Asylum - you underestimated me

Chapter 3

The day passed by in a blur. During which, Maya showed me around the place. There is a library here, as well as an IT suite, art studio, music room, sports hall and even a swimming pool, all on the ground floor with the lunch hall. On the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors are the dorms, and I quickly realised that the room I was previously restrained in was my own dorm room. Access is not permitted on the 5th and 6th floors, but the basement is for storage, where all of the supplies are stocked.

Apparently, we had no guards patrolling within the building, so the children here (yes, we are all kids here) had full control over the place. There are probably staff in the cafeteria, but we are in charge of keeping the place clean as well as maintaining a garden that the other kids (known as wards) have dubbed the 'Decorum'. Why, I have no idea, but the place sure looks the part (maybe that's why). Columns line the vast, open air expanse at the heart of Darkwood, alcoves filled with urns, vines and poison ivy. The centre is forested with a large variety of trees, and at their core, peeking between the tall trunks, is an old marble statue. The rest of the area is overflowing with unnaturally wild flowers, bursting with various shades and hues, so bright they burn my vision, so strange I shiver and turn away. Overlooking it all are large billboards, such as the ones used for advertising, lining the upper half of the Decorum's walls. They are all off, like large black TVs covering every inch of concrete.

Maya leads me through the mini forest, stopping before a pedestal, which boasts a marble effigy of a young girl, about 7 years old, draped in a billowing gown that flows down to her ankles, with her hands clamped over her mouth, her eyes a window, betraying a story of terror, bringing to light the disturbance her presence caused. She looks alive, as if she could jump down from the pedestal at any time. The pedestal which was surprisingly blank, no hint of who carved her.

"Her name was Fetricia," Maya stood behind me, her voice dragging with it the cold tone of regret. "She was like a little sister to me."

"Wait? You mean the statue?" My fear apparent, apprehension prevented me from facing the source of the voice at my back, pinpricks of fear tracing their way down the spine, the hairs on the neck raising. Was that really Maya behind me?

"One day, she was taken away. This was how she returned."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The others would've kept quiet about this, I had to show you." Her voice broke a sob escaping from her.

"Show me WHAT?" Enraged, I spun around, the back of my hand striking her face, sending her sprawling onto the ground, "Stop being so creepy and vague and spill the beans already!"

She got up, cradling her cheek in her hand, eyeing me warily, cautiously, "Why did you do that?". Her voice was hard, but not exactly angry, revealing a level of maturity that I had never expected to see in a twelve-year-old.

"Why did I- YOU creeped me out!"

"Oh," she seems a lot more composed now, all traces of - whatever that was - melting behind her familiar soft smile, as she regards me cooly, fondly, which is strange, considering we haven't even known each other for a whole day yet. Maya is a puzzle, one which, in other circumstances, I would have enjoyed trying to solve. As it was, surrounded, suffocated by the white walls of the asylum, something seems amiss, troubling, I can't quite put my finger on it yet, but- wait; I think I've got it. This place is labelled as an asylum, so aren't there supposed to be, I don't know, well, ADULTS in here? Psychiatrists, nurses, cleaners, etc, etc. Yet Maya said there were just us kids. Maya who is waving her hand in front of my face once again, and- you know the rest.

"Hello? Are you in there? Are you deaf? Can you hear me? Can you speak? If so, why are you spacing out? Oh, I almost forgot! You said you were fine earlier, right? Oh no, did your cochlea give out? Let me check; reply if you can hear me. Hellohellohellohellohellohellohe-"

"Please just STOP! My brain can't take it anymore!"

"Amina has returned to Earth, people!"

"Okay, I get it. Sorry for spacing out. I'd probably do it again, but sorry."

The nagging subsides. Maya looks at me with a rueful grin as if she were the one who was spacing out, instead of me.

"Off in your own world, weren't you?"

"Hey!" I've always had trouble focusing, my mind tends to go off by itself. Sometimes I'm just thinking really deeply about a topic, other times...

"So? Care to give me an explanation?" I have decided to go on the offensive, primarily because I don't want to talk about, well, personal stuff. But also, her tactic of attempting to distract me means that there is something she is hiding. Everyone has secrets, but I have grown particularly curious about this one. When something grabs my interest, I can't help following through with an investigation. Well, at least, I try.

"Explanation? For what?"

"Do I have to spell it out?"

"Oh, er, you mean Fetricia?"

"Yes!"

"Oh... well... erm..." Maya seems to have completely flipped, replacing the bold, friendly girl I had met earlier today with a nervous wreck of a child. I mean, what was wrong with her? She was ready to tell me a minute ago, but now, she has completely clammed up. Is it something to do with the statue?

Somewhere within my mind, the answer is sitting there, just outside of my consciousness, just outside of my reach.

Seeing me distracted, Maya took the opportunity to vacate the premises. But what snapped me out of her reverie was when, with one last look back, she said,

"Sorry, I can't trust you just yet."

"Wait, what?". But she was already gone. Following the direction she went, I attempted to find her again, but, as I exited the copse of the trees, I realised that I had lost her.

Throughout the rest of the day, I tried to talk to her again, but it was as if she was trying to avoid me. I hadn't seen her for an entire afternoon. By dinner (yes, we had regular meals in this place), even the names of the other girls I had met had blurred from memory. I'd hate to call someone by the wrong name, so I couldn't ask them where Maya was. Besides, if she was actively avoiding me, then they probably wouldn't tell me where she was. I mean, they have obviously known her longer than they knew me.

Who would be nice to the new girl, huh? I'm a complete stranger, and in this place, everyone must have their own cliques and friend groups, right? It seems only natural. They weren't as interactive with me as Maya was. It's not like I made a good first impression on them or anything.

I have reached my room door. It looks desolate, it looks like me. I open it and go in, throwing myself on the bed. Why did I have to push away my only friend? I always seem to do that. (the toothbrush in my drawer. I have to brush my teeth. Remember that, Amina.) I take a sheet and drape it over the mirror. My reflection is the last thing I need. (What would be for breakfast tomorrow? I hope it's baked beans on toast.) I go over to the drawer in my bedside table, take out the toothbrush, leave my room, and go to the bathroom. (It's on the opposite end of the corridor to the stairs. Two doors, one for boys, one for girls.) I face the mirror (Not another one!) I look down. Toothpaste is on the counter. I pick it up. (What is going on?) I squeeze the paste out. (Is there something wrong with this place?) I begin to brush. (Why did Maya avoid me?) Brushing, brushing. (Is she hiding something?) Doubting myself, brushing. (Is she even the real problem?) The mirror watches me, judges me. (Leave me alone, I already hate myself.) Do I? (Am I confused, afraid, depressed?) I feel nothing. Spit. Wash my face. Turn the tap off. Go back to my room, the room, one step after another. Open the door. (again?) Go in. Walk to the bed. One step after another. (Why am I so upset?) Lie down in bed. (questions, questions, crushing regret.) Curfew strikes, all lights die. (I am all alone.) I close my eyes. (more questions than answers.) I sleep.