Bleuler Institution

Bleuler Institution Part 1

"Claudia help me: I can't do this withou' ya. I can't leave him out there all alone, he'll be scared. We can help, ya' know we can." Claudia does not respond but continues to stare at the floor in awe. They are in a small room, barely decorated, sparse on furntiure- only the bare essentials, a bed and a wash basin. The walls, ceiling and floor all the same dusty grey colour. 

"Please, Claudia you are my best friend, me only friend, ya know that we can do this together. Alone is it merely nothing more than a suicide mission, please, don't leave me." Hayley stands up from her wooden chair frayed with splinters and walks to Claudia; she slowly mets down in front of her and lifts her head to meet her eyes. "Will ya help me?" Claudia again does not say anything but her eyes light up and Hayley knows that she has found her companion. Wihtout another word Hayley grabs her brown satchel and drags a small box out from under her metal framed bed. As Hayley opens the lid Claudia sees a stash of stale bread and carrots - all bundled in pieces of cloth. Claudia cannot hold her excitement and lets out a high pitch shriek. Hayley starts up from the floor and places her left hand firmly over Claudias gaunt face, sealing her lips tightly shut. Hayleys raises her forefinger of her other hand and places it over her own lips and Claudia nods in agreement. Hayley quickly returns to filling her satchel and grabs Claudia's hand and darts for the door. 

The pair cautiously manoeuvre down the dimly lit grey hallways, the rain slamming off the dirty panes of cracked glass that should be properly fitted windows. As lightening flashes through it lights their way. The pair sprint, breathing heavily, for the exit. A murmur. They jerk to a stop. They quickly hide behind one of the giant pillars holding up the flaking ceiling of the old building. Claudia pants, her hand over her mouth to stop any echo. Hayley is too nervous to think about her breath but pokes her head round the side of the pillar every couple of seconds to see if they have passed yet. She sees nurses walking along in their white dresses, hats and shoes. They laugh manically. Hayley rolls her eyes. The nurses often thought that they were funny, but she knew the majority of the time the nurses were making themselves sound particularly dim-witted. After the unsuspecting nurses had passed Hayley, without warning, grabs Claudia by the wrist and they were off sprinting as fast as their weak legs could carry them down the hallway once more. Within seconds the two were headed for the great enterance doors, huge wooden pieces with gold detailing swirling - faded- through the aged brown oak, topped glamorously with large beautiful golden door knobs. They did not stop to admire the art of the doors, but instead like bullets leaving silent pistols they were gone without hesitation. They knew they were on borrowed time before someone realised they were missing, they had to run. If they were caught they'd be taken back, and forced into solitary confinement for weeks on end, with no food or water. They could not get caught. 

They were free yet they did not stop. They ran further into the storm. Cold rain drenching their dirty brown uniform dresses. None of that mattered to them, they were out. Hayley smiled. Claudia panted. Keep running.  They ran till they reached the river, they knew that it sat around seven miles from the institution. The river was wild, and over flowing, but it did not stop them running into its unforgiving current, standing firmly in the middle and looking up to the angry storm filled sky. Tears filled both of their eyes, they knew they could not stay here, it was far away, but not far enough. They absorbed scenes they hadn't seen since the day they were taken there and locked in those rooms. After being lost in thought for a mere minute, Claudias breathing was calm, and Hayley looked almost happy - although it changed very quickly. Claudias eyes widen and Hayley looks panicked. After the fleeting minute or so of internal celebration at their new found freedom, they ran again. They climbed up the river bank on the otherside, slipping and sliding pitted in mud and they continued to run.