Inescapable Game of Tag

Old Friends

Blake

I'm not ready to start this day.

Snapping me free from my three hours of sleep, that new guy Sean pulled me into another confined place. Being woken up from a rare sleep already irked me, but the fact that it was him annoyed me even more. "Blake, breakfast opens up in half an hour," He said, so much like a broken record with that smile. I rolled over, fingers brushing at my eyes. "So get ready so you can come out."

"... Come out?" My voice was pulled right out of me, I hadn't really meant to speak. He began to say something, but as I sat up, my mind blocked out the words, turning them into a buzz.

I've been sharing more activities with the other patients recently, but that was if the staff deemed it appropriate. Why would they deem it appropriate and safe? I haven't been that at all. I mean, just earlier, I continually stabbed one of the nurses until her guts were falling out.

... Wait...

Did that even happen?

I'm not entirely sure. Was it a dream? I tend to dream of things I like... I don't know. Do I like that? I did in the moment, I think, but I'm not too sure-

The sound of that door closing and its hard lock shot me out of my trance. Shuddering, I stretched before standing up, lumbering my way to the restroom.

Once I was dressed and ready, I rummaged through that activity journal. Nothing said anything about stabbing anyone. Would I even write that stuff down? I don't know. I wanted to, no, I needed to know if I killed anyone yesterday. That pretty girl that always visits told me it's best to remember. Did she? No, I think I killed her too - wait, no...

This is so frustrating...

Though it was only little over five minutes, it seemed it took forever before the door was opened again. I didn't bother to look at Sean, I only stood, hand going over my fluttering eyes, going across the lenses of my glasses.

"You have your schedule right here, you're going through personal assessments today. We got to go take your vitals right now before breakfast." He says as I go towards him, like I'm stupid, like I haven't done this for ten years straight. He's only been here for two weeks and acts like he knows more than me.

"Sure," I mumble, then lower my voice just below a murmur, "Jackass."

He was just moving out of the doorway to walk me out, but stopped midway. Eyes narrowed very slightly, he looked back at me, "What'd you say?"

"... I don't remember."

If there was anything I hated here, it was the constant checking of vitals. Morning, afternoon, night, it frustrated me. After that was all done with, I was let off to the cafeteria as breakfast had just begun. Unnerved that I hadn't been let out with other patients as much as I was locked in my room for days, I stood for awhile, tray of food, unsure whether to go back or not.

Finally, I decided to just find a table to eat. Being in the buzz of noise and chatter actually helped quiet my own mind. No silence that makes my mind so desperate for noise, it creates it. So desperate to see something new, it creates it. Once I was seated and chewing at my toast, I pulled up my papers - my schedule, per se.

I frowned. I thought today would have at least a few sessions with other patients. I was allowed here, after all, but not such a thing was listed here. Assessments by... Huh. An unfamiliar name. A Miss who went by the last name Hart. I tried to think, maybe I just forgot, but even with the tense, head pounding recollections, I couldn't remember. God, new workers irked me.

"Bryce!" That name, I remembered, being screeched out. I twitched, lowering my head deeper behind my papers. It didn't matter, the two pounded over. The older guy Francis, who was first to start that name that most definitely wasn't mine. I didn't look up as he threw the seat back, "You didn't save a seat!"