Tailored Hats, Cats and White Rabbits Original

1// "We're All Mad Here"

A harsh worker hand reached out and pressed level 4. The elevator jolted to life and we moved upwards for only a few seconds and then the doors opened again. The smell of disinfectant was so strong here it burnt my face. Nurse Carrigan stepped out onto level 4, there were no walls, no doors, the whole floor was out in the open. The entire placed with filled with couches, TV's, Playstations, Wii's, fridges and cupboards, beanbags, coloured carpets with happy go-lucky shit all over it. Music was blasting from the stereo on a huge table, as kids laughed and joked. The sounds of the video games mixed together to create a wash of white noise. There were many people hanging out, playing videogames, eating, just relaxing it looked like youth group rather than a mental institute. This was where I was going to be staying? It seemed like smooth riding for the next few months.

However as I followed Nurse Carrigan through the level, she didn't stop anywhere or acknowledge the stares and whispers that were flowing from the mouths of the other...patients. I started to get worried as she was nearing the stairwell on the other side of the room. She ascended the stairs and I followed suit dragging my heavy suitcase behind me.
"Why didn't we just take the elevator?" I ask breaking the hardening ice that this introduction was.
"The patients from level 4 and up are not permitted to use the elevator"
"Why?"
"Stability issues" she says vaguely. I roll my eyes to the back of my head. Fabulous, I was one of the really crazy kids. My guess, the more crazy you were the higher level you were...ironic.

Everyone now and then a door would appear on the side of the stairwell, which indicated that we had passed another floor. After what seemed a day of walking we arrived at a door that read 'Level 7'.
"Here we are" Nurse Carrigan chimed far too happily for my liking. She opened the door with a key that was hidden inside her breast pocket and opened the door to a sterile, blue looking hospital room. This place did not look as exciting or fun as the other one. I wanted to go back there, where there was music and food and Watchdogs. The reek of roses hit my nose and I saw that similar nurses to Carrigan were walking around with masks on, clipboards in their hands, their faces unreadable.

Nurse Carrigan continued to walk through the hospital. It was so horrible looking. Girls with long hair covering their faces sat in wheelchairs staring into oblivion. A little boy that looked no older than ten was writing mathematical equations on the wall of the hallway in green crayon. I heard commotion and shouting for 'back up' as a naked blonde haired girl raced past me in a blur of curls and tattoos. Three nurses were running after her, the girl was screaming something about beheadings. I'm guessing my eyes widened in shock because Nurse Carrigan turned to me to make sure that I was still here.
"Don't worry about her, she all about melodrama no action" she assured me. Right...I could still see the girl's corkscrew curls, her naked-

"Here you are Mr Lantara, Dorm 23" Nurse Carrigan opened a door to reveal a lounge area with a large flat screen TV in the left wall. Two red couches that were back to back in the middle of the room, on the right side of the room were an array of board games. Two boys were playing a game of chess on the right side of the room. A girl with dark skin was watching the TV with intense fascination, she had broad shoulders and buff arms which made me think that she must work out. Even though she was sitting down it was easy to see that she was tall. Her black hair in numerous braids tied up in a ponytail, her tanned skin had a few raised scars on her forearms. There was also a second girl who was wearing only the colour blue. She was running around fixing things up in a mad hysteria of panic. Her hands were jittering almost uncontrollably by her sides, I watched, stunned, as her eyes were almost permanently widened, in shock or anger I didn't know.
'Jaxon you're new recruit is here' Nurse Carrigan chimed happily looking towards the guys playing chess.

A boy who looked about sixteen jumped up from his position and almost skipped over. He had black flyaway hair that hung in a curtain over his forehead. He had blue eyes that twinkled out of their sockets, he looked like a very happy person, why the hell would he be locked up in here with these people?
"Hiya there buddy" he chirped.
I was silent for a moment. Did he just call me buddy...?
"Jaxon this is Michael" I felt Nurse Carrigan's hand on my elbow pushing me forward into the room.
"Don't be shy Michael, we're all one big happy family here no need to be squeamish" Jaxon rolled off. His smile kinda did creep me out,
"You should know that we are all very open here in Dorm 23,"
"Ah-huh" I muttered uneasily.