Tailored Hats, Cats and White Rabbits Original

1// "We're All Mad Here"

1// "We're All Mad Here"

The institute was a relatively modern building. Grey walls, revolving doors, elevator, however they only had open windows on the front of the building that faced the road, the other windows on the side of the building each had thick bars on the outside. The only indication that this was a crazy house was the pretty looking golden signage above the revolving doors that read 'Eastward's Institution for Residential Graduates'. Fancy words, why didn't they just say home for crazy children? The duffel bag that sat on my shoulder suddenly became very heavy. Mom brought around my only suitcase from the trunk of the car and wheeled it up beside me.
"It's only for a few months, Michael" she assured for the 56th time, "I'll visit you if you like"
"No, no it's...fine" I drawled. The deterioration of her smile caused me to back track.
"Mom, I didn't mean it like that" I said raising an eyebrow, "I just need to adjust to this...lifestyle"
"But I don't want my baby to adjust to this lifestyle" she smacked a big kiss on my cheek.

"Really?" I stepped back and rubbed off the saliva with my t-shirt.
"Want me to walk you in?"
I nodded, the butterflies fluttering from my stomach up my throat to tickle the back of my mouth making me want to vomit. Walking through the revolving doors the smell of disinfectant and roses wafted right up my nose to my brain where it gave me an immediate headache. The woman behind the desk was thin, frail with a large nose and perched upon that nose were a pair of bright blue glasses. Her business suit looked scratchy and was boring in colour. I hated it here already.

As Mom checked me in (like this was a fucking hotel) I looked around the bottom floor, it looked relatively normal. Not as though this was a mental institute at all. Paintings of serene landscapes, plaques and certificates, the fluffy yellow lights, the silver plated elevator. It seemed normal. Lies, all lies. The dialling of a phone brought me to attention as the receptionist held the phone between her ear and shoulder whilst she typed. Like she was busy even though we were the only ones here.
"Nurse Carrigan to escort Mr Lantara to his room" she ordered through the phone. Okay so this was exactly like a hotel. Lies, all lies. It was a crazy house for people who had mastered drinking alcohol and snuffing cocaine at the same time, people who believed that wizards were after them, people who flipped out if you gave them decafe instead of expresso or people like me.

Mom put down the suitcase by my feet and looked at me with watery eyes.
"I'll call you when I get the chance" she assured me,
"No calls allowed madam" the receptionist barked as she stared at her computer screen not even getting the fact that I was saying goodbye to the only good person in my life who actually cared about me. Lies...all lies. No they weren't, she was reluctant about it, but she promised only a few months.
"Well then I'll email you" Mom tried again, her big mummy smile wavering slightly.
"No patient is permitted to use social networking and or technology" the receptionist's monotone struck my Mom again.
"How am I supposed to see my son, lady?" Mom snapped back, angry tears changing from the sad ones.
"No outside contact is to be maintained"

"None?" it was my voice that surprised us all. The elevator pinged and their comments were rendered moot. I turned to Mom tears already spilling over her cheeks.
"Mom it's okay don't cry" I murmured quietly and pulled her into me so that her head rested on my shoulder, "I'll be back before you know it"
"Promise" she whispered.
"Promise" I replied and we parted. I watched as she walked out of the revolving doors to her car, only looking back once before she opened the door of our blue ute.
"I love you" she mouthed to me. I was staring out to the road long after the smoke from the engine had disappeared.

"Mr Lantara?" an energetic and tranquil voice asked behind me. I turned to the source of the voice with irritated and lazy eyes. She had olive skin, her mousy blonde hair showing underneath the nurses' cap that matched the blue scrubs that she wore. She had a practised smile that I could tell even now could handle any comment or rude comeback that was thrown at her. She looked like one of those people.
"I'm Nurse Carrigan, would you please follow me" like I had a fucking choice. I hitched my duffel bag up higher on my shoulder and picked my suitcase up with the other hand. I followed her into the elevator.