Masquerade {A Penderry's Bizzare Fanfic}《COMPLETED ✔️》

•Chapter Sixteen•

"It's far too early to be drinking, Jim." Ollie said, not wanting to be tempted by the wine that was being poured into the flask Jim was filling. "Do you not care for your health?"

"Death does not scare me," the blond said, uncaring as spots of alcohol dripped on the table. "Not anymore, at least. I could die today or tomorrow and I would not be scared- in fact, I welcome death. If it will end my pain, I shall drink myself into oblivion."

He sounds just like this in my time, only he's not as well kept in life as he is in death. People are right, there really is no way back once you turn to drink. At least I saw the light before it was too late.

"You're losing your mind..." Ollie trailed off with light shakes of his head. "I told you that drink would not help you, yet somehow you're still too stubborn to realise the damage it is causing to your body and your psyche. Did you not hear a word about the deaths of my father and grandfather?"

"Yes, and I am truly sorry for that." Jim said, the way he spoke making him sound as though he didn't care even when he did. "You and I may share the same family name, but we are two different men. I have already lost my mind. You are stronger than me, both in mind and body. I can feel it."

"None of that is true, I can assure you. I worked hard to become as strong as I am now, but my mind...it's a terrifying place. It is not my fault that it is that way, I simply have an illness that cannot be cured- treated, but never cured."

"An illness? What does this illness of yours involve, might I ask?"

Jim became attentive, waiting for an answer. "Go on. Are you not going to tell me? I have become rather interested."

Ollie thought about how he could word what he had. It wasn't as if he could openly express that he had bipolar (or manic depression) and not expect Jim to raise a brow or become nervous. In his eyes, he would be a complete psychopath for having a mental illness when he was a well-raised person with achievements any person could have dreamed for.

"How can I word this in terms you will understand? Y-you have more than likely heard that people who have 'demons' are sent to insane asylums for treatment. Though, the treatments that are carried out are not the right ones. In fact, they only make patients worse. People who cannot tell fantasy from reality may not have the correct frame of mind, but does that make the sufferer a bad person?"

"N-no, of course not." Jim's grip on the flask slowly loosened as he let the words absorb in his brain, though even then he was muddled up. "Ollie, I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"What I am trying to say," Ollie hung his head, sighing. "Is that I am not entirely normal- at least, not normal in here." he tapped his temple twice with his finger. "My mind affects the way I feel...at one time it can make me feel joy and the next it can make me want to tell the entire world to piss off."

Ollie finished speaking, though what he didn't expect was for Jim's lips to quiver whilst fright pumped in his viens. His vibrant blue eyes turned so glossy that the colour was almost like that of ice.

"Jim? Jim, are you all right? Please, talk to me."

The Penderry was beginning to become concerned now. Jim stood up and walked slowly to his office, closing the door behind him when he entered.

Oh my God...

"Jim! Jim no!"

A gunshot rang in Ollie's ears, and it was then everything all faded to an empty black...

***

"Mr Mullen? Mr Mullen, please wake up!"

Ollie screamed as he shot up, breathing heavily and clutching his chest. Sophie hushed him, aiding him to sit back.