The Puppet of Adelise

Chapter 1 Conforming

Okay, get ready for some weirdness. You may be slightly suprised. Try not to be offended!

Chapter 1

Conforming 

The frigid winter air captures each breath, exposing it. Drawing out it’s differences, and slowly, subtly, conforms it into it’s bleak invisibility.  

My shoes pound against the concrete as I run. I’m nearly a half an hour late by the time I reach Dr. Jones’ office. I jog up the stairs, eyes concentrated on my exposed rapid breathing. 

I open the intimidating large wooden doors and enter the equally intimidating waiting room. The walls and chairs are bleach white, everything, including the people,  just a little to coated with perfection, dripping with it’s false security.  From where I’m standing, you can clearly make out the stains of  recently washed blood near the other doorway. The lady at the check-in center smiles at me politely, but her body tenses at my presence. I smile at her and ask her if Dr. Jones is still here. 

“For the next forty-five minutes,” she replies, nerves thick in her voice, despite attempts to hide it. She doesn’t mention my tardiness, or even my lack of clothing as she points to the bloodstained doorway  

“I know where it is,” I reply a little to quickly, annoyed with her fake hospitality. I walk in without knocking, and greet the doctor casually. Shock crosses his face as he looks me over, but he hides it quickly.

“Hello, Darien, how have things been?” 

 “Not too good, doc.” I liked calling him doc, it reminded me of the cartoons I used to watch when I was little.

“Would you like  to talk about it?”

 “I’d like to not be here.”

He doesn’t seam the slightest bit offended by my response as he nods towards the leather love-seat across from himself and suggest I sit down. I explain my outfit as I do so. “I woke up late,” I say, as I look down at my pajamas, my bleached white tidy-whities and long socks, “I didn’t have time to get ready.”

“Does that happen a lot?”

“No, only when Addy forgets to wake me.” I smile thinking about Adelise, my wife. She really is perfect. Even when she forgets to wake me up.

Jones looks at me with pity, I don’t think he’s very fond of Addy. “Does Adelise come by very often, anymore?”

“She moved back in.” I reply through my growing smile. It was nice having her back. 

 “Oh… I see,” He hesitates, looking a little more disappointed than to my liking. “Has there been any incidents recently?”

“Only one, Doc, seriously, only one this time.“ I deafened. “And this wasn’t even my fault, you gotta understand, Jones. Someone bumped right past Addy when we were at the diner, he didn’t even bother to apologize. And when I told that little prick what he’d done, he just laughed like it was somehow funny to him.” 

“Did you,” Jones pause for a moment, gathering his thoughts, “How did you respond?”

 “Well, I couldn’t just let him walk out of there, Jones, I mean, come on, you really just expect me to let that asshole go after that?”

“So you two started fighting?” He suggested.

“Nope, I remembered what you’d told me doc!” I beamed at him. “I mean, I threw my drink at him, I couldn’t just let it go, Doc. You know that! Had to defend, Adelise, Jones! That’s it, though! I just walked away.”

He seemed in thought, as he smiled faintly. He shook his head, trying to suppress his smirk. Once he collected himself, he simply nodded at me.

We continued to talk about Adelise and how my life was going, and how next time, it was better to be just a few extra minutes late then to only wear my pajamas. I agreed, but I doubt I actually will if the situation ever came up again. 

He gave me one of the facility outfits and suggested I put it on before I left, as to not disturb the peace. I rejected the offer several times before Jones finally hinted that I would have to if I wanted to leave. I put it on resentfully. I had promised myself I’d never where one of these again. 

Finally, he marked my card with a passing stamp and handed it back to me. I smiled at him as we said our goodbyes and  I left the room. I rolled my eyes when my back was to him. 

I stopped at the check-in center to talk to the overly fake, dark skinned woman behind the counter. I handed her my card and we traded casual remarks as she logged Jones’ reports into the computer. I was excited to get another day on my own. “We’ll see you tomorrow, then?” She said as I was leaving.

“Six A.M” I reassured.