Killing Chris

We're All Mad Here

I stood in front of the rest of the group, Vaun to my right, and Dr.Green behind us. Wondering if at the end of the day id be locked in a cell, cold, alone, and left for dead. At this time Dr. Green gave his speech, a speech Id never forget...not even to this day. A perfect example of the type of "treatment" the mentally ill receive. A perfect driver for the chaos in this world.

"So group... we have a current problem... you see each of these two fellow group members were accused of killing the nurse." Dr. Green said pointing at Vaun and I.

"To fix this...unique problem we are gonna hold a vote" Dr. Green explained 

"But first I wanna give the accusers a chance to explain themselves again. Clarke you and Chris accused Vaun...Why?" Dr. Green asked 

Clarke's face turned red and my face went numb, I figured the snitches get stitches applied in the nuthouse too but I was wrong. Clarke stood up clasping her hands together.

"Vaun came to my room later last night and he confessed that he made a huge mistake. He wanted to 'apologize before the truth came out', his words not mine. Clarke said sitting back down 

"You bitch," Vaun yelled in a fit of rage.

"Enough," Dr. Green said holding his finger up to Vaun 

"Chris your turn why did you accuse Vaun?" Dr. Green asked curiously

"I...I...saw blood on Vaun's clothes before swim therapy yesterday, when I heard the nurse was killed I connected the dots," I said as sweat ran down my head.

"Dieg and Vaun, you both accused Chris why," Dr.Green asked

Dieg and Vaun must have been in contact because they both told pretty sides to the same false story. Maybe they were roommates like Rhys and I. Both Vaun and Dieg have had it out for me since I got here. I watched as Dr. Green walked back and form across the floor scratching his chin.

"What to do, What to do" Dr. Green whispered to himself as I continued to shake like leaf in terror.

"Okay, here's the thing. More than the truth I need a story that is...believable. Group what's more believable Chris and Clarke's accusation? or Dieg and Vaun's?" Dr. Green said finally breaking the silence

The truth holds no power here. I surveyed the room and just thought to myself...We're all mad here, even the doctors, even the owners, even the grounds crew. Who made the guidelines that decide if someones mad, what if the nutcases figured something out they weren't supposed to and their brain couldn't process how to share the information or realization.

As I stand in a treatment facility for the mentally ill, my fate was being decided by the mentally ill. The crazy people had a crazy game to play. As the group sat and shrugged refusing to answer Dr. Green's patience was wairing thin. In the beginning, this was fun for him, now it was getting old. Like I said we're all mad here, especially Dr. Green.

Dr. Green flung the right side of his lab coat behind him and took two syringes out from his belt. He flashed them to the group and then to Vaun and I. Rhys, Cayetana, Moe, Dieg, Clarke, Vaun, and even Derek seemed to know what was in the syringe but I did not.  Rhys instantly shot up from his chair and began 

"Chris's story is more believable," He said nodding at me

Moe stood up next "Vaun has been here longer with no problems, it had to be Chris"

Cayetana followed "I vote with Dieg, sorry Chris"

"You know where I stand" Clarke responded

"You're not getting away with this Chris" Dieg added

It was down to the wire now...Derek was the last voter. It was two votes in my favor to three votes in Vaunt favor. I clung to hope that Derek liked me more than Vaun and would come to my rescue...saving me from the torture of prison.

"It was Chris...He told me" Derek said standing up

I just wasn't even surprised anymore... everything was backward in this place. I closed my eyes looking down ready to accept the punishment. Dr. Green pulled a pistol out from under his lab coat and fired it. The boom from the gun came as a surprise to us all, but once again a dead body laid beside me on the floor.

"Ehhh I liked Chris's story more, my bad for giving you the illusion you had a choice," Dr. Green said laughing 

Rhys turned and stood up exiting the room, void of any reaction. Moe and Cayetana held each other as they wept. Dr.Green walked up to Dieg and injected him with whatever was in that serum. Clarke sat in her chair contemplating her decisions and I stood frozen by the dead body.

Suddenly my feet came unstuck and I felt free. I looked down to Vaun and I said

"I'm not sorry, I made a promise to myself and I'm gonna keep it at all costs." I'm gonna get justice for Margo and Derek number one.

Derek walked up to me and asked if I was okay but I walked past him giving him the cold shoulder. There were no friends here, we were all in survival mode. The maze we were stuck in right now has no rules. How do you win a game with no rules? Here's the secret... You quit playing.

That's exactly what I planned that night...My escape from this game...this place. Has the killer stuck his neck out enough for you to catch a scent? Maybe more time with the group will allow you to make an observation I overlooked. You won't have many more opportunities though before I escape so buckle up, its a wild ride from here on out. But first... let's start at the end.

Two months later- Escape day

I woke up that morning, got breakfast, went to group like it was any other morning. it wasn't till later that night the plan went in motion. Clarke, Rhys, Derek, Skippy, and I suited up for a daring escape. Oh, shoot...I forgot...Skippy is Vaun's replacement in group. The complex plan Skippy concocted gemmed too crazy to work but this place works backward. 

That night when the hall lights went out we prepared for a battle we certainly lost. Only two people escape the psychiatric hospital that night. Ya...ya I know your thinking one was me, your thinking, of course, it's Chris that's so obvious. Actually, the escape attempt that night need with one dead, two captured, and two escapees. 

The night of the escape is also the same day I learn the identity of the killer, who spent the weeks before the heist sitting in group meetings less than six feet away from me. I told you at the beginning of the story I was not the final survivor of the killer, maybe my time comes that night...escape night.

As we ran through the endless halls of the labyrinth we called a mental hospital our hearts pounded faster than ever before. I saw the first emotional response from Rhys that night, that's how intense it was.  we weren't just running from the hospital though...no...no...no. We were running from the terrors created inside the hospital. The hospital produced Dr. Green, the no eyed lady and atrocities you couldn't even imagine. But have no fear, you'll be introduced soon.

Chris Logged Off