{happy endings?} ~ fiction.

7.

The next morning I woke up in a trance. Unable to explain the night before. I dreamt. I actually dreamt. I cackled to myself as I sat staring at the blank wall. I stood up and walked to the door, wishing it be opened. I wanted to feel the sun. I stood standing there staring at it for what seemed like forever, before I heard the door unlock. William stood there. A smile appearing on his face. "Waiting for me?" He asked, looking left then right and then leaning into kiss me. "Go sit down." He told me. I frowned. I wanted to go outside. I stood there, not moving. He scanned my face. "Go sit down." He snapped at me. Tears filled my eyes, as I tried to stay strong. "But.." I said, in a pleading tone.

His eyes widened and he shoved me back. I fell to the floor, staring up at him. "You do as you're told." He spoke, loudly. My lip began to twitch and I felt something burn through my blood. I stood up, staring at him. A look of disbelief on his face. "I want to go outside." I nodded, encouragingly. He snarled and took out his baton. "Everything alright in here?" Henrys' voice rang quickly, as he stood by the door way. William gripped his baton and studied my face. "My angel?" He asked me in a whisper. "I'm sorry." I told him honestly. "I want to go outside." I smiled, my eyes wondering over to Henry. William nodded slowly, then fled.

I stared at Henry, who looked relieved when he saw me. I then frowned and pressed my fingernails into my palm. "Let's go." He said, stepping out the way of the door. I scurried past him. Marching towards the garden door. Henry chased after me, begging me to slow down. I reached the door and peered outside. An unsettling amount of accomplishment flashed across my face. That was until I saw outside. It was dark and grey and dull and raining. My lip began twitching again, and the fire raced through me. I gripped onto the handle of the door, my skin reddening. "No!" I yelled. "No!" I screeched now. Henry stumbled over, out of breath. "Astrid. Calm down." He told me.

But I wasn't listening. My hand hit into the wall three maybe four times, it beginning to throb. "Astrid!" He yelled, becoming unsettled. As I went to hit again, I felt a pair of arms grip around me, flinging me back, still in their grip, as I began kicking and screaming. "No!" I yelled again. I felt a sharp pain in my arm and then everything went dark.

—————

When I woke I was strapped down to my bed. The white material cuffs were secured down with the same you use on a belt buckle. I looked around, I was alone. I cackled loudly. Waiting to see if anyone would come in. No one did. I scooted myself so I could see my left hand strapped down. I pulled my arm up, the cuff loosely hanging around my wrist. They forgot how skinny I was. They always forget. I then angled my hand up and undid the buckle. Once done I released my other hand too. I sat on the side of the bed. Why was it grey outside? And raining? That's not what I saw. I grit my teeth, anger flustering through me.

{dream - previous night}

I laughed and sang and danced and whistled. I was on top of a high cliff. Looking down, you couldn't see the ground, just darkness. I sat on the edge and swung my legs off the side. The sun looked closer, but I felt cool as the wind danced alongside me. My gaze was pulled to the facility. It stood tall. Darkness towering over it. I shuffled back. The rain pounding over the place. I stood up looking at it. Not long after the rain came, the sky suddenly stopped darkening. The rain disappeared and only sunshine shone over the facility now. I gasped. It looked beautiful. A voice spoke in my head. Head outside. Head outside. Go. Go. Head outside.

{present day}

I sat staring at the wall, the same words going over my mind. "Head outside." "Head outside." "Go." "Go." "Head outside." I nodded along to each word, slowly tilting my head side to side. The hours flew by. One after the other. Henry offered me food. I declined. I wanted to die. I wanted to be in my happy place. Forever. I knew death would be the only way. I looked around my room. Nothing that could do any damage. I kicked at the wall. Once. Twice. And was going to go for a third when a voice rang behind me. "Can I join?" Frankie whispered. I turned to him and my eyes widened in enjoyment. "No." I growled, squaring my shoulders. He's in my property. He tiptoed in, a sense of exaggeration to his movements, his eyes fixed on his location.

He crept over to the shower and sat in it, staring up at the ceiling. I twitched my cheek in anger. I growled lowly as he looked up at me. "I'm all fixed." He said, whisking his arms around quickly. I walked over and sat down a few feet a head of him. There was a quick clink by my door. I whipped my head around to it, Henry checking in. "Half an hour." He nodded then disappeared. I snarled at Frankie. "You seem, not yourself." He told me, tilting his head to the side, as a large smile appeared on his face. His left eye twitched, both of them blood shot. "Henry told me." He nodded eagerly. I stared blankly at him, my skin becoming hot. "You said no to William." He cheered, pointing shakily at me. "Didn't you? You did." He spoke. "Didn't you." He nodded.

I growled. "I didn't." I harshly spat out. He frowned, angry, and leant forward towards me. He took heavy breaths and grit his teeth. "No. No. No. No. No." he yelled, hitting his hands against his head as he closed his eyes. I reached out and grabbed his arm, to stop him. Why did I do that? He looked at me, still angry. "I told him I wanted to go outside." I nodded, as he shrugged my hand off him. "But outside was horrible." I whispered looking to the side at the white wall. He cocked his head to the side and shook his head. "It was..." He said, scanning the floor, thinking of a word. "Out of this world!" He yelled, loudly. I grit my teeth and snarled at him. I wanted to hit him. He was lying. "Can I question you." I stated, rather than asked. He scooted closer, excited. With a nod he smiled, showing off his abnormally white teeth.

"Why are you in here?" I asked, staring at him. He laughed, for a few minutes. I hit my hand against the wall, angry. His eyebrows rose and his eyes widened. "I tried to kill a man." He said, licking his lips quickly. I shook my head. "Why are you in HERE?" I asked, my voice raising. He laughed again, cocked his head to the side once more and spoke. "I like you." He nodded, scanning my face. My cheek twitched and I bit down hard on my bottom lip. "I want to know you." He said eagerly with a nod. "Can I get to know you, Astrid?" He asked, almost shyly. I frowned and shook my head to signal no. I shook my head for a few minutes. "Things have changed since you spoke to me." I told him, clenching my fingers into my palms.

He smiled brightly, a glint of an idea in his eye. "Yes." He nodded. "Yes. Good?" He asked in a hushed tone and leant closer again. "No." I said fiercely. "I don't want to speak to you!" My voice rose, as I stood up. He stood up too, laughing loudly. "Things are changing. Left and right." He sang, moving his head side to side and moving his fingers up and down. "Things are changing. In your sight." He continued. This angered me. I balled my fists up, wanting to hit him. To hit him repeatedly. Until he bled. "One day, two days, three days or more." He sung, fire in his eyes. "You'll see things clearly that's for sure." He sung loudly, jumping up and down.

I swung my arm back and then forward, however it never connected with his face. His hand came up and my fist connected with his palm, as he gently, but forcefully gripped onto it. "Open your eyes." He whispered, harshly. "You'll see the truth soon." He cackled. "Things are changing." He nodded, as he gripped my fist. "Maybe that'll change your tune." He laughed. "Loon." He raised his eyebrows quickly and then stared at me. I scrunched my face up. I ripped my hand from his and pointed to the door. "Get." I growled. "Out." I screamed, loudly. He nodded. "But this isn't the last meeting." He smiled, sweetly. "Okay?" He asked me, worry in his eyes. The middle of my eyebrows caved in slightly and I nodded to him. "Okay, Frankie." I nodded. "But leave now." I smiled to him.

With that, he walked to the door and then looked back at me. "You're not crazy." He nodded. I frowned at him and pressed my fingernails into my palms. "You're just confused." He nodded quickly and then disappeared out the door.