insane ✿ a.i

delusional

My vision blurs and they start to appear.

The students fill the hallway and I can't hear what they are saying. The child's voice is screaming, louder now, pleading for help.

Then I feel hands wrapping around my wrists and pulling me in.

Michael.

"Jo," he says, "Jo, please!"

I push away from him and try to stand but cannot.

"Get a teacher! Why are you all just standing there like bloody idiots!"

I open my eyes and see little cockroaches covering my body. I swat at them but more appear and the hallway disappears and I'm outside in the woods. They look familiar, but I don't know where they are or I am at.

I scratch at then and scream as one bites me and tries to crawl under my skin.

-

I don't know what happens next.

But,

It's official.

I've gone mad.

-

After being dragged away from the school I find myself sitting in the back of a SUV, in restraints. That's when I notice the scratches down my arms.

Where did I get those?

They sting.

The last thing I remember is Michael standing up for me to Makayla.

The SUV stops and a guy with blonde hair and blue eyes opens my door. He looks around my age, maybe a year or two older. His black lip ring stands out against his skin.

His voice startles me, "Josephina, I need you to come with me."

I can't find my voice so I nod.

He takes my arm and helps me out of the vehicle.

We are at a facility, and it looks like a regular building.

It's a tall brick building, but the doors are large wood and have iron handles.

The boy leads me up to the doors and pushes them open.

We are greeted by a front desk and another guy with a black quiff and tattoos.

As we get closer I read his name tag, Zayn.

"Hey," Zayn says to the guy I'm with, "What's her name and reason?"

"Josephina Hall," he says and I realize he has an Aussie accent, "Delusional, screaming in terror, self harm, but wasn't resistant."

What?

What is he talking about?

More importantly why am I here?

Zayn scribbles down some notes and nods towards a hallway where the boy leads me.

"Welcome to River Valley Facility," he says turning to me.

-

I'm told to change into a pair of scrubs for the time being and they are light blue.

I cringe as they crinkle with every step and they give me white slip on shoes.

Gross.

-

I'm lead to a room with two beds; one with a lump under the covers and one nice and neat.

I'm told to sit down on the neat one and I do as told, without speaking.

The boy says, "I'm Luke, by the way, and I'll be your advisor for the time being and you can go ahead and rest, I'll come back in a few hours and take you to eat and socialize. That's your roommate Alice, she shouldn't be any trouble."

He leaves my chart on the table by the door and nods giving me a small smile and leaves locking the door.

I'm about to stand up to grab the chart when I see something move in the corner.

Whipping my head toward it I see a small child.

A girl.

She is clutching a teddy bear that is missing an arm.

That bear looks familiar.

But I don't know why.

She turns towards me and her green eyes are unsettling like mine.

That's when I realize she has dark brown hair.

I scramble back to the headboard of my bed as she slowly turns her head towards me and whisper, "Help, mean Josephina."

That's when the screams that were caught in my throat rise out and slice through the silent afternoon.

They say I'm delusional, but I know what I saw.

✄

I'm introducing Ashton next chapter