Red Insanity

Chapter 1: Red Asylum

I wasn't paying attention when the bus stopped, smashing my face into the seat in front of me. The entities in it glared at me grumbling about things I did not hear and did not want to. As much as I love field trips this one was undeniably terrible. Of all the places, we just had to come to an asylum. Even better! My friends decided not go on this field trip, so I was alone!

Surrounded by people I did not know and could not socialize with. I guess me and my friends were considered nerds at school. Not like we cared. My friends weren't interested in an asylum like any normal person. And their parents didn't think it would be a good experience to go and see insane people locked up. My parents on the other hand said it WOULD be a "valuable learning experience".

Excuse me but any normal person wouldn't think that asylums are a good place for young adults. The best learning experience I would get today is trauma. But I HAD been suffering from writer's block and thus I guess an asylum would hopefully recharge my creative batteries? Nope? Anyway.......by the time everyone had gotten out of the bus the steps were wet and slippery with the rain. Lucky me.

I picked the perfect day to wear sneakers with the most worn soles ever known to man. As soon as my toes graced the middle of the steps, so did my face after a few awkward seconds of flailing and falling. My front was now covered in damp and oozing mud. I groaned displeasurably, struggling to stand up. I could see my now muddy brown hair sagging with water and grit in a dirty puddle. Mumbling to myself about showers and karma it took a moment to realize I was being yelled at.

"Perkins! Get yer lazy bum over here before I drag you myself!"

It was Mr. Stubble, the PE teacher. I bet when this trip is over he'll make me run 50 laps around the school. No joke, he LOVED watching kids suffer. Not wanting to warrant any more laps with my tardiness. I raced as carefully as I could over to my classmates.

Almost falling. Twice. He blew his whistle directly into my left ear. Tweeeee!

"Next time, I catch you holding this class up. I will personally take your sorry butt and hitch it to the flagpole. Understood Perkins?!"

"Y-yes sir!"

"Good now GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"

I sighed in relief scuttling over to the back of the line. A lady in a dull gray nurses uniform scanned our faces and handed out passes one by one. When she came to me she looked me up and down sneering.

"Think yer tough boy?"

She asked dangling the pass in front of me like steak to a hungry lion.

"Yeaaaaah.....to be honest......heck no."

She chuckled softly which seemed rare for a person like her.

"Least yer honest."

She handed me the pass and slunk back inside.

"Alright you kids. This ain't no garden of flowers and faires. Ya hear?"

She turned around smirking. Showing off her yellow teeth.

"Rule number 1: Don't get lost. Rule number 2 : Don't open any doors. Rule number 3: If you get lost yur dead. Rule number 4: don't go downstairs. And finally rule number 5: NEVER FOLLOW the voices."

We all just stared at her both frozen and stupified.

" 'K any questions?"

You could've heard a pin drop.

"Alright, let's go kids."

She started walking without a warning. Kids still shocked had to run to catch with to her. The hallways were long and winding. From what we could see, getting lost was certainly a possibility. She hobbled briskly along not stopping at any doors. I guess rule number 2 was the same for staff too.

After fifteen munites of walking there was nothing. And there had been something, we would've passed it already. At this rate we'll be out of here before noon. I needed more. And however stupid it was to need that. Well, I still needed it.

"Umm miss nurse? I was wondering who lives behind these doors?"

She stopped abruptly and turned around to stare at me. She asked one simple word.

"Why?"

I stuttered not expecting that answer.

" Uh w-well I was just wondering and umm it seemed like we w-weren't really going anywhere at the m-moment."

She looked at me amusingly as if found my answer cute.

"Rule number 2 kid, don't open any doors."

And with that we continued walking obeying her words somberly. My curiosity was overwhelming me as we passed a particular row of noisy doors. The first scream was high and shrill, echoeing throughout the hallway and hurting our ears. The second was a low and developed bellow. And put those two together with a crescendo of notes that bounced and fell flat in an irregular pattern. They seemed to be the choir of the asylum.

We passed a bit quicker. My ears were ringing. I noticed that there were no maps hanging around. I think that was to prevent anyone from getting out. And that includes us too. I lost track of how many turns and hallways we walked down but eventually I had to stop because of my low stamina.

I also needed time to collect my thoughts. We were walking so fast I didn't have time to think about what to write. That was when I realized I was alone. The quiet whispering had faded and I could no longer hear the brief drag of feet and march of the nurse and my classmates.

I was LEFT behind.

I had BROKEN the very first rule.

I was LOST.