Imprisoned

16 year old Brielle Turner finds herself in an insane asylum as a schizophrenic after she makes an attempt to end someone's life. Now she knows just how lonely life in an insane asylum can be.

White walls. All I have seen for the better part of six months are white walls, and a simple bed with plain gray sheets pressed against one of them. On the opposite side of the room is a small window that allows me to look outside. One of the only things I enjoy in this place is looking out the window and watching the birds, gazing as the sun sets, or watching the rain fall and race to the bottom. The only other things in the room are a short wooden lamp table next to the bed, on which is my digital camera, and a metal folding chair for the only visitor I ever get.

Life in an insane asylum is so dull. People don’t want to be around you because they think you are out of your mind. My own family hasn’t even visited me. They wouldn’t have any idea what to say. Not that I blame them, after what I did. I would probably be just as scared as they are. Heck, I am just as scared. So scared. Every day I am afraid to even leave my cell for fear that it will happen again. I sighed as I looked at little plaque on my cell door.

Name: Turner, L, Brielle

Age: 16

Illness: Schizophrenia

Patient #: 472

Residence: Johnson City Psychiatric Facility

I glared at the plaque and balled my fists before punching the wall. Clenching my teeth, I stared hard at my now bloody knuckles. It was all my dad’s fault. He told me to do it. It was because of him that I am a murderer.

Technically it wasn’t really murder. She didn’t die, and she is still alive today. It was my older sister, Olivia Mae Turner. 18 years old. A senior in high school, hoping to be accepted by a good college and move on to become a successful veterinarian. Blonde hair and lightly tanned skin, she is insanely pretty and every guy’s dream girl. The only resemblance I have to her is my piercing blue eyes. Our personalities aren’t even remotely similar. She was a straight A student, while my grades were in the hole. She is a neat freak, while I an am unorganized mess.

Did I mention I am schizophrenic? I found that out shortly after I attempted to kill Olivia. My mom took me to a psychiatrist, who diagnosed me with the disease. I was immediately brought to this insane asylum, and have been here for the last six months.

I can’t help feeling bored and a  bit lonely being trapped in this Godforsaken place. We aren’t allowed to go outside, and the doors are locked from the inside, so we couldn’t escape; even if we tried, we would need a key. The only time we are let out of our cells is for meals or for our sessions with the mental workers. And we didn’t get to bring any personal stuff with us when we came, either. It took a lot of convincing on my part to get them to agree to me bringing my camera. I couldn’t live without my camera. It’s my life.

My sister was stabbed in the side. She was lucky that she lived, and I’m glad she did live. But I’m also terrified to think about how she will react when she sees me again. It’s so hard to live with so much guilt, to know that someone you care about almost died because of you.

It wasn’t even my idea to take Olivia’s life. It was my dead father’s. His name was Jacob Ray Turner. He died when I was five in a car accident due to a drunk driver. He was around twenty-seven at the time. After he died, my mother, my sister and I were left to fend for ourselves. My sister started to become the bossy perfectionist she is now. It was a couple of weeks after my sixteenth birthday that I saw him. I was sitting alone on a park bench when I turned my head and saw him sitting next to me. We talked for a little while, then he said he had to go, and he left.

Mother and Olivia thought I lost my mind when I told them. They didn’t believe me, no matter how many times I told them I saw him. After a while, my dad started telling me to kill them, which I found strange. At first I argued, and I argued the matter with him for days. He tried to convince me that they were skeptics, and skeptics had to be “eliminated.” His talk got to me after he convinced me that they didn’t love me. It was soon after that when I stabbed Liv. It was after I did it that I realized what I had done. I never moved on to my mother, instead trying to end my own life out of guilt. How could someone I was related to, that I was supposed to love and trust, convince me to kill his own family? So, I attempted to poison myself. The attempt failed, though, and I lived to end up here.

I’m scheduled to be released in another six months. The doctors say I am improving, and if I remember to take my medicine, I will be fine. But I am still terrified. What if I slip up and try to finish the job? Then what happens? I don’t even want to think about that.

I sighed as I sat on the bed, the room just as quiet as it always has been. I picked up my camera and got off the bed, making my way over to the tiny window across the room. It was raining gently outside, and the window was covered in tiny round droplets. I put the eyepiece to my eye and a picture of the dark, gloomy sky.

There was a knock on my door, and I turned I time to see it open. A guard walked in. “You have a visitor Miss Turner.” He said gruffly. I nodded, and he waved in whoever was at the door. My eyes widened as I watched them walk in.

A young woman with long, straight black hair and emerald eyes walked in. She had pale skin, and was in good shape for her age. Beside her was a girl a couple of years older than me with straight blonde hair and tan skin. She looked at me with all too familiar piercing blue eyes. I slowly walked over to them. The woman said one word, almost in a faint whisper. “Brielle.”

“Mom.” I said softly, looking at the woman. I turned my gaze to the girl. “Liv.” I looked at them both again. “What are you two doing here?”

“We figured it was time to visit you. It took a while for the news to sink in. I had no idea it was this serious. I always thought you were just depressed. I should have taken you for help earlier.” I leaned forward and hugged her for a moment before pulling away.

“The doctors’ say I’m doing better. I’m being released in six months. They say I should be just fine by then.” My mom drew me into another hug, not saying a word. I looked up when I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Olivia.

“We really missed you Ellie.” She said softly. I felt tears roll down my cheeks, and I pulled my sister into the hug. We stood there in silence, tears still running down my cheeks. I was so happy that after six months of being lonely and not seeing my family, I finally got to see them again. Seeing them after so long, it gave me hope that maybe, just maybe, everything would be all right after all.

I blinked as my mind came back to reality. I looked out the window again as the rain gradually started to speed up, then down at my hands, still holding my camera. I bit my lip slightly as I quietly made my way to back to my bed, holding back tears that I had been keeping there for as long as I had been in this place. I sat down and let my mind wander for a moment. What was I thinking? They would never visit me. Not after what I had done to live. I knew exactly what was going to happen. I was never going home. I was going to rot in this place, no matter how much I wanted to believe it wasn’t true. I sat down on my bed and leaned against the wall, bringing my legs up to my chest. I finally let the tears escape and cried myself to sleep as I thought about how much easier life would be if I was no longer alive…

Reviews

[Samantha Heaton]

This reminds me of one of my friends. I love it but hate it, if that makes since... Keep writing I'd love to read more!

[Celeste]

Hey there. I really liked this short story. You explained everything smoothly, and I personally liked your writing style. So simple. Straight to the point. I spotted a few mistakes, but other than those, this is an amazing read.
- "There was a knock on my door, and I turned I time to see it open." change this to "There was a knock on my door, and I turned in time to see it open."
"“The doctors’ say I’m doing better." change this to "The doctors say I'm doing better."

Keep writing! :)