Pandemonium

Chapter 4

The buzzer was calling to me again. I stared at it, trying to control the urge to press it. I shouldn't be doing this, I thought as my hands reached for it. Once the buzzer was in my hands, there was no going back. I pressed it and moments later Raina came rushing into my room.

"Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

Her clothes were crumpled. With messy hair and droopy eyes, she leaned on the doorframe. I didn't answer her question. When she couldn't take the silence anymore, she looked up at me.

I gave her a sheepish grin and her eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"You have called me here three times already! First, to turn off the lights then to close the window and then again to put your blankets around you! What is it this time? Do you want me to sing a song for you, your majesty?"

Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. Just to irritate her further, I said, "That would be great!"

"It hasn't even been a day and I can conclude that you are the most difficult patient I have ever met. I am turning the buzzer off. Don't bother me again."

Eventually, the sound of her retreating footsteps faded away and the room fell silent. I gulped and pressed the buzzer again, but this time Raina didn't show up.

To be honest, I was scared of being alone in this place. Being trapped here was a nightmare and I desperately wanted it to end. Compared to this, I felt like the flashes in my dream were better. At least there, people didn't see me as mentally ill.

Falling asleep was difficult; but when I was about to, the fire alarms went off.

The lock to my door opened and Raina hurriedly led me out. She started dragging me with her.

"Somebody broke out and set fire to Susan's office. Everyone is being evacuated to the main hall."

I couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled out. "Whoever did that is a bloody genius!"

"We shouldn't be laughing," she said, trying to fight off the smile that was spreading across her face.

We stifled our giggles as we reached the hall.

Soon all the patients and nursing staff had piled in. The hall was surrounded by guards and everyone was waiting for the siblings to arrive.

"Unfortunately, they are not dead," Kathy stood beside me with a frown on her face.

"Killing them wasn't my intention."

We both looked up to see Josh, "However, I did manage to steal her journal. I hope that counts for something." He wiggled his eyebrows at us.

"There might be cameras in her office, right?" I asked. Even though I barely knew him, I didn't want him to get caught.

He shook his head in denial. "Look around guys, there isn't a single camera in this entire building," he glanced at us frowning, "which is a bit weird."

Yes, it was weird. No surveillance cameras and that too in a psych ward.

"Even if there are no cameras, only your caretaker can open your door. They will know it's you!" Kathy asked, worry evident in her tone.

"Relax! They won't find out."

Before Kathy could object to that, the siblings entered. They were followed by a few guards. Their clothes were covered in soot and I looked over at Josh to make sure that his weren't.

Seeing that his clothes were clean, I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Whoever did this will be punished accordingly." She said as her gaze swept around the room.

Her face remained blank but the anger was evident in her eyes. Every patient was a suspect for her.

She glanced at the staff, "Where did the patient get the supplies and who opened their room's door?"

Her question was followed by silence until a guard spoke out, "The patient might have used something to pick the door lock and then steal the supplies."

"Yes, that is possible." She titled her head and asked the nurses, "Which door was open when you went to retrieve the patients? Head nurse, please answer my question."

A guy, roughly in his mid-thirties stepped forward.

"There wasn't just one door ma'am. All the doors in Wing-A were open. The culprit could be anyone," he replied.

That wasn't the answer Susan was looking for. She was struggling to maintain her blank expression.

"Everyone is dismissed. Return to your rooms now." With fists clenched, she walked out of the hall with her brother rushing after her.

"You are brilliant Josh!" Kathy whispered.

All three of us had identical smirks on our faces as we left the hall.

Raina met me when I was on my way to my room. Her smile was cheerful and there was a slight excited bounce in her steps.

"That was fun! I really want to know who did it. But I also don't want anyone to get caught. Tell me if you find out, please?" she looked at me pleadingly.

I hesitated and she read right through me.

"Alright, tell me when you trust me. Good night." Her smile didn't falter as she closed my door.

She seemed to understand me. I didn't feel much lonely now.

With a smile on my face, I fell asleep.