Oblivion [h.s]

One.

Grace.

If her hands could shake anymore vigorously, Grace was sure the tray of food in her hands would fall to the floor and she would have to clean the mess with a rag whilst the 'others' watched. That's what they were told to call them when in groups, and then when separated staff weren't aloud to use their names, they were identified through numbers.

A muscle twitched involuntarily in her left eye as her eyebrows furrowed, creating a crease on her forehead. Without making eye contact with the patient she placed the tray of food before them, turning around to leave.

"Fucking whore" an icy voice said.

Grace made eye contact with the women. She was dressed the same as all the other patients, in grey. Her skin was hidden behind layers of grime and her hair hung as a tangled mop of white. She could barely keep her head up.

Without saying anything Grace continued handing out trays of food. A sandwich, a small square of cake and a plastic cup of water sat perkily.

She had been working at the infamous New York Asylum for a month now, it was said to be a place of refuge from the storms that hurt the mind, a place of love and sanctuary. Grace didn't see it like that, she saw it as a place where criminals go to calm the mind before they entered through the gates of jail. Although 'calming the mind' she did not see much of. One thing she had learnt from the past month was to never make eye contact unless severely necessary.

"So how are you liking it here so far?" Steph said with an artificial smile making Grace feel instantly as if she would be sick.

"It's interesting, to say the least" Grace hadn't made many friends her past month, however the woman she was speaking with was the closest she had come to it. Both wore white from head to toe and Grace began to acknowledge the resemblance between the two.

"Have you heard the news?" Her artificial smile was replaced with a look of intrigue as she picked at the nails on her long fingers. Grace had heard the news, hell she'd seen it on her television the night before. The psychopath had been captured, she vaguely remembered his face but not his name.

Grace nodded her head.

"He's quite attractive don't you think? disregarding all that he's done of course. His name is Harry" Grace couldn't believe the words that escaped Steph's mouth. How could someone be even remotely attracted to a cold blooded murderer. Grace thought he looked dirty, like he hadn't showered in weeks. His hair was knotted and he had tattoos that scattered across his body, a true criminal.

"You know we have to be there when he comes in, it's for the papers or some shit" Steph mumbled as she brought a cigarette up to her cracked lips. She directed her pack in Graces direction however the girl shook her head dismissing the thing. She promised herself she would quit smoking and that the day she started up again, she should quit her job.

A bell drilled throughout the dining room and the once sealed doors latched open.

"I'll see you out there" Steph walked away and left Grace to her thoughts. Guards flooded the room to take the patients to their rooms. Each room was positioned throughout a long hallway, it contained a bed and toilet. Nothing more, nothing less.

Following behind the others wearing white, Grace scanned out of the building. They each stood in a straight line on either side of the door, the steps leading up were cleared and many men with cameras and notepads stood waiting. Grace was disgusted with the amount of publicity he was getting, the man probably thought he was famous. There were some girls that scattered the crowd, signs in their hands. Things like '𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨' and '𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘦' were written across the cardboard, causing Roses nose to scrunch up in disgust.

Almost immediately two police cars pulled up. Cameras began flashing and the once quiet doorway, erupted in a sea of noise. The police climbed out of their vehicles each walking around to let the man out, making sure he had no chance of escape. Out he stepped, his hands cuffed. His hair was cut short and his once thick facial hair had been removed completely. He looked nothing like he did on the tv, if anything he looked like a scared little boy.

"I didn't do it!" The man shouted looking towards the crowd in disgust. One of the policemen shoved his head, demanding him to silence. The man made his way up the steps until he was directed beside Grace. Although she fought herself not to, her eyes met his. His eyes were green. The kind of green that pushed its way through piles of gritty snow to remind those that spring was coming.

"Help me" He mouthed to her.

Graces mouth moved as if to speak but no words could escape. Soon enough the man was pushed into the building and out of sight. Millions of thoughts ran through her mind as she remained intimidated by the man once before her. Following the reporters she made her way back to her apartment. The man on her mind. It was convenient for her as work and home were two blocks away. Grace believed that that was presumably why her apartment was so cheap. She  lived practically next to a nuthouse.

Her apartment was welcoming from the door to the wide hallway. Upon the walls were photographs of her brother whom she loved with all she had left. The floor was an old-fashioned parquet with a blend of deep browns and the walls were painted the greens of summer gardens meeting a bold white baseboard. Grace loved her apartment. It was as if the dealer had taken a page straight out of her childhood journal and built a place strictly off what she described her dream place to be.

In one quick movement her shoes had been removed and the television was switched on. She made her way to the small kitchen and placed a cup of two minute noodles in the microwave. As the microwave turned in circles she waited in front of the television, attempting to find a channel that wasn't broadcasting what she witnessed an hour earlier. With one flick of a button the television was switched off. Grace grabbed a book and returned to her kitchen, eating her noodles she dreaded what tomorrow had in store.

-

𝙝𝙞! 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙫𝙤𝙩𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙛𝙖𝙧! 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙮 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙚. xxxx