Nillium Neems (4 page)

I did hear some rustling
within the walls this morning, but not the kind that Mousy makes...
The
other
sort
which means Derrick is around somewhere. I don’t see Derrick very
often, but I always regret it when I do. He doesn’t scare me like
the Hooded Man does, but I think that if someone is going to kill
me someday, it will be Derrick. The Hooded Man likes to keep me
alive so that he can torment me, but Derrick just plain wants me
dead. He’s tried a couple of times, but in an outright fight I
think I could take him. So he usually sticks with more indirect
means, such as the bloody oatmeal. I know he’s the one responsible
for it...

A knock on the door interrupted my musings,
followed by a warden opening it a moment later.

"Nillium Neems."

I rose from my bed, recognizing the voice of
Copley. I had no intention of getting beat up again already.

"Out," he said, pointing over his shoulder
towards the door. "Everyone’s in the Yard already so get a move
on."

I walked over to the door and without a word
headed down the hall. Considering the orderly I was dealing with,
Copley seemed in an unusually good mood. He hadn’t shoved me once
yet and seemed pretty content to just let me lead the way.

I heard the crunch of a pretzel as he walked
behind me, one hand clasping a little Ziploc baggy full of the
salty treats. Unfortunately, being me, I just couldn’t keep my
mouth shut forever.

"You know all that salt is bad for your
health," I said mildly, still walking.

"Shut up."

"And all the highly processed ingredients in
the pretzel dough? Ugh. That’s asking for trouble."

"I said shut up."

"Mind if I have some?"

"What?" he replied, stopping in his tracks
in confusion.

"Mind if I have some pretzels? I know
they’re bad for me, but you’re making them look awfully tasty
nonetheless."

Copley snarled and reached into the bag,
grabbing a handful and throwing them at my face.

"Enjoy! Now shut up and keep moving."

I decided it was probably wise to stop
pushing the boundaries for the day, and walked the rest of the way
in silence. You may think me foolish, but please believe me, I did
have a plan in mind other than the mild satisfaction that came with
annoying a disliked orderly. The instant we reached the door
leading out to the Yard, Copley opened it, shoved me out, and then
closed it behind me, stomping off to go angrily munch on more
pretzels.

Now I could be assured that the man wouldn’t
bug me during my time in the Yard, leaving me in at least some
semblance of peace.

This time I avoided going near the Tree. I
loved spending time under it, but not now. Not so soon after being
attacked by the Hooded Man. I wanted to stay in sight of the other
patients and at least one warden. I doubted the wardens would ever
do much to defend me, but the Hooded Man generally seemed to stay
away from them, so I figured it would be a wise move.

The disadvantage to my plan, was that I had
to actually spend time with the other patients. I looked around for
Harold, thankfully not spotting him anywhere, and decided to sit
down next to Lana.

She was drawing on one of the paved pathways
that ran throughout the Yard with chalk. We’re not allowed to have
pencils. I have one anyways, which is what I’m writing this with.
Aren’t I the sneaky one?"

Lana is a fairly peaceful sort, who just
likes to sit and draw all day. To be honest, I think that’s what
her life consists of, is sitting and drawing. I watched for a while
as she drew some kind of flower. It was beautiful and I could tell
at once she was a master.

Most artists start with a basic sketch or
outline of what they want, and then slowly fill it in and perfect
it. Lana just went straight for perfecting it. I don’t know much
about flowers, but I think she was drawing a mum. Whatever it was,
it was pretty and made me happy.

"What do you want out of life, Lana?" I
asked, kneeling down beside her.

She didn’t answer, just kept drawing.

"Do you want to be out of this place,
Lana?"

I wasn’t even sure she’d heard me. I gently
took the chalk from her hands. She looked up at me, meeting my eyes
with her pale, slightly glassy yellow ones.

"Lana? What do you want out of life?"

Her brow furrowed as she considered my
question.

"A pencil." She said at last.

I stared at her.

"That’s all you want?"

"I can draw better with a pencil than with
chalk." She daintily took the chalk back and went right back to
drawing her flowers, as if I’d never spoken in the first place.

