Insanes

Chapter 11

We opened the doors and it looked exactly as it did last time we visited. Huh, weird. Thorn gripped my hand a little tighter and I looked at him. I could tell he was terrified now. He had this cold look in his eyes and he turned a slight shade paler. Dustin looked like a blank sheet of paper and he was looking around nervously. I guess it's time to tell you what happened to him in here.

When we first got here, I didn't know Dustin. And I honestly didn't want to. He was that awkward kid at The Clinic who's had every test taken in the entire building. He had scars, cuts, and bruises as well as parts of his hair shaved or cut off. He sat alone in the corner, whispering about the things that have been done to him. Saying things like "Don't trust the sharp things" and "All they do is hurt." He stole razors from the "doctors" and slit himself on his arms and legs. That's why he always wears skinny jeans and a lot of bracelets. I started feeling bad for him, so I took his razors. He kept stealing them, and I kept taking them from him. I still have them in my room, in the bottom drawer of my dresser. I took one of them before I left and put it in my suitcase. Just in case. I just never thought I would've used them on my own skin. After a while, he found out I was the one stealing them and he asked me, "Why do you take my things? Why do you care about it?" And I just smiled. He gave me this look and that was when we clicked and became friends. I introduced him to Thorn and Scarlet and he stopped harming himself. He stopped whispering in the corner, and he started smiling again. I felt like I saved him. He thinks he owes me, but I always tell him it's what friends do.

After that visit, Dustin went home and completely changed himself. He was unhappy with how his life was, so he grew his hair out, colored it up, and healed all of his scars on his own. The tests had weird side effects that only affected him. He could heal himself, but only when he's in a positive state of mind. So healing himself took a little while. And here we are today, at the doors of the same place where that shit happened. My blood ran ice cold and I saw flashbacks of things they did to us. The machines that creak with the slightest movement, the "doctors" that tested on us without anesthesia or care if we were hurting. Then I remembered the text I got and I took a deep breath. I started narrowing down the possibilities of who it could be in my head right as Mr. Oliver waltzed up with the biggest smile on his face. As he passed by the doctors, he waved and said hello as if nothing bad is happening, like it's a normal hospital instead of an insane asylum. He approached us with open arms and said, "Welcome back, friends! Come, I'll slow you to where you'll be staying. You may remember it from the last time you came here." And he walked off back down the hallway. We followed him past rooms of those squeaking machines and screaming kids, probably no older than 12. I winced and kept walking, trying to ignore it. I suddenly got flashbacks of my own screams, but the worst ones were the screams that belonged to the one I loved. Thorn.

We walked past old lockers, rusted and hanging by their hinges. Some had old papers, turned brown with age, probably some kid's geometry homework. I smirked at the thought of homework. I'm sure as hell glad I am out of school. Not like this place is any better.

We came to a familiar place. The same place we spent endless, sleepless nights, screaming for mercy. Mr. Asshole smiled at us and shut us in the room as he said "Sleep tight, tomorrow's gonna be a long day." I lost it then. I teared up and hugged Thorn as hard as I could.

"I'm scared, Thorn... I'm absolutely terrified..."

"We're all scared, Ana. But we're here for you and with you." I shook with sobs and he kissed my forehead and I saw Dustin already curled up in a ball on one of the bed, rocking back and forth a little, and Scarlet pacing back and forth. This place drove us crazy. It drives everybody crazy. That's why we're called the Insanes. That's all we are. Insane.

So it's been a while since I've updated, and I apologize for that. My schedule's been a bit packed and I just now got the chance to. Hopefully I'll be able to update more, so keeo an eye out. Peace