Asylum

Part 9

Burke's P.O.V.

I walked into Kelly's rooms to find him nowhere to be seen. He must still be in the library. As if on cue, Kelly bursts through the door. Our eyes met for a split second before I looked away. 

He moved towards me and did something he's never done before. He hugged me.

It was more than a friendly hug, but it wasn't intimate either. He put his forehead on my chest and his shoulders started shaking. His arms went around my middle, like how a small child hugs their mother when they're frightened.

"Kelly," I whispered, scared of what would happen. "What happened?" I was afraid to hear the answer. Usually Kelly had a wall around himself. He never let anyone see his true colors or feelings. Most, including me, see him as a strong figure, that nothing ever gets to him.

I've never, in the three years that I've worked with him in this Asylum, seen him cry, he's come close a few times, but he never let the tears fall. He's strong, like his father. His father taught him to hide his feelings, that a real man doesn't cry, no matter what happened. It was forced into Kelly that that was how he was supposed to live, without emotions.

He only shook his head and pressed his head into my chest harder. I could feel the warm tears soak into my work shirt. My shift was over ten minutes ago. But Kelly needs me now more than anything. 

I brought one of my arms to wrap around his shoulders, the other hand rested on top of his head. I set my chin on top of my hand and patted his back. 

He retracted his hands from behind my back to in front of him and covered his face. I pulled back and put my hands on his shoulders.

His hands were shaking uncontrollably and his tanned face was blotched with red. His breathing was uneven and his shoulders, much like the rest of him, was trembling more than normal.

All of his emotions were tired of being ignored. They all wanted out, all at once. Kelly couldn't handle what was happening, this is all so new to him, he's never been like this before. So vulnerable and scared.

At this point I couldn't tell if he was angry or upset, or both. He collapsed to the ground, breathing as though he were running out of air. His emotions were all eating him alive. I crouched down after a few seconds, trying to get my thoughts together. 

"I'll be right back, stay here, don't move," I commended.

He was letting out more air than he was taking in. 

I bolted out the door and ran through the halls. People stopped and looked at me as I passed, some even called after me asking why I was still here. That wasn't important at the moment. I tore through the halls, taking left and right turns when I needed to. 

Some of the other main workers ran after me, following me to where I was going, in the hopes of helping anyway they can. I stopped at my destination and turned to all of them. 

I pointed to half of them signaling for them to come with me. I turned to the other half. "Go to Kelly's room."

They all gave me questioning glances.

"I SAID GO TO HIS ROOM, NOW!" I yelled. 

They all jumped at my outburst and quickly ran all the way back to his room. I told most of the more comforting workers to go, the ones who help with me more came with me, even they were scared of me at this point. 

I turned to one of them and held her by the shoulders. 

"So help me God, I'm going through hell right now. Just go by my instructions, it'll make everything a whole lot easier," I told her. "You go, and take two others with you, to Crystal Jaggs room and ask her what happened the last time she saw Kelly." 

I let go of her shoulders as she and two men ran away in the opposite direction the others ran, I whipped my head to Lexandra, who had just joined the group, she got there out of breath and had her hands on her knees.

"I was paged, who needs me?"

"That's not important at the moment of who paged you," I glanced at her. "You, you and you, come with me. The rest of you are all dismissed to go about your day."

I didn't wait for anyone to leave, I just started charging down the hallway to Leeann. She'd, hopefully know what to do. 

I at least had the decency to knock on the door before entering. I turned the knob, relieved to she her in there and not with a patient. 

"Oh, Burke," she smiled." I was just getting ready to open the door."

I pushed open the door and walked in, the three I picked out followed me in. 

"So why are you here, shouldn't you be at home?" her smile faltered when she saw my serious face. "Yeah, why aren't you home?"

"I'll explain on the way, but I know you need to come. Bring anything pertaining to Kelly that you can get, medical records, background checks, anything you can get within five minutes."

"Burke, I can just go and leave because Kelly has gotten into some-" she stopped.

I turned to her with tears in my eyes. "Please. This is serious, he's in a rather dangerous situation right now. I don't know what I would do if I'd lost him now" My voice cracked towards the end.

Her mouth hang ajar. Tears slipped out of my eyes onto my cheeks, these weren't pretend, these were real tears. No one knew how much this boy means to me.