cosmos

denial

phil lester wasn't crazy. at least, he didn't think so. having imaginary friends shouldn't make you crazy. it's not like they told him to murder his entire family. they just kept him company.

but apparently, only little kids are allowed to have imaginary friends. having them at twenty-two makes you a schizo.

phil liked to think of himself as the diamond in the rough at the hospital. everyone else had hurt someone or hurt themselves in some horrible way; phil just murmured things to his friends.

his ears perked up upon hearing of a new patient coming. "his parents beat him into insanity," the doctors would whisper. "they're not even going to court for it."

phil's friends whispered excitedly all at once, making him cover his ears, shaking his head. "shut up, please."

others looked at him worriedly.

he stood up suddenly, and a few doctors rushed to him, asking what he was doing.

"i'm going to my room," he blurted, staring at his feet.

"but-but social time isn't over yet, philip," the female said in her sickly sweet tone.

"i don't care," he shouted. "robert wants to go back and i need to water my plants, s-so i'm going back."

he pushed past the doctors, speed walking to his room and closing the door behind him. he looked out the large window that his succulents sat in front of. he shuffled over, grabbing his water canister and pouring some into the pots. "i wish the windows didn't have bars on them," he said aloud, tapping at the iron with one of his calloused fingers.

robert manifested beside him. "it's for the best, really. no one wants any of the crackers escaping."

"but i'm not a cracker!" he exclaimed. "i don't even need to be here!"

robert shrugged. "just in case, i guess."

phil hmphed. robert was his favourite (god forbid the others find out), but my god, he really knew how to annoy the living hell out of phil. maybe that's why he was his favourite? phil giggled, shaking his head. who knows.

a sharp scream erupted from the halls, making phil duck down, hiding his ears. his breathing became erratic as the screams got closer and louder; he could hear other patients panicking as well.

phil's other friends appeared as well, murmuring to themselves as they looked through the tiny window in the door. they blocked phil's view.

the screams suddenly grew silent, as did the voices of his friends. phil removed his hands from his ears and stood up. he could hear the wails of other patients in the lounge area and shook his head. pussies.

"who was that?" phil asked.

alexis turned to him, her white eyes bright with excitement. "daniel's here."