The Anomaly Affliction

Thirty Two

Curtis unlocks the binds on my chair but I don't move. I feel so...powerless. Worthless. What's the point in struggling? I deserve to be here. I deserve everything that's coming to me. Everyone thinks so...they said it themselves.

The guards each take one of my arms and drag me out of the room. They take me down a series of long, white corridors. They all look the same. Each corridor is occupied by a guard, strolling up and down. The lights are off and there are rows and rows of closed white doors with small glass panels. The doors all have three-digit numbers painted on them. After being escorted through at least three corridors, we stop at a door with the number 207 painted on it. I don't know what's going to be inside, but I feel too numb to care. The guards' grip on my arms loosens slightly; they seem to be waiting for something. After a few minutes of silently staring at the door, a man in a white shirt, white lab coat and grey trousers walks down the corridor, towards us. He has short dark brown hair and glasses, and he carries some kind of yellow clothing in his arms.

The guards turn and face him, turning me with them.

"Good evening," the man says, smiling at me. "You must be Violet Thorburn."

I don't say anything.

The man continues. "It's lovely to meet you, Miss Thorburn. My name is Doctor Knowles. I'll be your psychiatric doctor during your stay here with us."

I don't say anything.

Doctor Knowles hands me the folded piece of yellow clothing in his arms.

"This will be your jumpsuit for the duration of your stay. It's very comfortable."

The guards let go of me and I take the jumpsuit from Doctor Knowles without looking him in the eye.

"Now," he continues. "I think it's time for you to get a good night's sleep. You'll be woken up at 8:30am for a 9am breakfast, followed by a group session at 9:30 and a psychological evaluation before lunchtime. During your evaluation I'll allocate you a time for the afternoon in which you will attend a correctional session. After that, dinner time is at 18:00, followed by social time. Bed time starts at 21:30, and lights out is at 22:00. If you have any questions, be sure to let me or a supervisor know."

He's saying all these words at me but I feel like I can't hear him at all. All I can think of is how empty I feel. As I enter this small, white room and change into this jumpsuit my body starts feeling heavier and heavier. I collapse on my little bed and stare up at the plain ceiling.

It's silent. I don't like silence anymore.

And with each second that passes I just feel more and more empty. Numb. Devoid of emotion.

More and more...

Dead.