{𝗷𝗲𝗻𝘇𝗶𝗲}
"just because you can't see him, doesn't mean he's not real!"
"where is he?! what have you done to him?! johnny! johnny please!"
"don't do it kenz..i'm here. i was always here. you just, couldn't see me"
"i'm gonna get you out of her...
mackenzie is trapped. in her own mind. except...it's real.
she sat sweatily in her confined room. walls bland as ever, staring out the small window she had access to, given the tiny bed they provided her with. "are you ready mackenzie? it's lunch time" her assigned doctor told her through the small looking glass. the door to her room was only able to be locked on the outside, which meant she couldn't leave unless they let her out.
but it's not just her. only certain patients have this seal. and she's one of the "unlucky" people to get it.
she sometimes thinks it's because the doctors are afraid of her. but she has hope..she writes on her wall everyday:
"i just have one year left. i can do this"
she's been telling herself that for two years..still hopeful that it will happen. but right when she's closer to her goal; getting out of the facility, she screws something up. the doctors now have routine just to put her back in her cell.
"can my friend come too?" she asked lightly, but pulled her gaze away from the window; pointing to the corner of the room.
her doctor was used to this by now. she asks occasionally during the weeks if her "friend" can come with her.
her doctor knows she's hallucinating, but he sometimes entertains her, when she's in a good mood. mackenzie is very hard to handle when she's in a bad mood.
"sure mackenzie. johnny is welcomed to come" mackenzie jumped happily and walked to the corner, reaching her hand out as if for someone to grab. her doctor knows she's seeing him right now, but all he sees is mackenzie holding onto the air.
"thank you doctor pierce" mackenzie stood at the door waiting for her doctor to open it. once he did, she bounced behind him as he led her to the lunch room. doctor pierce listened to the conversation she was having with herself.
"i'll only share with you if you agree to sleep in the room this time"
"what? i've never insulted you. i love you"
"awh..i hope you can show me the world someday too"
her doctor felt bad most of the time. he's always wanted her to get better, so she can explore the world. but then he's also happy because he gets to see her everyday, his entertainment.
doctor, patient relations he pays no mind too seeing as she's already eighteen. but he also knows it's wrong and could never happen. which is another reason why he wants her to leave, so he doesn't have to get his heart broken every time he realizes she'll never feel the same about him.
"okay mackenzie, you know the rules. i'll be back to take you into the garden in thirty minutes" mackenzie nodded her head as doctor pierce walked off, holding a smile on her face.
"recite them to me" mackenzie heard next to her. it was johnny. "recite them to you? but why?"
"because i need to make sure you know them. you know you forget things a lot" she gasped, but gave in afterwards.
her peers looked at her as she spoke the rules to literally just air, all knowing who she was speaking to. they all wished they had the "gifts" she did, seeing as they were all lonely in their rooms at night.
except for the twins. that's the name they go by. the both of them share a room, they'd forcefully try to kill them selves if either one was separated.
"good job kenzie. you earn a cookie. wanna grab one after we eat?" mackenzie looked down at her flat shoes. johnny knew she didn't want to eat anything, but he's like her bodyguard; only in her head. it's her subconscious telling her what's good and bad.
"you will eat. go up to the line and pick something" mackenzie whined and looked back up at johnny. "only if you eat with me"
"you know i can't do that kenz.."
"how come i have to eat, if you don't?" johnny smiled and pointed behind him to the line. "go. please" mackenzie listened that time. they do this everyday, and she still doesn't ever eat everything off the plate that's given to her.
"are you finished now? because you haven't touched the apple sauce they gave you- wait..you only ate the grapes kenzie" mackenzie felt shameful. "i know i know, i'm just not hungry"
"well no matter that now, your doctor will be back anytime soon"
"johnny..do you think he'll ever be able to see you" johnny knew this question was coming. he's in her head after all. so he told her what she wanted to hear. "he does see me. he just likes playing jokes kenz" he had no control over what was coming out his mouth, since he was made from her mind; everything she wanted to know or see was created by her. mackenzie got better at controlling her thoughts overtime.
"NO! YOU CANT HAVE IT! ITS MINE! HELP, HELP! THEIR TRYING TO STEAL MY PURSE!" one of mackenzie's peers yelled across the the room, alerting the staff.
her name is eden. she was enlisted here around the same time mackenzie was, so she automatically clicked with her. johnny told her it was a good idea.
eden says the last memory she ever had with her mother right before she died, every day. it's mostly during lunch time though.
her mom was shot in the head, after getting her purse stolen.
the staff reacted quickly, knowing exactly what to do in these situations. they grabbed her personally medicated needle and ran over to her, being careful not to touch any of the other patients. when they injected her, her nerves calmed down and she fell into the arms of her doctor.
doctor pierce arrived rather quickly after the scene. "mackenzie. hey..are you okay?" loud outburst normally scare her. "i..i'm uh-" her doctor already knew she needed to be removed from the situation.
"let's get you outside. you like the garden right? let's go smell the flowers and you can tell me what you dreamt last night" mackenzie didn't remove herself from the seat until eden was cleared. she wanted to make sure she would be okay.
"it's okay, come on.." doctor pierce gently placed his hand on her back and guided her up. "johnny's coming too.."