With a sigh, I fished out my stolen pencil
and placed it on the ground beside her. If I could make one
person’s dream come true, however small, then it was worth the risk
of having to steal another pencil from one of my doctors. I’m not
even sure she noticed its presence. But sooner or later she would,
and then Lana’s weird little dream would come true.

Of course, as my luck would have it, it was
then that I glanced up and saw one of the Monsters approaching. I
have only touched lightly upon the subject of the ‘Monsters’ so
perhaps it’s time to go into a bit more detail. The Monsters infest
this home of mine to the very core. They disguise themselves as
both patients and wardens, sometimes even doctors, and try their
very best to make my life a living Hell. They whisper in the
doctor’s ears at night, telling them new ways to torment me, new
poisons to try. They keep tabs on me, aware of my every move. It is
my sincere belief that this would be a wonderful or at least,
livable place, if it were not for the Monsters.

That’s why I kill them whenever I can get
away with it, to remove their evil from this world. The creatures
never physically try to kill me, but they don’t really need to. For
they are killing me bit by bit as time goes by, drowning any hope I
have until all is lost.

This particular Monster was dressed like a
patient. To the casual observer, he would have passed as such, but
I had long since learned to recognize them for what they were.
Human-shaped, with human features, they nevertheless had a certain
‘glassiness’ to them, a slightly unreal quality.

It walked up to me, a blank expression on
its face and sat down beside me and Lana. I looked around furtively
for a weapon, not wanting the Monster to catch on that I was aware
of it. Unfortunately, the doctors of Atrium are not in the habit of
leaving weapons lying around for us.

I’d have to go back to basics and strangle
the thing. I’m a small person mind you, not very strong at all, but
as they say, practice makes perfect. This would be far from the
first time I’d had to resort to such tactics.

So I leapt upon it, Lana not even pausing in
her artwork as me and the creature rolled across the ground. Hands
inching around its neck to a prime position for killing, I latched
on and squeezed, choking the life from my adversary. Its eyes
filled not with anger, not with fear, but with a mocking delight,
as if I was the one about to die instead of it.

As I felt the hands and heard the shouts of
wardens behind me, I realized I had a problem. They pulled me off
the creature before I could finish the job, and I think I’m the
only one who noticed the smug look on its face as the wardens
hauled me away. Looking back, I wonder if that’s exactly what the
creature had wanted, was for me to get in trouble.

For trouble is precisely what I got into.
Beat with the blunt batons that the wardens carried, till I could
nary lift a finger, they left me strapped immobile to a bed, in a
room that I didn’t like. They discussed what to do with me as I lay
there, needing something radical to alter my behavior. Again.

Dr. Higgins stared down at me as I swam
between unconsciousness and alert terror. He opened his mouth but I
couldn’t hear the words, too out of it from the beating to
understand what he said. The only word that made it through was
‘electroshock’ which only made my terror worse.

Electroshock therapy isn’t as bad as it
could be, since I’ve kind of gotten used to it over the years, but
it still sucks. I know it’s without question damaged my memory, but
hey, looking on the bright side, at least they haven’t gotten
around to giving me a lobotomy yet.

After that I kind of blacked out. It is on
that cheery note that I’ll end this entry, as I lie here recovering
in my own bed, mind feeling numb from having an amp of electricity
shoved through it.

Nil, Out.

Day 14

Still feeling out of it. One of the doctors
must have had an acute attack of conscience, for I awoke with a
fluffy teddy bear lying next to me. Not the greatest as teddy bears
go, but it was a kind enough thought. I’m attributing it to Hammy
since he usually does stuff like that and seems to be the only
doctor who actually cares. I’m sure they’ll take it away from me
soon enough, but for the time being it’s kind of nice.

I heard the chink of something hitting the
metal frame of my bed and looked up to see Derrick sitting on the
end furthest from me, his grotesque feet dangling in the air as he
read through my Bible. I don’t know what a bogey man looks like,
but that’s the word that comes to mind whenever I see Derrick. He’s
skinny, warty, and a bit shorter than me. I know he can fit down
tiny holes when he wants to. That’s how he gets inside of the
walls.

