Ashley's Asylum (3)

12 | Ashley's Asylum

Michael maintained eye contact with her while he sat and then he simply shrugged off the question. "A hallucination I imagine, it is a common side effect caused by the drug in your system so it would be nothing out of the ordinary if you did see something unusual."

That made sense, Elsie having a picture of her particularly that one wasn't possible but why had Ashley hallucinated that picture and in such detail.

Michael looked as collected as ever, like a carefully carved monument of ice. Ashley glanced over his shoulder to glare at Sam and Elsie who stood by the door. She couldn't believe that Witch had drugged her. Sam was smiling, still amused most likely by her state but Elsie was the one who made Ashley's hair stand on end even in her drug drunk state. She looked nervous, Ashley could see her trembling from across the room. When they made eye contact Elsie shook her head ever so slightly.

Ashley looked back to Michael and within a moment his expression darkened. He was lying and he knew she wasn't fooled.

"No. There was a picture. I held it, I saw it."

"It was a hallucination Ashley. There was no picture, you were drugged, do you understand?"

Ashley took a long shaky breath. "Why? Why does Elsie have a picture of me?"

Michael shook his head but his face was a storm cloud. "Why would anyone here have a picture of you? You're not making any sense."

Ashley looked back at Elsie and watched the old woman crumble under her gaze. Her eyes flicked back to Michael and she studied his expression warily. Every inch of her felt rotten, but she could think and focus more with every passing second.

"What's going on?"

"Yeah, what is going on?" Sam piped up from behind. Any mirth had gone and in its place was a scowl. Ashley wasn't the only one who had clocked Elsie's unease and it appeared Sam was just as clueless as she was and disliked the fact even more.

Michael closed his eyes and took a deep breath himself. Ashley watched him with aching eyes, not knowing who she should be watching more for answers. Elsie was covering her mouth with a wrinkled hand and watching Michael. Sam was hot on Michael too, waiting for an explanation. They were all staring at him.

Sam was the first to grow impatient with the tense silence. "What's this picture she's on about?"

Michael sighed irritably and glared up at the ceiling. "Don't you start. There is no picture."

"Don't lie to me, Michael."

Micheal twisted to look at Sam. "You're going to listen to someone high on 'forget me' over me?"

Sam and Michael stared at one another the way they always seemed to. Sam caught Ashley's eye.

"What's in this picture?"

"It was taken after I was born. My mum's in a hospital bed with me in her arms."

Michael cast his eyes to the side. "You need to forget about it, you saw nothing"

Sam, Ashley and Elsie instantly began talking all at once.

"Michael what are you saying?"

"What is going on?!"

"Michael you can't, not tell-"

Micheal let out a frustrated snarl. "Shut up! Just shut up!"

Everyone fell silent. He glared at each of them angrily his temper flaring up from nowhere.

"I don't have to tell you anything!" he snapped before looking directly at Ashley. "This isn't the right time."