Like Driving Toward the Morning Sun || Frerard (COMPLETED)

Chapter 15- thou shalt not tease thine friend

This is probably really factually incorrect because I've never personally been to a place like this but, hey, it'll do..

~ NewTraditions

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I had almost forgotten about the mental institute.

But the day came for me to go and I really didn't want to.

Mom dragged me out of bed, saying it was 'only for two days' and that 'if it wasn't the end of the world, it'd be much longer'. Still, I didn't want to go. I was fine. I was better than ever now. I hadn't seen shrink in ages (or what felt like ages) and I didn't need this shit anymore- I never did.

But still, mom pulled me to the car despite my struggling and started driving too fast as I became a panicky mess in the passenger seat.

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It was a smaller building than I'd expected and it looked more like a science lab than a 'suicide camp'.

The walls both outside and in were a shiny white and the odour that you only find in hospitals and dentists leaked outside. You could smell the place before you saw it.

There were few exterior windows- one either side of the huge main doors (which were made of glass) and then only four others at the front of the building, all straight above the ones around the door.

A creepily friendly blue sign with golden brown writing pointed directions of various other rooms on the grounds- lab A, guest car park, dormitories 1,2 and 4.

The place made me feel sick even looking at it, and I tried again to escape mom's grip on my arm as she dragged me inside, but my attempts were futile.

The receptionist smiled sweetly at us. I wanted to punch her. She was more of a stick figure than a human, with horribly straight ginger hair and skin so white she could blend in with the walls. Her voice was sickly sweet, too, and she hung up the phone and passed her attention on to us. "Hello?"

Mom did all the talking. I stood there in silence wishing I could be back home, but that wasn't gonna happen for at least a couple days.

Then I was uncomfortably hugged goodbye from mom and lead by the receptionist to a room that- I guess- was meant to look like a living room. In reality, it had a few battered sofas dotted around and a TV that was as big as me and looked like it was straight from, like, 1985, sat in the corner. "This is the hangout space." The receptionist told me. The name of the room made me cringe internally but I fixed a smile and nodded. I needed them to see I was fine and could go home.

Next, I was taken to an eating space that smelt of school food/overcooked bacon and had two long tables set up. Two women with dirty aprons on were cleaning the tables, and I assumed everyone had just eaten. Again, the receptionist explained in her sickeningly patronising voice where we were (which was obvious) and we left down a corridor, which lead to a stairway and a few doors with names of staff members on them. She then took me up the stairs and into a room with two bunk beds pressed against the walls. "You'll sleep here, okay?"

I nodded.

She smiled, "you share your room with three other people, who you'll meet later."