"Well?" I said, after staring at him for a
moment. He continued reading for a minute longer, at last placing
one long finger in the book to mark his spot and closing it.

"I come with intentions of peace, my sweet,"
he whispered in his gargly voice. "I mean you know harm..."

"You have nothing I want, Derrick. Just go
away."

" I have nothing you want, this is true. But
I can help you achieve what you want, if you will let me."

"Meaning?" I replied wearily. I was not in a
mood to deal with this little freak today.

He gave me a wide, toothy grin. His teeth
were small but sharply pointed, ideal for eating children
probably.

"You want freedom. So do I. I will help you
achieve yours, if you will help me achieve... mine."

I didn’t even bother to respond to that one,
just rolling over and trying to get back to sleep. I knew that
Derrick wouldn’t harm me while I was sleeping. He was a strange and
dangerous creature, but I’d come to know his ways well over the
years.

A rustling from beneath the bed reached my
ears, and I opened my eyes again to see Mousy climbing up and onto
my hand. That alone made me feel better. I liked Mousy. He rustled
briefly and then looked at the door.

I followed his gaze and then opened my eyes
wider still in alarm when I realized the door was open. The door to
my room, the door to freedom, was opened before me.

"Did
you
do that?" I asked Derrick, who
had an evil grin on his face.

"Freedom for us both," he whispered, hopping
to his feet and heading for the exit. He stopped in the doorway and
gestured for me to follow. Knowing in so many ways that it was a
bad idea, I took Mousy in one hand, my journal in the other, and
hopped out of bed. Donning my Snoopy Cap, feeling its reassuring
weight upon my head, I left my room.

I didn’t have much of a plan. Be stealthy
and make my way upwards was about the extent of it, since there was
too much security on the ground floor. I’d try to find a way out
via the roof or something. I glanced at Derrick who led the way a
few steps in front of me, the book held tightly in one hand.

It’s eye was so bright it glowed through the
book cover, lighting our way like a torch. The hall was already
well lit though, and I feared the book’s glow would only draw
attention.

"Derrick," I hissed, walking quicker to
catch up with him. "You opened the door and everything which is
cool, but what’s your plan from here?"

He only smiled, speeding up the pace and
rounding a corner in the hallway. I had an awful premonition of
doom as I lost sight of him. I continued another step or two
anyways before Mousy rustled warningly, stopping me in my tracks.
The hurried click of footsteps against the hard, polished floor
reached my ears, and I knew I was about to be caught.

Panicked, not having many options for hiding
spots, I dived through a random door and hoped no one would be in
there.

As my luck would have it, not only was there
someone in there, but I was just in time to witness a murder. Yay.
My first impression was of blood. Blood everywhere. There was a
patient lying on a bed attached to the wall in front of me, with a
large man standing over him, stabbing downwards with a dagger.

The Killer must have been at least six feet
tall, and was so grossly muscled, that he looked inhuman. Though I
suppose the glowing red eyes that he turned upon me helped with
that assumption.

As he rose to his full height, the blade in
his hand dripping blood and hissing like a snake, he roared at me.
Then he charged, dagger raised above his head. In horror I noticed
how it twisted and writhed like a snake, growing longer as the
Killer drew near.

It takes a lot to make me scream, but I
screamed in fear nonetheless, diving through the door I had entered
and out into the hallway. I slammed right into the doctor whose
footsteps I had heard, knocking us both to the ground, and he too
screamed as the Killer bore down upon us.

Rolling to the side, I heard the ringing
sound of the dagger as it struck the floor where I had lain.
Scrambling to my feet and away, I turned to see it whipping and
flailing through the air like a scorpion’s tail as it searched for
a target.

It struck the doctor in the chest as he rose
and tried to flee. He let out a last gurgled scream before it threw
him against the wall, his body crumpling to the ground, leaving me
alone to face the Killer. I don’t know where Mousy had gone in the
chaos, but I hoped he was safe.