Louder Than Sirens ➳ Larry

day five

day five

When the early sun peeks above the horizon, Louis is still wide awake in his hotel room. He feels physically and emotionally drained. He barely slept at all overnight, kept wide awake with thoughts of Harry and nightmares of inexplicable horrors. His bones feel heavy with utter exhaustion. He sits up in his lumpy bed and rubs his eyes tiredly.

His hotel room is small and square, just two blocks away from the asylum. It's a sharp contrast to the dreary aura of Whittingham. The hotel is annoyingly cheerful and bright and sunny, with mustard-colored walls and large windows.

He glances at his gold watch on the bedside table. He narrows his eyes and sees it's only 5:37 in the morning. He doesn't have to be at the asylum until 8:30, so he has almost three hours to spare. Three hours to recollect himself.

With stiff joints, he stands up dizzily. He stumbles into his bathroom and strips off his pajamas. The cold tiles feel like ice beneath his small feet. He takes a quick shower in the old tub, listening to the hissing pipes. The hot spray of water soothes his sore muscles and aching bones. As steam clouds around him, fogging up the mirrors and glass, he sighs with relief.

He uses the hotel's complimentary shampoo and conditioner. When he's freshly clean and relaxed, he steps out of the loo and wraps a towel around his waist. Whilst he dries off, he sits on the edge of his bed and pulls out Harry's file again. He can't help it. He's nosy.

Eventually he finds a document signed by someone named Dr. Huang. There's a list of incidents caused by Harry, dated and described in great detail. It's a log of his behavior. Louis feels his heart thud in his chest. His lethargic eyes scan down the flimsy piece of paper.

February 5, 1965: The patient seems normal and healthy. Played with the younger patients all day on the playground. Cheerful and happy.

February 8, 1965: The patient claims to be someone named Liam. Kept quiet and reserved, but he seemed to follow rules and take his time responsibly. Spent his day in the library. Doesn't talk much.

February 9, 1965: The patient has returned to his normal state. Doesn't remember yesterday. It seems as though each personality has separate ideas, thoughts, and memories.

February 14, 1965: The patient claims to be someone named Niall. Very carefree and promiscuous. Was caught snogging a female patient in the janitorial closet. Currently in solitary confinement to face punishment.

February 16, 1965: The patient was released from solitary. He claims to be Harry again. Says he can't recall kissing someone and getting caught. Woke up dazed and confused.

February 28, 1965: The patient claims to be someone named Zayn. Stabbed another patient with a butter knife in the cafeteria. Was given the towel treatment as punishment and became unconscious.

March 1, 1965: The patient claims to be himself again, but he seems quieter and more depressed. Family hasn't visited since his arrival.

March 8, 1965: The patient attempted suicide in his room. Shattered a glass cup and used the shards to cut himself. Currently in solitary confinement.

The page ends abruptly. Louis assumes the doctor either stopped recording his data or simply gave up on Harry, dubbing him as hopeless. He stares at the last entry for a minute or two, feeling tears welt up in his eyes. He tries not to imagine Harry in such a broken state. He had no family, no friends, nobody to love. He thought ending his life was the only escape.

Then again, he did shoot his own father in the leg. Perhaps his family had good reason to keep their distance.

He pulls at his hair with frustration. He wishes he had enough evidence to end the investigation three days early. He's tired of walking through the same halls, seeing the same people, and not finding any new information. He feels like he's stuck at a dead end. Deep down, he knows there's something sinister going on at the asylum. Something dark.