The Insane Boy

Chapter 18 - Chester

The Guard leads us off before I have a chance to bury my bare knuckles in Jae's face. In my head, I had just decided that that would be entirely acceptable, even if the drugs were still in my system. But I swallow down my rage, and turn to follow the Guard.

We head down the corridors towards the medical facilities, except we head past the main one and into one simply labelled PRE-CONDITIONING.

When we walk inside, I am hit with a wave of déjà vu. It is basic, this room, with metal beds lining each wall, but it is different too. Few o the beds are occupied, but the people in them are bound to the beds by thin plastic that wraps around their wrists and ankles.

And they are fighting.

There are screams hitting the ceiling, and the Docotors in this room are struggling to hold some of the patients down. I can see the man we just brought in, and he is still paralysed. But even from here, I can see the screams in his head are as loud as they would be if they could flood past his lips.

The doctor standing over him pulls out a wicked looking needle, one that would puncture deep into the bone. Or through the bone.
The needle is sunk deep into his skull, and the man's eyes roll backwards.

No wonder this room seems so familiar. This room is where they take your past away. In this room, I lost everything.

The guard is talking about something, but I don't hear. Because someone has just been dragged in.

He is terrified. Tied down to the bed, he is screaming, his eyes wild with terror. The Doctors try to shush him, and I can hear them whispering something about how the sedative might stop his heart.

He is so small.

His legs don't reach the cuffs, and he is held down by one of the doctors, but she is struggling. She shoots a glance over at us, and our eyes meet.

'Get over here.' She shouts at me, eyes hard.

In four quick steps, I walk over. She steps back, expecting me to hold him down, but instead I scoop him up in my arms.
No one moves. They just stare at this thrashing boy that I have clutched to my chest. I gently stroke his head, and slowly, he relaxes in my arms. His screams subside to gentle hiccups through his drying tears.

'What's your name?' I ask him

'Chester.' He mumbles

'Well, Chester, I think your braver than that. It will all be okay. I promise it will all be okay.' I whisper to him, and he looks up at me with big, brown eyes.

'You promise?' he asks.

'I promise.' I tell him.

Carefully, I lay him back down on the bed, but he doesn't let go of my fingers. He just clutches on to them like his life depends on it as they wheel him over.

'Their going to put something in your head. It will make everything better, but it might hurt a bit.' I tell him, and his fingers tighten.

He scrunches up his eyes. 'It will be okay. It will be okay.' He whispers to himself.

When the needle goes in, he goes slack.

It takes every atom in my being to morph my face back into one of indifference and cold analysis. I look back up at the Doctor, who is staring at me sceptically.

'Compassion isn't needed to fake it.' I tell her coolly. 'Don't stifle their screams, stop them. It will make your job a lot easier.' With a final glance, I turn away.

When we get back to the room, I break. I have to run to the bathrooms, and I just make it before the pain shoots across my face.

I promised him it would be all right. Deep in my heart, I am telling myself that no matter what I have to do, I will keep that promise.