Chapter 4
Charlie
“Next,” the stocky nurse with the shiny, bald, cone-shaped head shouted. The sweat running down his face reminded me of iridescent glitter sparkling in the sunlight. Think Edward from Twilight, glowing luminescent skin, except for the fact that it was just his head. For two minutes, I was lost in the magic of his alien-like features. His flat nose pointed Elvin ears that were not a prop from The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The idiot actually had his ears done—body dysmorphia seemed to be common in this place.
I stared, mesmerized, transported to another plane of existence. This wasn’t the first time this weirdo transfixed me. I felt like he was telepathically trying to tell me something. Fuck if I knew what it was. He never spoke, but just stared at me with this odd look in his hazel eyes. Or maybe I was turning into one of these loony bins.
Legolas was probably the average weirdo with mommy issues. I must remind him of his mom or something equally gross. You heard me; he was Christian, the Legolas from The trilogy we all know and loved. I heard the King himself did the deed. Aragorn, a burly scary mother-fucker, who is head nurse/guard. In this, prison forced upon me. Not one of my own making, at least I don't think so.
No one went by their given Christian names. Here they choose names from their favorite movies or books, and since everyone here had a fondness for the trilogy, Aragorn used it as an excuse to nickname people after the characters. It was stupid. Then again, none of the nurses or guards were the brightest bulbs In the bunch, if you know what I mean.
Aragorn’s was nothing like his namesake, handsome, slender, decent human being, with a goatee and shoulder-length black hair. No, this Aragorn looked more like a death row intimate doing life for murder. Yeah ok, he was tall really freaking tall, close to seven feet, however, that’s where the similarities stopped, Aragorn looked more like the Beast on steroids, big, muscular, scary black dead eyes, that held a hint of cruelty, military shaved hair, and hands so big they could squeeze a man’s head like a grape, without breaking a sweat.
I swore the employees of this facility acted more bat-shit crazy than the actual patients, and these nut jobs were force feed poison daily.
I jolted as a well-manicured finger snap in front of my face. Legolas stood waiting for me to step forward to take the pills in his outstretched hands.
“Charlie, step forward,” Aragorn's lips curled in derision. “No shenanigans today, I'm not in the mood.” He snapped, patting the breast pocket of his worn blue scrubs, indicating the needle in a silent warning. A shiver crawled its way up my body. I visibly swallowed the thick lump sliding its way up my throat. I was all for show, but he still scared the shit out of me.
I had been here a month, to my recollections. A black void now occupied the space where my memory used to be. The second time I woke I was in an unfamiliar room, bare white walls, no windows, not even bedding was allowed and I was strapped to a bed with leather bindings for a week unless I needed to use the bathroom or eat, assistants were given.
It was humiliating for sure, but the crux of the shit was all I could recall was the conversation I had with Mr. Handsome about my parents and the fact that we were missing, everything leading up to me ending in this place was a total blur.
No one seemed to have any answers, asking questions, about my parents, my brothers, anything regarding the accident that led to me being dose with narcotics. Which precipitated my need to escape. I was pissed, scared, and missed my family.
The fourth escaped attempt was where things got a little dicey for me, let just say I saw firsthand what was in the needle.
I learned one thing during that fiasco, drugs such as Lorazepam, Haloperidol, Olanzapine, and Droperodo. The strongest drugs in this place never lasted as long in my system as they did with the other patients. Of course, the psycho Aragon learned my little secret the first two times I tried to escape, the observant fucker. So he wisely tried another cocktail. The fool thought he was some sort of mixologist in a fucking bar. When the others didn’t work individually, he combined them all. There were enough drugs in that little needle to kill a horse.
I inwardly smiled. An hour after he sank the needle in my arm, I felt the effects wore off. He still did not know. It was my little secret. One I intend to keep, so if I had to pretend to be scared of his little needle so be it, I could also admit the fear wasn't all pretend.
