Asylum

Patient 175

~Reita

I stared up at the enormous building, sighing a bit. "Yeah... yeah." I took a small breath, walked up to the entrance and knocked on the heavy wooden door. A nun opened it and stared at me. "Can I come in? My name is Suzuki. Akira Suzuki?" She nodded and stepped aside. "I suppose you're here to become a doctor. I can tell. Only one doctor here walks around in a suit, but he disappeared." "I'm here to replace him." "Good. The poor boys in this asylum need it. I'll show you around and then I'll give you the schedule. I think the boys will like seeing a younger face in the team." I followed her into the common room, people scattered everywhere. As we walked through the room I took everyone in: a thin black haired boy was sitting in the corner, making chopping movements. Another one was sitting on a chair rocking himself while hugging a teddy bear. I heard a weird melody playing as I noticed a small record player in a corner.

"Liar!"

I looked up as I heard someone scream, followed by a table being flipped over and two of the boys yelling at each other. The nun blew a small whistle and two raven haired men ran in, pulling the boys apart. "Subaru, Koudai, no more fighting or both of you will be brought downstairs!" I looked at her. "Isolation." she said. I looked back at the two boys, the silver-haired one named Subaru in particular. "Why would he have to go in isolation? He's harmless." "I hate to disagree, but he's not harmless. He ran away from his home with a knife to a local supermarket and stabbed three people. He claimed that they were plotting something against him. As for Koudai, he did something somewhat similar." I turned around to the first boy. "And who's that?" "Yoshiatsu. He grew up near the forest and one day his parents caught him repeatedly stabbing a deer." I kept looking around and a doctor approached me. "You must be new here. I'm Hideto, but call me Hyde. If there's anything you want to know about the asylum or the patients, feel free to ask me or the other doctor, Aoi." I nodded. "Thank you, Hyde." The nun looked at me. "I'll show you to your office." I nodded at her and followed her up a curled staircase.

"Your office."

I looked around the room; two big windows facing the door, a dark wooden desk in front of the windows and two big heavy-looking bookcases against both walls. I smiled at her. "Thank you. I'll call you if I need anything." "Would you like the files of the patients?" "Put them on my desk, I'll read them later." The woman nodded, left and I sighed deeply, starting to get settled.

The door opened again as I was putting my books away. "Put the files on my desk, I said. I told you I'd read them later." A small voice croaked; "Akira..?" I turned around at hearing my name, facing the short silver-haired figure. "Can I help you?" I looked at his figure, though he looked different now. As he was wearing black clothes in the common room, he was now wearing a torn grey shirt and ripped baggy joggingpants. "You must be...Subaru." He nodded and I noticed a trail of bloodied footsteps behind him. "Why are your feet bare?" "I don't like it here... Akira..." "You mean, you don't like it here in this room, or?" "I don't like this place...people get hurt and die here. They took my friends away last week and I never saw them again." I walked over to him and watched him as he was clearly fighting sleep. He slowly wrapped his arms around my waist, hugged me close and I slowly rubbed his back. "It's okay, Subaru. Tell you what, whenever you feel like you have to get away from everyone, you can bring any toy or game from the common room here and we'll play it together, okay?" He slowly nodded, still hugging me. The nurse ran in, staring at Subaru. "What is he doing here? I'm sorry if he's bothering you, he should be in the common room with the others." I smiled. "He's not bothering me. In fact, I told him if he feels like taking distance, he could bring something he likes to my office and spend some time here." "But sir, this boy is-" "Just a teen who needs a little more attention." She glared at Subaru, who apparently had fallen asleep. "Nurse, can you find me a small couch, a blanket and a pillow and move them to my office." She sighed and turned around, closing the door. "Do I have to go back downstairs?" "No, you're staying here." He hugged me again. "Akira..." I looked at him, sighed softly and slowly petted his head. "Ne, Subaru." "Hai..?" "Let's go find something to bind your feet with."

