control • theo raeken [1]

nine. a novel approach and required reading

Luna

"PLEASE EMPTY YOUR POCKETS into the container," the person at the front desk, Schrader, tells us.

"We're here to see-" someone starts to say, but is interrupted.

"Please empty your pockets into the container," Schrader says once again. I lean against the counter as I watch the rest of them empty their pockets. Schrader stares at me since I'm the only one who hasn't emptied their pocket.

"Oh, I don't have any pockets," I say, standing straight to show him.

"But you do have loose clothing which patients will attempt to take from you and use to strangle either themselves or others. Either put it on or in the container." He glares at me slightly, but I untie my flannel from my waist and put it on.

I grumble, "I can't take it off cause then I'll look like I'm ready for bed and if I put it on I look terrible. This is stupid. These people should know better. I swear to Go-"

"Luna!" Lydia interrupts me from my rant. "It's alright, just put it on. You look fine." I send her a appreciative smile and glare at the man, but he's already turned his attention to Kira.

"Please remove your belt and place it into the container."

"I kind of need the belt," Kira tries. "I mean, it's crucial to the outfit."

"As I said to the girl with the abnormal blue hair, please remove your belt which patients will attempt to take from you and use to strangle either themselves or others."

"Right. Got it."

My nostrils flare.

Abnormal? Is this not the twenty-first century where a person can have blue hair without it being out of the ordinary?

I step towards the window with every intent to pull Schrader through it and make his face abnormal. Someone grabs my shoulders and steers me away from him.

"Come on, Luna. Just brush it off," Scott says, leading me and the group away from the man. But I have one more thing to say.

"It's an ordinary color! Not abnormal! Okay, asshole? I'll-" Scott covers my mouth with his hand.

"Can you stop acting like a mental person?" Lydia asks. "You never know what it takes for them to admit someone in here." She looks around the room in distaste. I take a deep breath, heaving my shoulders up and down. I nod and Scott takes his hand off my mouth.

A doctor approaches us and asks us to follow him. He leads us downstairs. I didn't think this Valack character was much until we kept descending the stairs.

"I'll remind you that I'm only doing this as a favor to Deaton. And I'm doing it against my better judgment," the doctor says.

"Hey, what's the etiquette for talking to this guy?" Stiles asks. "I mean, do you ever look at the other eye?" I stop midstep and look at him.

This guy has a third eye? Nobody told me that.

Stiles grabs my arm to keep me walking.

"I wouldn't. In fact, while you're down here, try not to make eye contact with anyone or anything."

We head down a hallway towards a door. Stiles, Lydia, and the doctor cross the doorway, but Scott, Kira, and I are stuck on the other side.

"You didn't think you were all going, did you?"

"It's mountain ash, isn't it?" I ask.

"Everywhere, but heavily concentrated down here." He turns to Stiles and Lydia. "Valack's cell is the last one at the end of the hall."