Mangled (A NateWantsToBattle/NateMare story)

Seven

*Small Trigger Warning during beginning of chapter*

My dad put me in a wheelchair and wheeled me over to Nate's room, which was in a more isolated area of the hospital where criminals are usually kept when they recover at the hospital.

As I entered the room, I noticed a completely different person sitting up on the hospital bed. He didn't have the crazy eye shadow and the blue streaks on his face anymore. He looked completely normal.

I was more nervous now of seeing his actual face.

I then noticed chains on both of his arms, along with bandages around his wrists.

"He tried to escape by cutting his wrists on the edge of the handcuffs." My dad whispered to me. "But then he stopped after we gave him bigger restraints."

I nodded. My dad then left me alone and waited out in the hall.

Nate then looked up at me, a serious look on his face.

"What are you doing here?" Nate asked.
"I wanted to see you." I responded.
"Why?" Nate asked. "Why would you want to visit the man who almost murdered you?"
"Because I know it's not your fault." I responded.

Nate then suddenly grew emotional and tears fell down his face.

"I killed Mat, didn't I?" He sobbed.
"He's in emergency surgery right now." I responded. "We're not sure."
"I didn't mean to..." He continued to sob. "The voices in my head were telling me to shoot him. I tried so hard to resist but I found myself pointing the gun and shooting at him anyways."
"Sometimes you can't control those things." I said.
"How the hell would you know that?" Nate asked. "You don't go through the same thing I do!"
"I know I don't..." I responded. "But my dad has faced people like you, who have mental problems and disabilities, so he knows from experience and tells me."
Nate still continued to sob, "I swear, if Mat dies I'll never be able to live with myself. I still love him."
"I know you do." I responded.
"But does he still love me?" Nate asked.
"I'm sure he does." I assured him. "He only told you those things before you shot him to get you to surrender and do the right thing."
"I wish I had done that..." Nate sighed.
"It's done and over with now." I assured him. "And you're going to get help."
"But at what cost?" Nate asked. "Mat possibly losing his life?"

I didn't say anything, I only shrugged my shoulders.

The two of us stayed quiet when suddenly, I could hear Nate mumble a song to himself.

Now there's a genocide
The monster inside
The voices in your head...
They're telling you to wash away
The crimson stains
To leave us all for dead...

He then looked at me with concern, as if I shouldn't have listened to him sing. His singing wasn't bad either, it was actually really good.

"You heard that?" Nate asked.
I nodded, "What song is it?"
"It's a song I made myself..." Nate responded. "While I was in the mental institution and after Mat and I escaped, I just made a whole bunch of songs about how I felt."

Nate then sighed and looked back up at me.

"I need my journal." Nate continued. "It's where I write down my songs."
"Where is it?" I asked.
"It's in the den, where I kept you and Mat." Nate responded.
"I can see if my dad can get it for you." I responded.
"Thank you." He responded.

I then began to hear the calmness in his voice that he didn't have this entire time. It made me feel like we were suddenly just have a normal conversation. It felt weird, but at the same time, I actually watched it.

I then had my dad come and wheel me out of the room and take me back to my room. I told him about the journal and he told me he would have one of the officers go and search for it.
---
After a few hours, with Raven and my mother stopping by every so often, my dad finally came in with a small book in his hand.

It was Nate's journal.

"I think you should take a look at this." He told me.

He then gave me the journal. I hesitated, but then finally opened it.

2/1/15- Day 1 in asylum

Its been years
Since I've seen a face round here
I was broken and alone
In the hell I call my home

I then turned to the next page

2/6/15- Can't sleep

We want to fly but our souls are trapped inside
It's not a game
Not to blame
We're forced to hide
Just sleep... just dream
It's only a NIGHTMARE and soon we'll be set free
---
2/14/15- I found someone who finally cares about me

They can call us heartless
Hollow vessels of what we used to be
Don't you forget about me
I'll commit this to your memory
To say that we're nobodies
Only shadows were meant to fade
But I can't believe that it's true
You're a memory I can't lose
I'll hold onto you

I continued flipping through the pages until I came to the most recent one. Which was from a few days ago, where he first kidnapped me. It had no description or date, just the lyrics.

We're back. Revamped.
The madness never ends
We're not alone
This time we've brought some friends...

I couldn't help but think that song was about me when he first brought me into the underground cellar.

Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted by my dad.

"Does any of that look familiar?" My Dad asked.
"No... but he told me these were song lyrics." I said.
"Well, it seems as though they definitely reflect on his life, and it's cleverly written." My Dad explained. "It's a shame, if he didn't have all this trouble going through him, he maybe could have become a famous songwriter."
"Yeah, he sounded really good when he sang to himself." I agreed.
Dad sighed, "Anyways, I better bring this up to him."
"Okay." I responded.

I watched as he left the room and I was left by myself again.

10 minutes later, he came back to my room. He had a look of both surprise and fear on his face.

"What happened?" I asked.

Dad looked at me and smirked a smile.

"Mat's out of surgery and recovering now."