Battle Scars

nineteen

I peer across the cafeteria and meet Ethan's eyes.

His blonde hair, now slightly longer than it was a week ago, frame his brows, as they bounce up and down in attempt to amuse me.

I silently chuckle and flip him off with a grin on my face. As Justin takes notice, we both turn away, chuckling to ourselves.

I recently was informed that Justin is an undercover security guard.

"If anything happens under Justin's sight, you're screwed. Same goes for Seltz. They run this place."

I remember Ethan's exact words from the day before.

It's handy to grow a bond with someone who knows the ropes of this place. He's told me everything there is to know about Westman Psych. Yesterday, he told me the history of our town.

~

"The whole town of Westman was designed by Richard Westman, a former citizen of this unnamed part of the country. Where we're standing now, was probably originally a critter's home, or where a tree was once standing before Mr Westman came along."

Ethan and I talked quietly across a table to one another in the library, which was pretty much just a small room with a couple shelves of books, and three small round tables.

"This building right here," He said, pointing to the floor. "Westman Psychiatric, was built by Westman's roommate, Carl Bernie, when he started noticing Westman going mad. Talking to himself, chewing his own skin, eating raw meat... the man who designed this town was totally nuts."

"Shhh!!" The 'librarian,' Mrs. Alban was looking directly at us.

"Yeah, keep your nasty mouths shut, I'm trying to read here." Emily's antagonizing voice rang in my head.

We both ignored her, and Ethan continued.

"Rumor has it, Richard Westman died in this building, and now the whole town is cursed."

"That explains it." I said back, quietly. "This whole town is crawling with hostile people. I feel like you're the only person here that I can stand."

~

I snap back to the present, and look to the left of me. I instantly frown as I see Robin's old spot.

I've been thinking about the whole situation more and more.

The last time I spoke to Robin, before the incident, she sounded different. She acted different. Different than she did before she walked out of our room that one day.

Before she got put in solitary.

"Amber." I hear a cheerful voice. I look to my right. "You're barely touching your food." Claire's crooked smile faces my direction.

Claire is the same girl with the shaved head. She's pleasant, but can be a little too much at times.

"Oh, I'm just not hungry." I say, not really knowing what else to say.

Realizing two of the staff are looking at me, I decide to take a bite out of the apple in front of me.

"I'll take your brownie if you're not hungry." Emily jumps into my sight, and snatches the packaged brownie off my tray. "Or are you actually starving, but your anorexia is acting up again?"