XIX | Something I Wanted ❦ I haul myself up a tree, trying to makelife difficult for my uniformed pursuers. It’s difficult, unscrewinga tight pen tip with shaky, sweaty hands. But I do itbefore the first hand reaches my foot. What have I doneto make you treat me like a criminal? I’ve swallowedall … Read more
XVIII | Someone Leaves ❦ I’ve only run100 metres from the asylum gates but I’m already out of breath. Must be becauseI haven’t been outside for many years. I need to catch my breath. I can’t breathe. I need to stop. I can’t feel my legs anymore. I veer offthe natural forest path where … Read more
XVII | Something To Hide ❦ Tammie peels openthat soggypiece of paper. There’ll be new writingon it. A warning from the nurses. In messy pencil marks,a hanged man swings with a cheshire cat’s smile and a speech bubble floating over his head:HA HA HA. The blanksare filled with my handwriting:S U B S T I … Read more
XVI | Some Way Out ❦ It’s evening, Moonlight Sonata is pulsing through the walls. We’re sittingin the main hall, waiting for our turn. My headis spinning. I’ve spent the whole day thinking aboutElliot. My memory of him isalmost non-existent. I’ve never talked to him,scratch that, I’ve barely seen him. What has he donethat resulted … Read more
XV | Someone Count ❦ We’re playinghangman in the study room when Elliot walks in accompanied bytwo nurses. One dozen. ‘Correct,’ I reply and fill in the blanks with her answer. They’re notthe same nursesthat followed me around. Their uniforms the male ones. One of them has hazel eyes. Elliot sits in … Read more
XIV | Someone Screamed ❦ It’s my first nightalone, and I spend it thinkingabout what ‘there must be eight patients’means. But like always,I blink and it’s morning. It’s the medicine,I mutter and it sounds familiar,like I’ve figured this out before. I decided to wear long pants last night and they’ve rolled up in the nightso … Read more
XIII | Some Rules ❦ ‘Tammie,’I run towards her, stopping shortof actual contactbecause of the stench. It feelssomewhatnostalgic but it is a bad smell after all. We stare at each otherin absolute silence. Then Tammieasks, Aren’t you curiousabout what happened to me? I don’t know how to reply. No, not really. I wanted … Read more
XII | Someone Watching ❦ Where did the nurses go? I walk to the benchby the rowan trees where they oncewatched over my shoulder. but I’m really the only one here. I go backto my room but the door is locked.They’re all locked and I’m really alone. I search the whole asylum but there’s onlypatients … Read more
XI | Something Changed ❦ My name wasn’t alwaysTammie. The things thathappened to methat resulted in my coming here before youwere— An unwanted voice.‘Fiona?‘Are you alright?’ One of the nurses. Or both. It’s hard to tellabove the sound of the water falling. Tammiecovers her mouthwith both hands, grey eyesalight with laughter. I don’t find … Read more
X | Some Memories ❦ I sit under the glare ofwhite fluorescent lights, tapping my feetto the beat of Moonlight Sonatain that windowless room. The two nurses in front of meare indistinguishable except for their eyes. Today,the one on the left is wearing mascara. Is that allowed? ‘I don’t think it matters,’my words … Read more
