The Asylum On Chestnut Street

Chapter-4

How much longer?" Brenda whined. We were biking up one of the longest, steepest hill in the town. I was used to it, since I biked up crescent every morning, but Brenda hardly ever biked. I was sure the only reason she actually wanted to bike, let alone hangout with me, was to see kyle. Normally, I'd be kind of offended, but I didn't let it faze me. I was just glad for the company, it made me feel less crazy.

"Once we get to the top, the next street is chestnut" I replied. "It's a few more minutes away from here, do you wanna take a break?" I asked. Her face has turned bright red from exhaustion. Her breathing was rapid and unsteady.

Brenda sucked in some cool autumn air and exhaled a faint ring of fog. "No. We got this," she said, encouraging herself mostly. "Let's just keep going" her face was firm and determined now.

"Okay." I was kinda glad that she refused, actually. Stopping and starting again ruins the momentum when biking up crescent.

Sometime later, we rounded the corner on crescent and biked along chestnut Street. Further down, I clutched the brakes on my handle bars, prompting Brenda to stop behind me.

"Here we are," I announced. The asylum was to our left, we brought our bikes closer and kicked the kickstand down and stood on the side of the road, looking up at the old abandoned building.

"Wow," Brenda murmured in awe, "this place is really creepy looking."

"Yeah." I agreed. I tucked my hand into my sweatshirt pocket. It wasn't windy today, but it was a lot colder than it'd been all this week.

"Do they know who did it?"

"Who did what?"

Brenda flicked her palms up, talking with her hands. "Who burnt down this place obviously," she said. Her tone implied annoyance, but I tried my best to disregard it.

"Um,yeah." My voice sounded weak and cracked, so I cleared my throat. "Apparently, it was one of the patients. Her name was Melissa.

"Well, what happened?" She pressed.

"She was crazy" I said.

Brenda rolled on her eyes to that, equivalent to saying --- Duh! Now get on with the story.

"The fire was said to start in Melissa's room," I continued "except they don't know what started it, since it most likely burned with everything else."

Brenda's right eyebrow arched up in confusion. "Okay... So there was a fire started in her room. But what made them think that she did it. It could have been anyone."

I sighed. I really hated telling this story. When I first found it, it was the day when I biked past this place and overheard few kids talking about how the old dilapidated building was indeed a mental hospital. Immediately, I was intrigued, and went home and googled this address. Tons of articles came up talking about the fire which occurred in late sixties. Suffice to say, my questions were answered but my mood was dampened.

"Her door was locked and no one else was there in her room with her" I told Brenda, "Some of the doctors who survived said, she'd been especially depressed the day of the fire..."

"So it was suicide." Brenda finished.

"Yes"

"Oh! That's sad." She tapped her fingers in her chin, her down eyes lost in thoughts "I wonder if Kyle's around here."

And just like that, the subject was dropped.

I shrugged, suppressing a sigh. "I'm pretty sure he has a life, bren."

"Yeah, but if he come here every day, as you said. He probably lives nearby, right?" A slightly mischievous smile lifted her cheeks and it started to, kind of, bother me. I didn't know why.

"I come here everyday, and I don't live nearby." I simply countered.

"You live close enough," Brenda retorted.

I placed my hands on hips, narrowing my eyes. "Well then, what are you suggesting? We sit and wait around until tomorrow morning for him to show up? We search the neighborhood until we see him through one of the windows?"

"No..."

"Then what am I suppose to say?"

"I do not know bit you don't have to get so loud," she growled, folding her arms across her chest. "It's really unlike you, actually."

I sucked in a breath, my increasing anger finally rising to the surface. "Yeah, well it's like you to use people. I know, the only reason you even wanted to hangout with me today is because I told you about Kyle, and you just wanted a chance to meet him. Just admit it!"

"That's not true," she deadpanned, her lips forming a tight line.

"Yes, it is."

"I came here because you're my friend and I thought it'd be fun," she argued.

My face was burning out of anger. "Liar!" I spat.

"I'm not lying."

"Yes, you----"

I was cut off, when a husky familiar voice pierced through the chilly atmosphere, causing my heart to skip a beat and my whole body to stiffen.

"Is everything alright over here?" he asked.

Brenda and I both turned our heads at the same time.

Standing merely a copy away, was a tall blonde boy, with vibrant crystal blue eyes and a smug smile playing on his lips.

Kyle.