Second Chances

Chapter 1

Leif's POV

I sigh as I review the patient folder once again. The patients name was Emerson, he was 21, he was supposedly a threat to society because his doctor had diagnosed him with the fourth level of schizophrenia. The dean led me down the dark hall to the door to where Emerson was kept. The way the dean worded it, made him sound like an animal instead of a human. "I'll be outside with a guard and an officer if you need anything okay?" My heart was in my throat as I unlocked the door and nugded it open. There he sat in a straightjacket, head hung low. I walk slowly towards him in the dimly lit room. "Emerson?" I say softly. "Emerson?" I say a bit louder. He looks up and I audibly gasp. His eyes were hollow and blood shot and his skin pale and his breath was ragged. " Oh Emerson, what have they done to you?" "Pills" he croaks quietly. I lean closer to hear him better. " It was the pills they are giving me" I sigh and purse my lips. " How long have you been on those pills? " A y-year" I sigh again. " That's it" I slowly walk over to the straightjacket and look at Emerson. " May I?" His eyes lightened up. " You can do that?" " If you say so" " YES!! I mean yes please" Five clips and three straps later, the straightjacket falls off his frail body and I gasp. He was littered with scars and had a few tattoos. He extended his hands. "Please?" I offer both hands and he slowly grabs them both. " Your coming home with me, pack your shit Em" I go let the dean know that I wish to take Emerson home with me and he's no longer in the asylum. "Be careful" is the only thing he said to me.
Twenty minutes later we pull up to my apartment. I grab a few of Emerson's bags and unlock my door and head to the spare room. " I'll let you settle in" Ten minutes later he walks out freshly showered and freshly clothed. I felt my heart drop when i saw his thighs and arm's. He notices that im looking at him and sheepishly shrugs. " I had a rough childhood" he says softly not looking at me. I slowly creep over to him and pull him into a hug. " You'll be safe with me Em.'' I mummer in his ear before letting him go. He silently nodded and went back to his room. I left him alone and started to pick up the apartment. I had just finished dishes around five thirty when Emerson wandered back out for dinner.