Asylum

Part 7

He stopped in his tracks and his back muscles tensed. The grip he held on his book tightened, he turned his head to look back at the ground beside him.

"If you want to know so bad. Isabel was my childhood sweetheart, my father killed her. That's why I don't talk about it," he let tears fall. "She's the only one who didn't call me a monster, she's the only one who understood. I begged of my father, but he wouldn't listen." 
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Rhys's P.O.V. 

I hovered over the sink, the warm water rushing into the basin. The steam came up and hit my face, forming water droplets on my cheeks and forehead. 

"Come on Rhys, we need to go," Charlene whispered.

"Alright," I stood straight and wiped my face off on my sleeve.

I grabbed a towel and quickly dried my hair. The ends stayed more damp than the rest, but it'll have to do. My blonde hair almost blended in with the white towel. The under part of my hair, towards the base of my neck, is all cut off shorter than the rest. Grabbing a hair band, I pulled pieces of hair out of my face sections at a time, eventually getting it into a bun. 

I walked out to the hallway and met with Charlene again. 

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"Yeah," I looked down at the floor as we walked.

At first glance, you'd have thought that I was the watcher and she's the patient. With me being a bit taller than her and more muscular, and she's more lean and around the average height. Whenever I caught people staring I would glare at them, wondering what they were looking at this time. 

We walked past the library, almost getting the doors slammed into us. Two people, a boy and girl, walked out. Well, the boy was taking heavy steps, probably trying to get away from the girl, who was jogging to keep behind him.

Charlene and I kept walking, not being able to see the scene unfold. 

"We're here. Do I need to stay with you?" Charlene asked.

"No, unless you want to," I shrug my shoulders. I was never great with making decisions. "I don't really care, it's only my therapy session."

"Alright, I'll see you later. I'll bring food to your room," she walked away. 

I waited for her to get out of sight. Once she was, I quickly, but quietly, snuck back to the spot with the two people. Once at the place where I last saw them, I looked around. The girl was sitting with her back to the wall. 

"Hello, why are you all alone?" I asked taking a seat next to her. "What happened to the guy you were with."

"He's... gone. And probably not coming back for a while," she looked at me in the eyes. "But, he made me realize that I shouldn't pressure people into giving me answers."

"Oh, so is he a friend of yours?"

"Well, he was, not so sure about it anymore," she sniffed.

"Oh, well, for the time being, I'll be your friend," I held a hand out. "My name's Rhys. What's yours?" 

She grabbed my hand and gave it a weak shake. "My name's Crystal. Nice to meet you Rhys." 

"It was nice to meet you as well, but, I have to get to my therapy session," I stood and held my hand out again.

She took it and jumped up. "Okay, you go on ahead. I'll see you later."

She walked off and turned the corner. I silently walked back to my therapist and opened the door. She seemed familiar.

"Good afternoon Rhys," Felton smiled. "Why are you late this time?"

"I made a new friend. This time it's a real person, I promise," I laughed. "Her name's Crystal."

"Well, that's good news," Felton smiled and sat down on a stool. 

"What are we doing today?" I asked.

"Well, we need to give you your medicine. We need to prescribe you new medication and see how you're doing in general," He said looking at his folder and holding his glasses. 
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"Y'know, having multiple needles stuck into your arm isn't a pleasant feeling," I clenched my hand. 

I gritted my teeth as my medicine was injected into my bloodstream. My vision blurred then went white for a few seconds. Tears slipped down my face and my muscles tensed, almost breaking out of the restraints on my arms.

A sunny day at the park. A good day for a cookout.

No, I don't want to go back. Not there.

Ice cream in hand, plain vanilla. Sweat dripping down foreheads and shirt sleeves rolled up.

Stop, I don't want this.

"Rhys, stop resisting, it's only making it worse for you."

A group of boys strode up to me. All a few years older. 

"Look at what we have here, if it isn't Rhys."

Leave me the hell alone, and get the hell away from me! I don't remember your names, and I barely remember what you look like.

"Leave him alone. Pick on someone your own size."

"Rhys calm down!" Felton yelled over my yells.

"No! Get away from me," I yelled, throwing my head back. Tears slipped out of the corners of my eyes down my cheeks. I bared my teeth and curled my fists into balls, digging my nails into my palm. "Get away Crystal!" 

"Who's Crystal?" Felton asked.

"The girl... from.. my.. childhood?" I opened my eyes. "Please make it stop."

"Cut the machine off, you're going to tear him apart!" Felton yelled.

The machine cut off and I was released. I jumped out of the chair and stood up. 

"I thought Crystal was the girl you met today?" He asked slowly coming towards me.

"No, I mean yes-" I ran my hand through my hair. "You know the girl who's kept coming back, I think it's Crystal. That's why she looked so familiar earlier. Crystal was my childhood best friend."

Felton looked at me through his glasses with wide eyes. His mouth hung open and he was at a loss for words.

I was the exact same. What's happening, there's no way that Crystal is actually that girl.