I was awakened by a loud thud. Unable to move my arms, I marveled where I am. I saw a guy with medical cap and mask covering his mouth and nose, only his eyes were revealed to me. I tried to utter words but I was unable to. My body felt tired and heavy and I can’t keep my eyes open. I feel sleepy, very sleepy – I tried to fight it. My eyes closed by itself. I felt we are moving. ‘Are we in a van?’ I asked myself. Then all turned black, can’t see nor hear things. My body senses are completely irrelevant.
I was awakened by a pain running through my veins. I can’t move my left arm but I can feel the pain running through it. I opened my eyes and saw a light, a faint light. I tried to move my head but I can’t. I felt something hard on my neck that keeps it from moving. I tried lifting my right hand and saw it moved, it felt heavy. ‘Where the hell am I?’ I asked myself.
‘Wooh! Don’t strain yourself.’ I saw a guy rushed to me and tucked my arm back where it was.
He took a small flashlight on his chest pocket, opened it and pointed it on my eye. ‘Ok, hello there. I am Steve and I’ll be taking care of you from now on. Can you tell me your name?’
‘M…my name?’ I stuttered. ‘mm…my name?’. I felt a sudden chill in my body, I can’t remember my name. ‘I…I…don’t know..mmmy…name’.
‘You have a concussion; it is mild so probably later you’ll remember everything. But please do not strain yourself. Let it come to you. Take a rest.’ He tucked me and assured me that everything will be okay and then he left.
Silence and darkness filled the room. I tried to survey every inch of the area I could before I resign for that day.
‘It’s okay, you’ll die here after maybe 3 days.’ whispered a guy on my left side.
I felt a sharp pain in my neck when I tried to look at him. ‘Aaaahhh!’ a silent yell came out of me.
‘Don’t even try moving your head. They made sure you won’t be able to do that.’ he added.
‘First, they’ll remove your memory and make you useless by attaching those things in your body.’ he continued.
At that moment, I can feel my strength coming back but I still can’t move my head to where he is.
‘Who are you? Why are we in a hospital, I don’t remember how I got here.’ I asked. I was a bit surprised when I heard myself talking without difficulties at all.
‘Who told you, we are in a hospital? This is not a hospital; I don’t know what this is, but this place is not a hospital. About my name - like you, I don’t know who I am. But you can call me Bong, that’s what Steve calls me.’ – his voice became louder and got angrier. ‘Sshhh! Sorry!’ he silenced me. I don’t even understand why he did that since he is the only one speaking loud.
‘Listen. It is best you make your escape plan from this day. I heard there’ll be new people coming here, if that happens they’ll send new staffs to secure everyone. It’ll be much harder for us to escape then.’ he explained.
‘Are you suggesting we escape in this condition?’ I asked loudly.
‘Sssshhh… don’t be so loud.’ he said. ’I know by this time; your strength is coming back. If you stay here longer, you’ll get weak.’
Then we heard some footsteps coming from the hallway.
‘Sshhh… pretend you are sleeping.’ He whispered.
The footsteps became louder as it came near us and then it stopped. I heard the door creaked and saw the dim lights opened and then the footsteps continue. I felt it stopping at Bong’s place and then I felt it coming at me. I almost jumped as I felt the person’s cold fingers touched my left wrist. It stayed there for about 10 seconds, I think. I peeked and saw the person – it’s Steve.
I felt him move back and heard him arranging the curtains. The lights were turned off and the door closed and I heard his footsteps became weaker as he went farther away from us.
‘Ok, I’ll tell you where I think we are. I think we are in their headquarters. These guys are monsters and they’ll do anything to suppress you and make you weak so you can’t fight back. I already have a plan. I have talked to some friends already and they are willing to help. Since you are here with me, it will be easier for us to escape or just you.’ His voice came quite rough but calm.
‘What do you mean monsters?’ I asked. I thought – ‘This guy is crazy. How the hell did he manage to talk to his friends in his current situation? He’s almost tied to his bed as I am’.
‘You’ll soon see.’
I became silent for the meantime to consult myself if I should believe this guy or even trust him.
‘You won’t even ask me what my plan is? he asked with disbelief and anger.
‘ah… That’s because I am….I am thinking of what to do to help.’ I answered as fast as I could.
‘ah okay, you don’t need to think, I've already made a plan.’ he told me confidently.
‘Wow!’ I thought to myself. It’s either this guy is a complete moron or a total genius for quickly having thought of a plan which includes me already. So I thought what the hell. I don’t want to start my day quarreling with locals here since I just arrived. ‘Let’s hear it!’ I urged him.
‘First thing in the morning tomorrow, my friend will burst in here and distract everyone, I mean every staff. He’s strong and it requires everyone to handle him and he’s willing to sacrifice his freedom for the cause.’
I felt that he is quite excited to tell me his plan so I just remained quiet and let him continue but I thought to myself – WHAT CAUSE?
‘When everyone is busy, then we’ll make our move and head our way to the last door on our right side.’
‘What!?’ I cut him. ‘You forgot that I am practically tied up to my bed, how am I going to go with you?’
‘It’s okay, I’ll help you.’
‘Wow!” I told myself again. He is really positive about his plan would work. I am beginning to doubt his plan would work so I lost the interest and just let him speak.