“No worries, big man,” I say as I crossed my fingers over my heart in my most sacred vow to behave. He, of course, didn’t buy my shit. His upturned lip and a disbelieving arch brow indicative his indifference. I groaned. I guess the devil does wear Prada. Jesus, now he thought he was Miranda Priestly, and I was the mental one. I would laugh if the very act wouldn’t get me in deep shit. One thing Aragorn hated was patients laughing at him. His mean side came alive with glee, trust. It wasn't pretty.
Stepping forward, Legolas shoves the three pills in a thin paper cup in my hand. This was worse than drinking bleach straight from the bottle. On the outside, the pills made you calm, susceptible basically a human doll for these monsters, who called themselves aids to the mentally unstable. The inside was a whole different ball game; I felt like my skin was crawling. My mind was a fuzzy mess of jumbled emotions. Anger, fear, happiness, hell, even craziness sat in the middle of my brain waiting to mine fuck me into nothingness. Thanked fuck, my system weirdly purged them faster each time I took them.
My body had been acting weird ever since I was forced into this place of the criminally insane. I still had no idea where I was or why. Let’s be real. If I had a choice, I would definitely not be here, surrounded by these sick fucks. They over-medicate the young girls and women to take advantage of them. What better way to get your dick wet than by using drugged-up women and girls who couldn’t fight back.
I shivered at the possibilities. Trust me, it could happen, it's basically the plot of all serial killer movies, always target the unsuspecting.
I swallowed the pills and did the obligatory mouth open wide stance as Legolas came closer to inspect whether I swallowed the pills or was pretending to. That was one game I was not interested in playing a second time.
My mother had a saying, we should learn a lesson only once before stupidity becomes apparent. I was anything but stupid. I didn’t particularly feel like being held down and force-fed more pills out of some sick, twisted punishment by the big man. No thank you, once was enough.
Arbitrary, I lifted my tongue as the pill-warden whipped a small UV light from his pocket to shine into the back of my throat. Talk about excessive.
“Dude, seriously, a UV light," I said with my mouth open. "Isn’t that like over the top? Whatever happened to a regular flashlight,” That earned me scowled from the big man over my shoulder and I guess a lecture. I stared at Legolas but his face remained impassive, it was trippy even creepy how this guy’s facial expression never changed.
“Charlie, I said no fucking shenanigans, that includes sass too, little girl. Now let Legolas check your mouth, you’re not the only one waiting in line. Now move it.”
I turn around and saw at least three more people were waiting in line for the daily vitamins. Mav and Harry, two middle-aged men in their fifties. They were cool for learning things about the facility, well except the name, of course. Oh, and how long they have been residents. Too many vitamins, I guess, and shock therapy affected their memories.
I sometimes played card games with Harry. I tried to avoid Mav as much as possible when he was by himself, for two reasons he was touchy and he became furious when he didn't get what he wanted. Like being able to touch my ass. Fucking perve is what I called him behind his back.
The last person in line was a girl with baby blue eyes, wheat blonde hair, petite, beautiful, and she appeared to be no older than fifteen. I caught her eyes, and she waved timidly at me. Waving back felt nice, almost normal. I offered her a gentle smile. I could tell she was new. I would have remembered if I saw her before today.
"Charlie, move it." I glanced at Aragorn. A frown marred his brow and his upper lip was curled in a sneer directed at me. I could hear traces of anger as he spoke. His normally deep baritone lowered to a dangerous, animalistic growl. That made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
A tiny green vein at his temple became visible, followed by several more appearing one after another, as he pins me with a murderous glare. I was certain he would give himself an aneurism if he didn’t stop. Not that I would be sad. In fact, the idea thrilled me.
Yeap, I had a terrible habit of pissing off his Majesty—pretty damn often too. Hiding the laughter that was two seconds from erupting, It was difficult, somehow I managed. I turned back and rolled my eyes.
“You roll those pretty green eyes at me one more time and see what happens.” I snap my head in his direction just in time to see him lick his lips.
