day that drags by is another day that my sanity seems to wane. Sometimes I sit in the corner and mutter Finn's name over and over again until I fall asleep and wake up, screaming, from nightmares.

I hear the door's buzzer, but I don't even turn to see when it opens. The squeaking wheels of the food cart gets my attention. They would most likely have to force feed me again today. Their liquified oatmeal and soggy toast are probably the most unappetizing sights in the world.

I finally roll over on my other side and prop myself up on my wobbly elbow. An elderly Japanese lady is smiling at me. "Hello, Dear, remember me?" I nod, then sit up. Something about this lady is warm and kind, like a grandmother. I always enjoy her visits. "Yes, Mrs. Inoue. Glad to see you again." I smile, then bow formally. She laughs. "Kon'nichiwa Ojo awa." She giggles, then bows.

I laugh, a rare thing. She has taken up to calling me, "pale princess", which I understand from the many animes and mangas I've obsessed over. Mrs. Inoue is surprisingly short, gray haired, but has the personality of a lively teen. She's always cheerful and full of life. If I had a grandma, I'd want her to be the one.

She looks me over, then frowns. "You've gotten too skinny. And paler than usual." I nod, then look at the floor, embarrassed. It seems that older ladies appreciate curvy figures, and scold us if we ever put ourselves down about it. Mrs. Inoue is especially strict when it comes to this, despite her own tiny size.

"You need to eat more." She says rhetorically. I nod. "Yes, I know. It's just that the food makes me want to-," I look up, surprised, as I feel her tap on my shoulder. I look up at her inquisitively, but she only pus a finger to her lips. She reaches into her apron, and pulls out an apple. My eyes widen, and my mouth begins to water. I haven't seen real food since I've been here!

She winks, then slips the apple under one of my sheets. "Thank you!" I whisper excitingly. She grins, then nods. "See you later." She says. "Daijoubu arigato!" I call after her. She waves, then closes the door behind her.