I walked for some time until I found an interesting looking building. There was a small road that leads up to it. The road was overrun by roots and other plants that have sprawled across it, showing that it hadn't been used in a while. I climbed down the small ledge that separated myself from the overgrown lawn, made my way to the front of the building, and to the door. The door said 'Athens Lunatic Asylum' I ran my fingers over the the heavy rusted chains that kept the door closed to keep intruders out. I walked around the building in search of an unlocked window, or at least one that wasn't barred. I found a window that had its bars partially removed already and was able to be pulled off without too much trouble. The window itself was locked.
I looked over the ground in search of something I could use to break the glass. Settling on a reasonable sized stone, I threw it hard against the window. The glass followed the rock into the facility and I began to crawl carefully through the now shattered window. My shoes thudded against the concrete floor. I looked around the room that I was in. It was a small cell that contained a soiled mattress and an almost empty wardrobe. I walked through the doorway and down the dull grey hallway, peeking into rooms as I went. The hallway was littered with old medical equipment and yellowed pages of books that had been torn apart. I passed one room that had papers and books tossed around the floor and the bed. I stepped in to take a closer look and noticed writing on the wall in a dark brownish color, but it was illegible. I kicked some of the books around with the tip of my shoe, looking at the titles. They were mostly books on psychiatry and human anatomy. A tan colored book that was wedged between the bed and the wall caught my attention. I fought a bit to get it out and wiped a layer of dust off the cover but didn't find a title. I opened the book and read the first page.
December 24, 1908
I've just been admitted to Athens and already something isn't right. People aren't happy here. But I suppose they aren't supposed to be, are they? I better introduce myself or nobody's going to know who I am. I am Jill Hayden, I'm 34, and from what the doctors tell me, I am a paranoid schizophrenic. They don't understand that I don't belong here, I'm not crazy. I've found that your word doesn't do much for you in here. You tell them you're not crazy and they say, "Of course you're not. Take your pills." And no matter how much you tell them, no one believes you. I've been trying to convince my nurse, Barbara, for about a week that I don't belong here. What I saw, really happened. I-
A loud metallic bang made me jump. I stuffed the small book into my pocket and decided to come back and explore more tomorrow. I found a door to the outside that I unlocked and went through. I made the hike back to my truck, remembering every detail back to the hospital. I got into my truck and drove to the next town over and found a hotel to stay the night.
I checked in, taking care to smile and make casual conversation with the clerk as to not appear suspicious. I went up to my room, took off my clothes, and crawled into bed. I smiled as I rest my aching body on the bed. I looked up into the comforting darkness of the room and slowly fell asleep.
I walked over to the small refrigerator that came fully stocked in my room. I rifled through the items and pulled out a hot pocket. "The breakfast of kings." I sighed, throwing it into the microwave. I looked around the room and noticed my clothes scattered across the floor. I bent down, picked them up, and put them on the chair. I noticed the diary on the floor and set it on the table. The microwave beeped and I took out my hot pocket, grabbed the book, and sat cross legged on the floor. I opened it up to where I left off and began to read as I ate.
I can't explain it. I just need to get out of here. I need to find Louise and get us out of here.
December 28, 1908
Christmas was terrible. We were locked up early and most of the other patients screamed until their throats became sore. As for the nurses and orderlies they were in the nurse station eating fruit cake and drinking brandy. The few doctors that hadn't taken holiday to spend time with their family and friends, had either turned a blind eye or joined them. Most locked themselves in their offices with nurses. Their drunken laughter mingled with the screams from the patients that hadn't lost their voices. I know that I'm not crazy, but this place is driving me towards insanity. I haven't seen Louise anywhere. Louise is a woman that I met a few weeks ago and we had become friends. We ate every meal together at one of the pale grey tables in the mess hall. We would tell each other jokes to make the other laugh. I went out into the mess hall this morning, but Louise wasn't there. This was strange, she never missed a meal. I asked one of the orderlies if he had seen her. He asked me who Louise was, I shook my head and said sorry and that I meant Kathryn. He smiled and pointed at Kathryn. I found that if you insist someone or something exists and they tell you otherwise, it's better to go with it. I nodded and walked away. Something is wrong here.
I stopped reading. I need to go back.
I drove down the small dirt road to where I was before. I slammed the door of the truck closed and began my trek into the woods. The sun filtered through the trees beautifully and birds twittered from their perches. I climbed onto the lawn and back around to where the back door was. I returned to the room where I found the book and looked through the books and papers on the floor and bed. Most of the papers were patient records, they were water damaged along with the books, rendering them illegible. I decided to look around in the other rooms. I turned out of the room and back into the hall. I passed through double doors and into what I could only assume was the mess hall. It was a huge room with a tall ceiling and tables with white sheets covering them.
