Insanity

Chapter 1

Today has gone surprising well, though, it's only 8:27 a.m. So far, it seems better than most days. This morning, it was a bit sunny and warm, while most of the time it was windy and cold. Maybe the rest of the day will be as pleasant as it is now.

However, the weather doesn't do much to change the eerie mood of this building, which is the Shepherd Institution for the Criminally Insane, or S.I.C.I. Most of the patients here aren't really that insane, just a little nutty in the head. While others, which are mostly murderers that are all the way on the other side of the hospital, really do seem insane. I've only worked here for about a month and a half, and I can already tell that I'll be seeing some creepy things.

I chose to work here because I found psychology interesting, and I'd like to know what goes on in the minds of these criminals. Though, I actually just work as a guard and I sometimes help out in the nurse's office and I deliver breakfast to the patients that are on my side of the floor.

It's a rather boring job, except for the usual outburst or breakdown from a patient during lunch. I'd have to restrain the patient or hold them down while I wait for one of the nurse assistants to sedate them. After that, I take them to the nurse's office to be checked up, then take them to their room, which is more like a prison cell, and lie them down. Then all I have to do is walk the halls, check up on patients every now and then, and then just go home. It isn't much, but it has good pay, which a reason I still work here.

*****

"Ah, another day working with nut-heads," Joshua said through a mouthful of a sandwich. I nodded.

"Yeah, I just want to go home already." I took a bite of my sandwich and glanced at the clock. 11:49. The patients would be having lunch soon.

"Oh, did you hear? Someone's transferring to our floor," he turned to face me, finishing the rest of his lunch.

"Really? Who is it?" We barely get transfers to our floor, it was for the patients that weren't so messed up in the head and probably the closest to becoming a normal person again.

"It's a girl, I don't know her name, though. And don't try anything on her, Michael," he raised an eyebrow suggestively.

"Look who's talking," I smacked his arm playfully. He gave a look that made it seem as if he was really hurt, but I just shook my head in response. Joshua was kind of a flirt, always hitting on one of the nurse assistants.

"Anyway, do you think she's hot?" He asked, almost in a whisper.

I almost spat out my water as he said that. I smacked his arm again. "Are you seriously thinking about whether or not a mental patient is hot? She's insane, dude."

"What if she isn't?!" He smacked my arm. "What if she actually has her sanity back?"

I leaned back in my chair. He's got a point. That would only be the reason why she's transferring. I sighed and stared at the ceiling. We stayed in silence for awhile. Then we heard a loud bell ring, signaling the start of lunch. The patients were let out their rooms and guided toward the cafeteria. I got up and head toward the exit of the staff lounge.

"I heard she'll be arriving at lunch!" Joshua shouted as I was about to shut the door. At lunch, I guess I might see her sooner than expected.

As I walked down the hallway, I passed the nurse's office where Mrs. Birch seemed to looking for something. "What are you looking for, Mrs. Birch?"

She turned around to face me, relief spread across her face. "I can't find the extra box of bandages, gauze, and medical tape. It's suppose to be in here," she said, gesturing to the open closet. "Do you mind checking the storage closet, down the hall?"

"No, not at all," I smiled at her, and she returned it.

"Thank you."

I nodded and headed down the hall, reading each sign on each door. Once I reached then end, I found it. I opened it and shuffled around some boxes piling with dust and dirt. The box I was looking for was on the top shelf. I grabbed it, closes the door, and headed back to Mrs. Birch's office quickly. I'm supposed to be in the cafeteria, watching over the patients.

As I was walking, I spotted an unfamiliar figure. It was a girl. She was wearing one of the nurse's assistants dresses, so she must be a one. Probably a new employee.

As I got closer, I took in more of her appearance. She was wearing the white assistant dress, grey tights, and grey converse. She looked pretty young, about eighteen, a year younger than me. Her hair was a very dark brown, pulled behind her back, maybe into a pony tail or something. When I got closer, I couldn't stop staring. Her eyes. They were so dark, practically black, but they were actually a very dark brown. They were beautiful. She didn't have a single imperfection on her skin, aside from being a bit pale.

Once I was close to passing her, she looked at me. She was beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen a girl as beautiful as her. Her pink plump lips formed a small smile as we finally passed each other. She turned her head forward and continued walking down the hallway. But I was frozen in awe. I stared at the back of her. Her hands were held behind her back. Her hair was in a neat braid that barely touched her waist. I was soon brought out of my daze by a ray sunlight that shined threw a window, stinging my eyes.

I rushed back to Mrs. Birch's office. I set the box down on her desk. She looked up from her paperwork. "Thank you, Michael," she smiled at me.

"No problem, Mrs. Birch," I smiled back.

"Please, call me Cheryl." She picked up the box and put it in her closet.

"Okay, Cheryl," I nodded and walked out, towards the cafeteria. I checked the clock on the wall above the cafeteria doors. 12:13 p.m. Lunch would be over at one. I walked in and leaned my back against a wall near the end of the cafeteria. My eyes scanned over the patients. So far no outbursts or breakdowns. I looked towards my left and saw Joshua walking towards me, grinning widely.

"Dude, I just saw the hottest girl ever. She's a new nurse assistant," he said once he reached me.

"I saw her too, earlier," I nodded.

"Her curves! She looked really sexy in that dress, too!" Joshua looked like he was about to drool. He started staring off into space.

"Hey," I snapped my fingers in front of face, bringing him out of his daze, "Stop day dreaming. We have to watch over the patients."

"Okay fine," he wiped the small stream of drool off of his chin. I glanced at the clock. 12:22. Today's been really boring. I'm actually a bit excited to see the new patient. I wonder if she's actually become a normal person and she's still here just to be cautious.

Then one of the doors of the cafeteria entrance opened and walked in was the beautiful girl that I saw earlier. Kyle, a guard, had a grip on her right arm. Once they were both inside, Kyle immediately let go of her arm and quickly walked away from her. She glanced at Kyle then walked towards the back of the cafeteria and sat down. It almost seemed like Kyle was afraid of her.

"Kyle!" He looked at me and I waved him over to Joshua and I.

"Hey guys, man, I'm glad I don't have to deal with her for half an hour," he said once he reached us. We looked at him in confusion.

"Who's that?" I asked, pointing to the beautiful girl sitting alone at the back of the cafeteria.

"Oh, that's Annalie. Don't go near her, she's dangerous," he said, taking quick glances in her direction.

"Dangerous? Do you mean she's a patient?" Disbelief clear in my voice.

"Yeah, she may seem all shy and gentle, but once she has an episode, she becomes a completely different person. A beast. She becomes incredibly violent and scary. Even I'm afraid of her."

"A beast..." Annalie. What happened to her that made her end up here?