Bygones
Moonchild
Bzzrt. Bzz. Bzz. Bzzrt. Bzzzzz.
Eugene lay on his side, staring blankly at a fly repeatedly banging itself into his white, enclosed room's wide window. The fly, like Eugene, was delving into insanity, repeating the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. The fly, like Eugene, was trapped, but unlike the fly, Eugene had stopped trying and began thinking of a new way out; so perhaps...he was truly on the mend.
So much for a large, open window if all you could see was a plastic recreation of the actual world in Barbie's dream house. Fake grass, plastic seats, rubber trees, and paper flowers. The way things were around here, it felt like they never wanted you to leave, no, they were going to suck you dry like cow teets until you finally had enough and blew your brains out. But Eugene was stronger than that, he had a life he left behind that he would be reunited with. Shadelight had his bright ideas, yeah, but look where those got them. Eugene was starting to comprehend something he should have realized a long time ago: if he wanted to return home, he needed to get rid of the one true obstacle in his way...
"Good morning, Mr. Fowler. Do you think you can get up and get your medication from the day room, today? I think it'd do you good to see some friendly faces." Emerged a voice that overrode the monotonous droning of the fly's buzz. It was nurse Beckham. Friendly faces? Is that what you call these scowling jackals of people? Eugene had some sort of self-awareness, enough to keep that arrogance he used to have of thinking he is better than everyone else shining through. He didn't think he was crazy, which was his first mistake, because no one who is crazy believes they are crazy.
Eugene used to never be allowed in the day room, Shadelight wouldn't let him, he'd find a way to make Eugene do something horrendous and they'd be locked into solitary confinement for a while. Even Shadelight had his limits and would lay off enough to get Eugene in better spirits and better behavior so that they weren't couped up together for so long. He'd get bored. And the cycle would continue. But Shadelight's techniques weren't working any longer; Eugene had become numb to them, even distracted; Eugene didn't think it was possible, but he was having his own thoughts once more.
Out of spite, he says, "Yes." Shadelight was quiet, maybe he wasn't awake yet, but even so, it wouldn't take long for him to make his appearance.
"Glad to hear it," Nurse Beckham smiles and ushers him out of his room. "I really think you're starting to make great progress, Mr. Fowler."
"You know what...I do too." Eugene remarks as he follows close behind, a cocky grin on his face.
He accepted the medication and downed the two mystery tablets from the small paper cup right away, something Shadelight would have protested to, but still...not a word from him this morning. He then took a seat in the dayroom's center, next to the artificial fireplace. Everyone stopped moving as they peered at this strange sight, as though deciding how to proceed in the presence of an unpredictable wild animal. Eugene never came out of his room. He lingered in this manner amid the other patients for a while, it was something Shadelight had taught him: to savor the smell of fear.
"Nurse," Boomed his voice suddenly, and he was surprised it was his own. "I'd like to make a call."
One of the nurses looked around, puzzled themselves when they realized that it was him, and hesitated for a second before responding. "Sure, but keep in mind that this is your only call allowance for the day, so make the most of it."
'Only call allowance for the day'...is this a hospital or a prison? I can't tell anymore.
"Yes, yes," He grumbled, strolling over to the array of phones mounted in the wall.
Old collect call phones mounted to the wall, asking for permission to do anything, allowance—yup, this is prison alright.
He dialed a number. It rang for a few seconds and picked up. "Ma'? It's me. I just wanted to let you know that...I'm coming home."
Eugene lay on his side, staring blankly at a fly repeatedly banging itself into his white, enclosed room's wide window. The fly, like Eugene, was delving into insanity, repeating the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. The fly, like Eugene, was trapped, but unlike the fly, Eugene had stopped trying and began thinking of a new way out; so perhaps...he was truly on the mend.
So much for a large, open window if all you could see was a plastic recreation of the actual world in Barbie's dream house. Fake grass, plastic seats, rubber trees, and paper flowers. The way things were around here, it felt like they never wanted you to leave, no, they were going to suck you dry like cow teets until you finally had enough and blew your brains out. But Eugene was stronger than that, he had a life he left behind that he would be reunited with. Shadelight had his bright ideas, yeah, but look where those got them. Eugene was starting to comprehend something he should have realized a long time ago: if he wanted to return home, he needed to get rid of the one true obstacle in his way...
"Good morning, Mr. Fowler. Do you think you can get up and get your medication from the day room, today? I think it'd do you good to see some friendly faces." Emerged a voice that overrode the monotonous droning of the fly's buzz. It was nurse Beckham. Friendly faces? Is that what you call these scowling jackals of people? Eugene had some sort of self-awareness, enough to keep that arrogance he used to have of thinking he is better than everyone else shining through. He didn't think he was crazy, which was his first mistake, because no one who is crazy believes they are crazy.
Eugene used to never be allowed in the day room, Shadelight wouldn't let him, he'd find a way to make Eugene do something horrendous and they'd be locked into solitary confinement for a while. Even Shadelight had his limits and would lay off enough to get Eugene in better spirits and better behavior so that they weren't couped up together for so long. He'd get bored. And the cycle would continue. But Shadelight's techniques weren't working any longer; Eugene had become numb to them, even distracted; Eugene didn't think it was possible, but he was having his own thoughts once more.
Out of spite, he says, "Yes." Shadelight was quiet, maybe he wasn't awake yet, but even so, it wouldn't take long for him to make his appearance.
"Glad to hear it," Nurse Beckham smiles and ushers him out of his room. "I really think you're starting to make great progress, Mr. Fowler."
"You know what...I do too." Eugene remarks as he follows close behind, a cocky grin on his face.
He accepted the medication and downed the two mystery tablets from the small paper cup right away, something Shadelight would have protested to, but still...not a word from him this morning. He then took a seat in the dayroom's center, next to the artificial fireplace. Everyone stopped moving as they peered at this strange sight, as though deciding how to proceed in the presence of an unpredictable wild animal. Eugene never came out of his room. He lingered in this manner amid the other patients for a while, it was something Shadelight had taught him: to savor the smell of fear.
"Nurse," Boomed his voice suddenly, and he was surprised it was his own. "I'd like to make a call."
One of the nurses looked around, puzzled themselves when they realized that it was him, and hesitated for a second before responding. "Sure, but keep in mind that this is your only call allowance for the day, so make the most of it."
'Only call allowance for the day'...is this a hospital or a prison? I can't tell anymore.
"Yes, yes," He grumbled, strolling over to the array of phones mounted in the wall.
Old collect call phones mounted to the wall, asking for permission to do anything, allowance—yup, this is prison alright.
He dialed a number. It rang for a few seconds and picked up. "Ma'? It's me. I just wanted to let you know that...I'm coming home."