white white walls

the pills

I wake up in my room. My throat is dry and I feel numb.
I try and stand up, but as I try and catch my balance, I fall forward.
"The hell?"
Oh god. I'm wearing a jacket. I'm not supposed to wear one of these. I'm not like the others.
I can't move my arms. I manage to sit up. I'm breathing heavily.
I look around and realize... This isn't my room. This one is different. The door is cushioned. There are old stains on the ground.
Blood.
What happened after dinner...?
I can't recall.
.
.
.
LAST NIGHT:

"Malc. Malachi."
I snap back to now. Just staring at the table. Who's talking?
I look up and see Jet with an expecting look.
"You alright Malc?"
My eyes flick to the room. What was different? Something was... wrong.
I finally answer for Jet.
"Yea. I think. What time is it?"
Jet turned around, eyes scanning the walls.
"Don't see a clock around, but I'd say were about to head to our rooms, cafeteria's closin' down."
I purse my lips.
"Okay."
My head aches. I feel drowsy. I look for a cup of water near me, mine is empty. I grab it and stand up, walking to the nearest water fountain. I start walking and feel dizzy. Everything becomes fuzzy.
"Uhhh."
I force myself to keep walking. When I'm standing in front of the fountain, I hold the flimsy cup up to the spout. I press against the button and water flows and fills the cup. As its about to overflow, I release the button. When I turn around, I raise the water to my cracked lips. My hand slips, and water pours onto my chest.
"Shit."
I raise my hands up to my face and watch them shake. I don't get tremors. What the hell is wrong? I glance around the room, trying to find the puzzle piece thats missing. People are looking at me. Some solemnly, some amused and pointing. For some reason I couldn't care. A guard walked closer and suddenly something clicked.
I couldn't see the problem because It wasn't an object. It was my song. And I could not, for the life of me, remember how it went.
The pills.
I took those pills like candy.
The guard was in front of me now.
"What did they do?"
I asked him helplessly.
"Why can't I hear it?"
The guard looks down to my shirt, then at my hands, now shaking even more furiously. That was all he needed to see. His hand clasped around my forearm and led me out into the hallway.
"I- I'm fine. Just let me go and I'll be alright."
We walked further.
"Please, just let go of me. Tell me what was in those pills."
He finally replied,
"I'm not a nurse."
Oh my god. I pulled my arm to me, trying as much as I could to loosen his grasp.
"LET GO, TELL THEM TO MAKE IT STOP."
He kept. On. Walking.
"GIVE ME SOME GODDAMN ANSWERS. I DESERVE TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON!"
I was screaming as loud as I could. At first, his tactic was to ignore me, but then he couldn't. I grabbed his shoulder and planted my feet, when he turned around, I dug my fingernails into his skin. That made him shout, so I did it even harder. When I let go, I hit the ground so he couldn't drag me any more. Then I tried to kick his legs but he stayed standing.
"Let. Go. Of. My. Arm. NOW!"
He fumbled for his walkie-talkie, sort of like it was a bar of soap, and when he got a grip on it, he slammed the button.
"Assistance in the cafeteria hallway, violent patient, call for two more guards quick."
I was still on the ground. Right as he released that button, I ripped my arm free and scooted away from him. He tried to come near and grab me but I shakily got to my feet and started running to the end of the hallway, I couldn't go back to the cafeteria. Not now.
My vision got fuzzy as I was close to the end, I hooked a right and slammed straight into two guards. The guards who were supposed to come for me. I was pushed right to the ground, they were as immovable as a brick wall. They rushed up to me and held both of my arms. The other one ran in behind us. I turned and noticed the blood spreading onto his white shirt. On his shoulder.
The guy on my left spoke,
"He did that?"
The first one just nodded.
I felt like fainting. I let my legs go limp as the guards held me. There was no point in running now.
They started walking forward, I didn't know where they would take me, I just knew I had to let it happen.
Right as my head dropped, I heard a voice behind us.
"Is that the violent patient?"
It was a female.
There were mumbled "Yeahs" and "Yes".
"What is his last name?"
A guard grabbed the back of my shirt to look at the tag on the collar.
"Milton, ma'am."
"Ah, okay. Will you two take him to my office? Keep a good hold on him still. And you, go get patched up at the infirmary."
All in unison, they said,
"Yes, ma'am"
Then we were moving. We walked for some time until I felt my feet dragging across carpet. A door closed.
"Let him sit down. But hold him."
They pushed my shoulders down until I sat in a soft chair. I finally lifted my head. I saw just a desk full of little nick-nacks. White walls loomed behind it with various paintings. All with a continuous theme. Red.
"Let me see one of your walkie-talkies."
The girl voice. Behind me. There was fumbling.
"Here you go."
"Thank you."
She pressed the button then spoke.
"Guard twenty two, could you tell me exactly how the incident in the cafeteria hallway ensued? I want to know each detail about the Milton patient."
Static sounded for a few seconds. Then his voice came in.
"Yes ma'am, of course. I noticed the patient, Milton, in the cafeteria getting water, so I um, kept an eye on him and he spilled the water onto his clothes. I walked to him and saw his hands were shaking, so I was gonna escort him to his quarters. I grabbed him by the arm and uh, he kept on like, telling me to let him go. I didn't so he screamed at me and pressed his nails on my right shoulder real hard. After that he um, fell on the ground and tried kicking me so I called the other guards. When I hung it up he yanked his arm real hard and ran to the other end of the hallway and the other guards got him, I guess."
A click sounded, then another.
"Okay, Guard twenty-two. Thank you for the information."
Trellisan; thats the name I see embroidered on her jacket pocket right before she plunges the needle into my arm.