As I was gently pulling out the glass splinters from his feet I noticed a bird tattoo on his foot. "Where did you get this tattoo?" "It's my lucky bird. I got it before I came here." I smiled softly and he groaned when I grabbed another splinter with the pincet. "Oh sorry, does that hurt?" He nodded, gripping the cat plush I had given him tighter. I rubbed his foot gently, felt him relax and looked at the splinter. "This one is deeper than the rest, and probably a lot bigger. This is gonna be a bit more painful." He watched me, holding the plush. I gently grabbed the splinter again, gently pulling it out. "Mmmh......nnnhh." I looked at him as he had his eyes closed and his face twisted in pain. I looked at the splinter and pulled it out in one swift pull. "Ah!" I smiled at him. "That was the last one. I'm just gonna put some bandages around your foot, okay?" He nodded and I wrapped the gauze around his bleeding feet. He slowly opened his eyes, smiled softly and wiped the tiny teardrops from his cheeks. "I didn't even cry once." I giggled, ruffled his hair and watched him, smiling as he fixed his hair. I sighed. "You don't belong here. Why did they put you in this place." He looked at me. "Huh?" I kneeled in front of him, studying his face. "Did you really do the things they accuse you of?" He tilted his head. "Things I did?" "According to your files you stabbed multiple people." "I did?" I stared at him. He didn't seem to be lying, but then again...people in a mental hospital are there for a reason.

"Have you ever even held a knife in your life?"

He shook his head. I stood, taking a breath. "I wanna try something soon. I'm gonna make a small call, so I'll be right back. Try to rest your feet." He nodded, holding the plush on his lap and he watched as I walked up to the phone, calling the detective. "Yes?" "Hello, this is Akira Suzuki from the Antithesis Hospital for the Criminally Insane. I'm calling to request the crime scene and victim photo's of the stabbing incident at that supermarket." "Sure. When do you need them?" "As soon as possible, I prefer. Is it possible to have them around three this afternoon?" "We'll send someone over there with the papers. I'll have them give it to one of your nuns." "Tell them I ordered something. I'd rather receive them personally." I looked at Subaru. "And bring some ice cream." I covered the horn with my hand. "What flavor, Subaru?" He looked at me in surprise. "Ch..chocolate." I turned back to the horn. "Chocolate ice cream, please." "Fine. We'll be there in an hour." "Thank you." With that I ended the call and joined Subaru on the couch.

After indeed an hour the door opened and Hyde poked his head in. "You have a visitor, Suzuki-san. Shall I send them up?" I smiled at him. "Thank you Hyde." He bowed and disappeared, soon coming back with two detectives. Subaru looked at them, backed up a bit and hid under the desk. I looked at him. "Is that the boy from the supermarket stabbing?" I looked back at the detectives. "You know him?" They laughed. "Do we kmow him? We put him here. Thanks to us he's your pet." I looked at Subaru, who was whining softly. I turned back to the two laughing men. "I think it's time for you to leave. Thank you for the documents and the ice cream." I called Hyde and without hesitating almost pushed them out the door, closing it behind them. "Subaru?" I looked under the desk; the blondine looked at me with red, puffy eyes, as if he had been crying. "What's wrong?" He shook his head, crawled out from his hiding spot and wrapped his arms around my neck. I rubbed his back, hugging him gently. "It's okay, Subaru. Don't cry." "Akira..." I looked at him. "Yes?" "I'm sorry..." "For what?" He showed me a picture of me and my friend Kouyou. We had our arms around each other, both an equally big grin and hairbands with green ogre ears on. I smiled softly as I studied the picture. "I'm sorry..." I looked at Subaru. "What are you saying sorry for?" He pointed at Kouyou. "I'm not pretty like him. He's really beautiful. Is he your boyfriend?" I smiled, blushing. "No, he's my best friend. This picture is many years old, it was taken on Carnaval." Subaru stared at it in silence. "He's really beautiful. Where is he now?" I sighed deeply, a sad undertone following my sigh. "He's on vacation." I turned my face upwards, only to meet his eyes. "I didn't notice your eyes were that color." He nodded. "A mint color. I like it." I smiled at him and he yawned deeply. "I got a couch where you can sleep on." He nodded and I took him to the couch, letting him lay down on it before I tucked him in. I watched him as he fell asleep. "I'll be here if you need me."