Instantly, I grasped as a stabbing pain tunneled its way into my head, bringing me to my knees. A memory emerges like a stranger out of the darkness. Slow, cautious, tearing through my mind brick by brick until it slams its way into my aching skull like a tidal wave pulling me under.
Everything and everyone fads. The memory takes over. Tall pine trees fill my line of sight, big puffs of dark smoke billowing up into the still, starry sky. I was kneeling on the dirt floor next to my dad, tears running down my face, my hands covered in his blood as I tried to press my pale, trembling hands to close the multiple bullet wounds in his chest.
Two men stood in front of me, one tall and the other short, with shotguns aimed at someone on the side of me. I gasp as one with croaked black teeth licks his lips as he grabs the front of his pants in invitation. A loud noise blasts next to me, and I scream.
Clammy hands shaking me, forcibly broke my fragile hold of the first memory since the accident. It fades, and I am brutally shoved back to reality. Visibly shaken, I opened my eyes, silent tears spill down the sides of my face. The ache in my head eases to a dull throb as I feel Aragon pick me up from the hardwood floor. He makes his way to my room, exhausted I don’t protest.
It was unlikely I could make it three feet without face planting to the floor, anyway. He mutters under his breath, “Fuckin' pain in my ass.” It clear as day at least it is to me. Any other time I would give him hell for his statement, maybe even aggravating him by laughing, I was just too shaken by the hellish memory to give a shit.
Chapter 5Naja“Naja, come quick,” my brother Kyle says telepathically as I rushed from my office. Relief fills me, paperwork spilling along my desk forgotten in my haste to escape. It was the part of being Alpha I detested the most. Give me murderous wolves any day. Anything but paperwork. Maybe the problem was the pack and their insipid need to complain about everything under the moon. Goddess, forgive me, but sometimes I dreamed of ripping each one of their throats out every time they insist that Micah would have granted their stupid request.My father goddess rest his soul was a fucking saint to take their bullshit on a daily basis. I had been Alpha for ten years and already I wanted to claw my eyes out every time Mrs. Hankshaw showed up with her weekly complaints. Mr. Hankshaw was a day away from facing me in a deathmatch.I raced outside in time to see Kyle half carrying, half dragging an injured Samuel. My youngest brother had a penchan
Chapter 6 Samuel I hobbled all the way to the med bay. Kyle was his usual helpful, non-talkative self. The fucker could have swept me up honeymoon style and singled handily make the trek in less time than it took for him to hoist me half on half off his shoulders. I have seen the asshole bench press weights three times my size without breaking a sweat. No, he preferred to assist me with brooding silence, which spoke volumes. This was another long mark in my book of disappointments. No wonder Naja was angry he practically threaten to kill me. I deserved it everything his sadistic mind can think up. If he wanted to snap my neck like a twig or rip my throat out as he so elegantly put it. After all the times, he turned a blind eye to my stupid decisions, thinking rightfully so that it was just a phase. I had been a sullen pain-in-the-ass handful. During his explosion, I desperately wanted to shout have at it put me out of my misery. Strangely, I kept my
Chapter 7 Charlie A loud sigh escapes my lips, frustrated I opened my eyes and maneuvered myself to a sitting position on the plush sofa. A quick glance to my left sat a very pensive doctor Alfonso. His warm chocolate brown eyes piercing me with a disproving frown and pursed lips. I guess he expected this session to produce more insight. I couldn’t blame him. I, too, was woefully disappointed. Four days flew by since the cafeteria incident, four days of me trying but failing to trigger a fresh memory. Bereft and exhausted, I laid awake night after night reliving the gruesome scene of my dad’s lifeless body lying prone on the dirt floor of what appeared to be a campsite, riddled with bullets. My tiny fist pressing against his opened flesh. After witnessing that, getting out of bed seemed like a monumental task, one I couldn’t even do. The nurses and orderlies came into my room three times for the day, left food, and pills. Stoically, I ate what my churning sto