‘After we get pass that door, someone will be waiting for us. He’ll guide us to the door of freedom. There will be more help coming since there are people outside that door, waiting and watching our every move. You’ll see what kind of monsters they are tomorrow.’
He is saying it as if he was grinning on my face.
Just for my curiosity, I asked;
‘Why are you trying to help me?’
‘Why? Coz I saw you when you came here. I saw what you were wearing before they gave you that robe. We know you, you are the one. We have to help you first in order for you to help us out here. You must restore your strength. By the way, tomorrow when we are running…. Don’t let them stab you with their poisoned daggers. First, you’ll get weak and then you’ll just wake up in the same bed not knowing what happened the past few days. I know, I’ve been stabbed before. My friends just reminded me what happened.’
I don’t know if I should still listen or what. None of his words mean anything at all. I just told myself, who ever brought me here…brought the wrong person. I heard footsteps again coming near us so before I resigned; I have to ask him if he really knows who I am.
‘If you really know who I am then who am I?’ I whispered to him.
‘You really got hit hard, it’s better for you to know it by yourself. Tomorrow you’ll learn of it.’ And then silence from him.
Steve came again and checked us. I got tired of thinking what Bong was saying so I slept.
==
CRASH! Screams, plates crashing and sound of metals falling on the floor woke me up.
When I opened my I eyes, I saw a knight dressed in black. ‘What the hell!’ I told myself. Some guys dressed in white robes came and stop him but they were so weak to stop him so everyone came to aid the others. While they were busy stopping the black knight, a person rushed to me and removed my bindings around my neck and I was surprised to see more binds in my arms and feet.
‘It’s time!’ I remembered that voice; he is Bong. He took my right hand and dragged me to the door. I looked back and saw the people dressed in white robe. I rubbed my eyes with disbelief. It’s as if they are deformed and some have tails.
When we came out, there was this person who wears the same robe as I am. He told us to be silent and follow him. I saw some guys dressed in white robes, they are busy calming the people wearing the same robe as we are. ‘God! We are prisoners here by these monsters’ I told myself. ‘Bong is telling the truth!’
The other guy who we are following handed me a small bag. ‘I believe this is yours before you got that robe.’ As I was about to open it when Bong quickly dragged me. “It’s them!’ he shouted.
When I look at where he is pointing, I saw three guys dressed in white robes and one of them holding a knife or a dagger. We ran.
‘Aahhhh! They’re running!’ shouted the other people dressed the same way as us.
‘Who are they? Why are they helping those people?’ I asked the two guys.
‘They are spies living among us here. Now we know who they are.’ Bong answered me.
When we came through a narrow way we saw the door open and another person there is waiting for us, he is also dressed the same as us. He pointed us where we should go, when we came out of the door I saw light – It was the sun. I was so glad to see the sun once again. We saw the gate is open and about to go there when four big monsters dressed in blue holding big spiked clubs blocked the gate; they went inside and closed the gates. The three guys with me, including Bong came to the four guys and attack them.
Brag! The sound of the door crashing behind me. I saw the three guys dressed in white robes again and the first guy, holding a dagger. I looked everywhere for escape and saw the fire escape. I grabbed it and pulled it down and came up. When I was up I collected the ladder and tied it using my robe, so they won’t be able to reach it and climb it, now I am completely naked. I climbed up.
When I am on the roof top, I checked if they have followed me. I did not see the three guys in white robe anymore but I saw the four big clubbed guys dragging Bong and the others, I felt pity for them. I cried. ‘God what is happening around me? Where am I? Who am I?’ I prayed.
I felt my skin burning from the sun’s light, it was painful. I then realized that I am still bare-naked. I remembered the bag I am holding. I opened it and laid it on the floor. Like a struck of lighting, I remembered everything. Now everything made sense to me. I started wearing the suit inside the bag.
==
I heard the door open behind me as I breathe fresh air. I faced them and saw not three but five people in white robe. They were saying something I don’t understand, they were speaking in their own language and I can’t understand a word they’re saying. I remembered the guy who was talking to me.
‘I know who you are! You tried to stop me before, and you were the one who stabbed me with that same dagger. This time I’ll escape this place and help them once I recover my strength, you monsters!’
I saw him trying to get near me when I was spacing out.
‘Haah! Don’t you even think about it. I know who I am and you can’t stop me.’
I jumped backwards and raised my hand. ‘I am SUPERMAN!’ then I flew.
==
As Mrs. Benavidez was checking her fax, she read a new one that came along with a big URGENT on it and it reads:
==== start of letter
Mrs. Benavidez,
We regret to inform you that your husband had another delusion. My staff and I tried to stop him but for some uncertain reason, some of our old patients helped him escape. He ended up in the rooftop again and jumped. We were there to stop him but we were too late.
Please come to our office for more information in claiming your husband’s body.
I am deeply sorry for your lost.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Steve Roberts
Dr. Lazaro Mental Hospital
==== end of letter
SIDE NOTES:
Manuelito 'Noel' Ablon
Author's Bio/Notes:
This is my first try to make an english short-story. I made this story while I was having delusions, the effect of my hightened body temperature (FLU! hehe!). I hope all of you will like it. If ever there are wrong grammars or spellings, just comment nicely and I'll correct it. Thanks.
My original story is quite funny, I tried writing it but it end up 'corny' or not so funny at all so I edited it and finalized the story and this is the most satisfying outcome of the story - for me.
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