Tag, You're It

Chapter 27

It took a long time for me to accomplish my goal, but I finally got to the point where I was released from my straps. My next move had to again, wait, but I was eventually able to find a sharp object which I kept hidden at my side. I persuaded doctors and nurses that I was getting better.

Officer Daley was interrogating me once again. He'd tried on several different occasions to get me to talk. I wouldn't speak to him after I'd offered to play the game. But, I finally made the next move and I'd planted the sharp needle that I'd stolen, into his neck, pulling it through his skin and resulting in him crumpling to the floor.

I was content with watching the blood come from his throat.

I was placed under intense watch and the straps were once again applied. My brain was declared insane. I simply laughed when they told me that. I was most definitely not insane. They were insane for thinking I was insane.

I'd been taken to therapeutic sessions of all kinds. Sometimes my family was brought in, but I didn't pay them much mind. I was always trying not to answer their questions. People were quite pushy.

I sighed and tapped my fingers against the table. My hands were handcuffed to the table with a heavy chain, but that was okay. I didn't plan on moving too much anyways. "Now, Ms. Grey-"

"My name is Austen." I grumble.

"Austen, if you just open up, make a little progress, we can soon release you from this-" the shrink in front of me tries. I laugh.

"That's bull crap." I hold her gaze as she sighs and clicks her pen. The action makes me grimace and she notices. I hated the noise of clicking pens ever since I'd killed Officer Daley. "What happened to Alec?" I ask.

"Ms. Grey, I've explained to you.. I-"

"My name is Austen!" I snarl. The shrink flinches away from my volume. I almost feel bad.

"Austen, I've told you. Alec is not of your concern. He's gone and-"

"I'd say he's my concern." I snap. She pauses. I read her name tag. Belinda. Frowning, I twiddle my thumbs together.

"He suffered a deadly shot to the side. It broke his ribs and pierced his internal organs causing catastrophic damage and-"

"Why didn't you come earlier?" I demand, tears brimming my eyes. "It was awful in there."

"What happened?" Belinda asks softly, probably hoping I'd open up since I'd shown weakness. Alec was the only thing that did this to me nowadays. I blink a few times.

"A horrible game." I mutter. Belinda waits for me to explain but I don't. I start muttering about my dreams. "He likes to follow me in my dreams. He'll walk slowly behind me and no matter how hard I run he always gets closer." I shake at the image the words brought me. "Sometimes he just sits across the table and stares at me, other times he engages in a conversation where I can never speak or defend myself. He's very controlling, which I suppose he would have to be if he ran a game like he did." I tap my fingers on the table again, resolved not to say anything about him further.

Belinda looked to be elated with all that I'd said even though I'd told her the same dreams before. I watched as she scribbled hopelessly fast on her clipboard. "Austen, we're here to help you and-"

"Which is why I'm in handcuffs." I say pointedly.

"That's-" Belinda pauses. "That's for your safety."

"You mean your safety. Have you thought that if I just killed myself, you and I would be safe from me? My brain, as you said, is insane. I don't have control of it so I believe we should kill it. It seems logical and I-"