Dancing with Danger

Ch 5: All Hush Hush

It was time for her daily sharing session. Every patient had to share something good and bad that happened that day. Samantha saw Joey across the room sitting on a small green couch with some other people. She also saw a girl she had previously met.

Her name was Jenny and she was 17. She was here because she was bipolar and had a fancy for alcohol. She was underage but the authorities decided that she was mentally ill and didn't arrest her. Instead she was sent to Oakwood Asylum, where they all now gathered. Samantha was growing to like Jenny. Jenny's room was conveniently located next to Samantha's. The two of them started a friendship immediately. The two girls often tapped on the walls between them and spoke to each other in morse code, so that nobody else would know what they were saying to each other. They'd laugh sometimes and they'd cry sometimes, but nobody knew what about because not an audible word was ever spoken.

"Hey Jenny." Samantha said as she waved to her from across the room. "Hi Samantha." Jenny replied, smiling. "Hey Sam!" Joey shouted. "Hey Joey." She replied with a gentle smile. A nurse spoke into a microphone. "Hello everyone. Now it's social time. Share one good thing and one bad thing about your day with the group. If you share, I'll mark that as progress. If you don't, you won't be penalized, but you'll be asked to share with me next time. Now, go in a circle." She said smiling. As the circle drew nearer to Samantha, she heard many things from many people. Good things ranged from "I didn't throw up today" to "I had a family member visit me". Bad things ranged from "I hate this place and I wish I could get out of here" to "My friend killed himself". It finally got to Samantha. "I hate being here, but I sort of like my new psychiatrist..." She said shyly. She hated talking in front of large crowds, but she didn't really have much of a choice here. Everyone looked at her and she closed her eyes tightly so she couldn't see their unrelenting judgment. As soon as she opened her eyes, they were no longer staring. "Now you all have an hour to calm down and then it's lights out. That was a great session. Thank you all for participating." The nurse said as she dismissed everyone to their desired places.

Joey jumped up and grabbed Samantha's shoulders "Hey!!!" He greeted her and Samantha jumped in response. "Oh.. Hey Joey. What's up?" "Nothing much Sam! I've heard you like your scary psychiatrist. I guess they assigned you perfectly!" Joey laughed. "Yeah, he was really nice to me." Samantha replied. "Nice huh? What did he do that was so nice?" Joey asked with curiosity spread across his entire face. "Don't tell anyone this, but he let me out of my straitjacket..." She whispered. Joey gasped, covering his mouth. "He did what?? That's highly against the rules! They're gonna kill you and fire him!" He whispered with his eyes wide open. "I know. I know. That's why you can't tell anyone! You won't, will you Joey?" Samantha said, looking him right in the eyes. "I can't promise that, Sam. What if you were hurt? I wouldn't know what to do with myself." Joey said, shaking his head. Samantha just walked back to her room. She had enough. This dude doesn't even know her and he's acting like he cares. F*** that. She won't have that. She opened the door to her room and sat on her cot. She thought and thought. Until she felt a beautiful roaring hell inside her that could not die.

"I'm so tired of this world that spins around me, used to make me dizzy. I'm so bored with these boys that hang around me, used to drive me crazy. A little mayhem never hurt anyone. Am I gonna get some? A little bedlam till I'm coming undone. Am I gonna get some?" She sang.

The fire in her heart showed through her eyes as she walked around the room throwing her hands up in the air and placing them on the walls. The nurse came and locked her door. The nurse put Samantha's straitjacket back on. When Samantha had calmed down, she went to sleep.

(Mayhem by Halestorm)