I imagine that the, now black and brown walls, were once white. There wasn't much to see, so I passed through to the kitchen. There were stains everywhere and mouse droppings all over the counters. I got out of there pretty quick and walked down another hallway. At the end of the hall was a staircase that went both up and downstairs. I figured that when I got back to town I would buy a light and explore the downstairs, I settled on just the upstairs. As I was climbing up the stairs I heard another loud bang like the one the day before, I jumped. I took a moment to catch my breath and continued my climb. At last I made it to the top. The hall was a mess. There were stretchers scattered throughout the hallway, stained and torn. Blankets hung half way off of them, while other soiled sheets and blankets were piled in a heap on the linoleum floor.
I glanced into the rooms as I passed and moved slowly to the metal double doors at the end. I pushed the left door open, it's hinges squealing in protest. I slipped into the room and looked around. It was spectacular. There was an operating table in the center of the cement room. The small window near the ceiling was the only source of light, other that the light coming in from the doorway. I walked over to the metal tray beside the operating table. There was an assortment of tools lying on a stained towel. They were seemingly untouched although there surely had to have been others who's curiosity had brought them inside. There were scalpels, varying in size, scissors, and sutures. I picked up one of the scalpels and turned it over in my hand. It was stained with drops of dark brown. I put the scalpel down and turned to the operating table.
It had a sheet lied over it with blotches of rust colored blood. I turned to explore the room some more when something on one of the counters caught my eye. I picked it up, turning it over in my hand and admiring the lack of aging the utensil had shown. It was an ice pick. Unlike the other equipment, the pick was unstained and shiny. I grinned, it fit well in my hand. I set the pick back down when I noticed a file cabinet sitting in a dusty corner. I took a hold of the rusted handle and pulled on it. The handle came off and fell to the ground. I sighed and tried to pry it open. I placed my fingers in the cracks and pulled. It took a lot of strength but eventually I got it open. I flipped through the files, most of them old and illegible.
As I got towards the back I could read the documents better. I pulled out a stack of papers that were stapled together. I turned the page and saw that it was a patient's records. The woman's name was Margaret Schilling, she hardly had any information other than she was a 57 year old woman with Dissociative Identity Disorder. She was also a deaf-mute. I turned to the last page, it was written accounts on her behavior on a weekly basis. There weren't any dates before 1978.
Nov. 7, 1978
Margaret's been sedated, she bit a nurse and had a tantrum.
The reports were fairly short and to the point, not giving much detail. I flipped through the pages looking for anything interesting.
Nov. 27, 1978
Margaret stabbed another patient. Wound's not fatal. patient will be fine. Margaret will be examined by doctor tomorrow and put on medication for violent behavior.
Dec. 1, 1978
Margaret has disappeared, all staff are trying to locate her. Does not look promising.
I put the papers into a folder and set it on the counter next to the pick as I continued to search the room. I was looking in a drawer when I saw something black in the corner of my eye. I turned slowly and looked at the figure. It was the silhouette of a woman. Even with the light from the hallway she remained a dark shadow. She made me feel uneasy and nervous.
"Uh hi. can I help you?" The woman walked towards me and as she got closer her form became transparent. By the time she reached me, there was nothing there. The room grew cold and I could see my breath as it came out in short gasps. I quickly picked up the folder and pick on my way out of the room and hurried out of the building. I got into my truck and took a moment to think about what had just happened. 'What the hell was that?'
When I got back to the hotel I decided to read some more of Jill's diary.
December 30, 1908
I found Louise. She's dead. I was outside tending to my little garden one of the nurses had helped me plant when Dr. Schiff stepped out of the back door, covered in blood. I hid behind a bush a watched him. He was looking to see if anyone was out in the yard. He sighed, took off his gloves and wiped the sweat from his brow. "I was sure it would have worked this time." Dr. Schiff said as he stepped back inside for a moment. "It's okay doctor, we'll get it next time." Nurse Harlan said. They came out a couple seconds later carrying something large wrapped in a sheet. The doctor kept looking around nervously and Harlan was having trouble holding up her end of the object. They carried it into the woods and I followed them. I hid behind trees and bushes to avoid their sight. After a while of walking they finally stopped in front of a hole. They threw the thing inside. The sheet fell off of the top of it. It was Louise. She had a gaping hole where her eye should be and her face was twisted in horror. I covered my mouth and stumbled backwards. I ran back to the hospital and sat in my room all night. I couldn't believe what I had just seen.
I put the diary down and rubbed my eyes. I glanced up at the clock. It was only 9:30, it felt like a lot later. I opened my mouth in a long yawn and got up to check the fridge. I found another hot pocket and some mini bottles of Jim Beam. I drank a few of those after I ate. A few, soon turned into my whole supply. I didn't even make it to the bed.
Submitted February 16, 2017 at 09:29PM by shagedelic_baby http://ift.tt/2ku0ku7 nosleep
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