psych ➳ muke

0.8

It starts with Michael's arm twitching. At first, the movement is so slight, I believe I'm imagining it. But then his arm jerks, his body shudders. And I realize he's actually moving. He's asleep, but I'm still sat next to him. I was enjoying the view. In his sleep, his lips would purse. His eyes flutter underneath the lids. But now, he is shaking. And as each second passes, the shudders become more violent.

His eyes spring open and I think he had a nightmare, but he turns to me with this look in his eyes. They are glossy, he looks dazed.

"Get away from me..." he whines.

My brow furrows in confusion. Why would I go?

He starts to shake his head in what appears to be disbelief.

"Stop it. Stop! No, I don't want to!" He's yelling aimlessly into the air, not at me.

"Michael, what are you doing? Stop that. You're scaring me." It's my turn to shake now, to worry. I have never seen Michael act such a way. It's almost as if he isn't himself.

And then he screams, loud, and shoves me backward off of the bed. I'm confused and my bum hurts from the impact. I scramble backwards towards my bed on the other end of the room.

"I don't want to! I don't want to!" Michael is still yelling, but it's more hushed now, as if he's talking to himself.

And I realize, he is talking to himself. It takes a moment to sink in, to realize what is really happening. He is having a fit. Michael is schizophrenic. And the panic sets in.

"Michael, please, calm down. Tell them to go away!"

I will the voices in his head away. Beg them to go, to leave him alone. But they aren't real. They can't hear me.

"What are they saying Michael?" I'm screaming now and I hear several pairs of footsteps rushing down the hall. The nurses have heard us.

I spring to my feet, rushing to Michael before the nurses can get to him.

"Luke, you need to go. Stay away from him! Its not safe!" Tim, a nurse, is instructing.

"Stop it. Stop it. Stop it." Michael goes on and on, his hands clutched to the sides of his head.

I want to cry again, because its the only thing I know how to do. It's the only thing I can't fuck up.

"What are they saying, Michael?" I'm screaming as the nurses scoop me up under my arms, tugging me backward, toward the door.

Michael is crying. Hands clutching his head. Whatever they are saying, he doesn't want to do. He won't voice it. And that settles in my stomach in the worst way.

"Michael!" I'm being dragged down the hallway.

A few other patients peek their heads out of their rooms, watching the scene unfold. I'm screaming. Michael is screaming. They just watch.

And Acacia is the first to speak, "The hell are you freaks doing?"

I snap. Flailing about in the nurses arms, "You bitch! He isn't a freak!"

I'm not defending myself, only Michael. He isn't a freak. He's not. Michael is beautiful.

They take me into the small doctor's office on the floor, ushering me inside and closing the door tight. I'm still crying, still yearning for Michael.

"Luke, we need you to calm down, okay? Calm down." It's Louise this time.

I look at her, eyes wide, nervously shaking. I can hear Michael's screams from here. Loud and strangled.

"Did he hurt you?"

I'm taken back by this. No, of course he didn't!

"Michael wouldn't hurt me," I defend, picking at my jeans.

Louise sighs, patting me on the shoulder. A fake smile plastered to her lips.

"It's not Michael in here right now. Michael is sick, sweetie. Don't go getting attached. He could hurt you."

I don't want to believe her. Michael wouldn't hurt me, would he?

An hour later, everything in the ward is silent. All words exchanged are hushed. The others are in group, but I'm still sat in the office. Staring blankly at the floor. Louise comes back in with a cup of water, handing it to me. I mutter a thanks and sip it carefully.

"He's okay," Louise says, "He's resting up in seclusion, you didn't hear that from me."

I offer her a sad smile, my nerves still racking my brain. Thoughts are hard to comprehend.

"He can hear through the door." Is all she says as she leaves the room, leaving the office door cracked open so I can slip through.

She is helping me. And I can't fathom as to why. But I don't question it for long. I find myself tip toeing across the floor and slipping through the crack in the door. The seclusion room is across from the nurse's station, but the station is empty. Everyone is busy with the group and taking calls and emissions. The first door is unlocked, so I go through, being sure to close it behind me. I stand in the small, square space separating me from the actual seclusion room. The door is big and heavy, a small window in the center. I have to stand on my tip toes to see inside. Michael is surely in there, sat against the wall, hands knotted in his hair.

I reach up and knock twice on the metal door. Michael's head snaps up, eyes in my direction, and he smiles. He jumps to his feet and scurries over to the door.

"Come to save me, Romeo?" He jokes, face pressed to the glass.

I smile, a genuine smile, and nod enthusiastically, "If I could, I'd get you out, but this door is impossible. I've come to keep you company, though."

We stare at each other for a little while then. Dopey grins and loving eyes. Michael suggests we sit, our backs pressed to the door. Its the closest way for us to be, so I oblige. The floor is cold, but I shake it off, ignoring the tingle. We sit together, backs pressed to the door, for an hour. We talk and talk about everything. All except for what transpired hours prior. I don't want to ruin the mood. We are happy, for once. And we aim to enjoy what little happiness we have.

• • • • • • • • •

This update happened a bit later than I had planned for it, but it is here and I am so in love with it!

I'm trying to update as much as I can, but I'm busy, so its a little hard.

Enjoy!