The Story Of Damian Galloway {On Hold}

Chapter 3 - The Institution

I walked inside and smiled. This is it. This is my chance to prove that I can be a Psychiatrist-- and not just any psychiatrist. A damn good one. I peered around the large area, it had a gate, an obvious security control room, and a desk that stood in front of me. There was a woman with glasses and brown medium length hair that was swept back into a ponytail. She had an exhausted look on her face and dark circles underneath her eyes. She looked up from her computer screen and smiled, "Can I help you with something?". I walked up to the desk and smiled back, "Do you accept volunteers here?"

"I can't answer that, sweetheart" she said grabbing the phone, "but I'll get Doctor Leland to come back here."

I spark of unbearable excitement came to me but I held it back to look professional, "Okay thank you."

I turned my head towards the metal gate, it was a flat blue color with a tint of green. It looked as if it was beginning to rust. I unsuspiciously looked through the gate to see all of the patients walking around and roaming free. Some were talking to theirselves, laughing at nothing, and there was even some that were chasing imaginary things-- like butterflies. I squinted my eyes slightly to see if I can look closer, there was random furniture like couches and chairs. Some were sitting on the couch, laughing and twitching quickly and harshly. None of them sat on the chairs or was even close to them.

A figure had caught my eye as I looked around, it was a boy. He sat underneath the table and was shaking and covering his eyes. He was scrawny and had black hair that covered his whole face. He looked around ten to twelve years old and was very pale and tinted grey. I frowned and debated whether I should burst through the gate and help the kid, or just wait. The time was ticking ever so slowly and my guilt began to rise as he just sat there with tears streaming down his face.

"Hello there, I heard you wanted to volunteer here?" a soft voice said behind me.

I turned to see the face that made me burst into happiness and excitement. She had short dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, a white trench coat covering her underclothes, and a warming smile. "O-Oh yes. I'm Harleen.". I reached an arm towards her, offering a handshake.

"I'm Joan Leland nice to meet you, Harleen." she said, shaking my hand softly and smiling widely. "So, what brought you to this specific Hospital?" she asked motioning to follow her.

I followed and twiddled my fingers nervously, "Well," I continued looking up and trying to look more confident, "I will be graduating from Gotham University, and my teacher would like us to come here and test it out."

"Interesting.." she opened the gate and continued walking, "Tell me, are you from Gotham?"

I followed her and looked at the patients that we were passing by, "No, I'm from Brooklyn, New York." I stopped walking for a split second when I saw the boy under the table, crying his eyes out. "Uh, is he okay?".

She turned to see the kid and sighed, "Not exactly. He goes through these episodes." She stared at him and when he looked up, he flinched and started to crawl backwards. "He's a very unlucky soul...".

I furrowed my eyebrows and frowned a little, "Whats his name, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Damian Galloway-- No one seems to know what's wrong with him." she said, shaking her head in sorrow. She turned her head towards me, "So, here is the Main Room. All the patients come here at 8 am sharp to roam free until 10:00 am."

I looked around and noticed the decrease in temperature, it was freezing. The patients didn't seem to notice us as we walked by them. The cold breezes from the air conditioner swept right through me, taking my breathe away. It was so cold, it might've been unhealthy. "This is quite a place you have here, Doctor Leland."

She let out a few laughs, "Well" she looked around and took a deep breathe, "We try to keep this place as calm as can be." I nodded in reply and looked around also; The dirty walls, the condition of this hell-like place, and most importantly, the Mentally Unstable-- I wanted in!

"If you'd like and if you have the time, you may start Sunday at 7 am." she said, looking at me with a grin.

I nodded and smiled, "I'll be there!"

We shook hands and headed towards the gate again, closing it from behind us. It made a screeching noise that felt like it burns a hole in your eardrums. It was the definition of pure excitement for me.