Chapter 8 The first thing I see is smoke. I am surrounded by its thick, ashen puffs. There is no discernible solid surface anywhere, nothing to hold on to. Then in walks a figure, his face shrouded in darkness. How I knew it was a male, no idea, but I figured it could only be male considering the height and broad shoulders. I gasp as his familiar salt and pepper hair, dark brown eyes, and chiseled jaw become clear. My dad. A huge smile appears on my face. I run and throw myself in his arms, crying and laughing as he catches me in mid-jump. “Hey pumpkin,” Dad says, squeezing me even tighter, placing a chaste kiss on my forehead, as he used to when I was younger. “What are you doing here, you’re not supposed to be here Charlie, you have to go?” “I ----I don’t know what happened Dad,” my words falter as he looks at me with worried eyes. “Where’s mom, where are the boys? Do you even know what’s going on? Where I am right now.” I cried, gazing at h
Chapter 8 Charlie My eyes popped open on a gut retching scream, curled into a fetal position I laid on the sofa, completely devastated. Tears streaming down my face, a fist clutched in my mouth to quiet my sobs. I wasn’t sure what I witness; It wasn't a memory that I could say with absolute certainty; I felt like I was in-between realities, a place where my dad was dead, but still able to warn me. How any of it was possible, was the question of the century. Maybe I was just as delusional as the rest of the patients here. Either way, whatever it was, it left a giant hole in my aching chest. Gentle hands patted me on the back as more tears fell from my eyes. So lost in my grief, I did not know the doctor had entered my personal space, until I felt his calloused hands on my shoulder, trying to comfort me. It was useless. Nothing short of my family magically turning up yelling surprise would lift this pain from my heart. “It's okay, Charlie,
Chapter 9RileyI sat in the corner of my room, on the white linoleum floor, my knees to my chest, my head bowed as if in reverence all the while my hands covered my aching head as the voices kept bombarding me with negative thoughts. I was tired of the constant negative things people thought, tired of having a front-row seat to the evil in the world.Usually, the meds help drown out the voices and the pressure of whether I should intervene or ignore what I knew, particularly when I hear someone thinking about hurting themselves or others. Being a clairvoyant, who picked up on the negative thoughts, pretty much sucked ass. Hell, even my own parents were afraid of me and had been for years as my abilities developed.At the first opportunity, they had me committed, telling the police that I was a danger to myself and the others they fostered to earn more money. Joe, my dad, was incapable of working. He was in a car accident when I was four, thus the f
Chapter 10 Charlie It was hot, super fucking hot. Playing with the stupid thermostat hadn’t helped, either. No matter how cold I turned the dial, this insufferable heat I felt just kept intensifying. Today, like the last three days in a row, I woke with sweaty armpits and drenched sheets, let’s not mention the disgusting mess that was my panties and tank top, they never stood a chance. I was so out of my element it was a joke. I would give my left nut, if I had one, what was the equivalent of a nut for a female, tits maybe, hmm. Insert groan here, too much thinking. Fuck if I knew what the equivalent of a guy's nuts was. Anyway, whatever it was, I would give that for someone to explain to me in great detail what the hell was going on with me. I mean, don’t get me wrong, the other changes I thought were kinda awesome, like the increase in strength. I practically lifted my bed a couple of days ago when I couldn’t find one of my shoe
Chapter 11 Charlie Someone was in my room, on top of me, don’t panic Charlie, at least not yet. Just breathe deep breaths. Calm down, you can get out of this. How the hell did he get in? I try to think back. When Riley left, she closed the door. Then I realized. I hadn’t locked it. How fucking stupid. I was like a momma bear with Riley’s safety. I guess not so much with myself, shit. My eyes lifted and as clear as day I saw it was Legolas, his pointy Elvin ears gave him away. Wearing a balaclava wasn’t really helping him. For a moment, I was scared. What would he do to me, in the back of my mind I knew, but denial and anger kept pushing the disturbing thought away? Was he the one who attacked Riley? The son of a bitch tried to rape her, the bastard would pay for that and any other unwilling females he raped or tried to rape. He bends close to my ears and whispers. “If you scream, I will kill you bitch, you got that,” he