I glanced up at the rest of the support group that surrounded me. A dozen faces looked back, they seemed nervous. A twitch to one's eye, a bead of sweat on another's shoulder. All signs of nerves, all signs of insanity. That's the problem with Mental Institutes, you never find out if the accused person is insane or plain weird.
Oh! Why was I in here? I don't know. All I could find out was that two social security officers came to my house ten years ago and took me and my sister from our house and put us in this nut house. Well, not this exact one but, a different one. Then that one lit on fire. Not the point though.
I do get why Eddie was in here though. She's never talked in her life and it doesn't look like she plans on it soon. She's a mute.
But it makes her the best sister in the world.
Don't believe me? She always listens well, with no interruptions and she's always a great shoulder to lean on. I feel like I know her even though she can't talk. I wish she didn't need to bottle up her feelings all the time.
Everyone at the mental institute treats us like babies. I'm normal. Except for the whole missing a leg deal, I'm normal. Honest. Okay, maybe I'm a little weird, but it's not like I'm crazy or anything. Despite my unfortunate last name, nothing has ever labeled me as 'Crazy'. No one diagnosed me with anything, nor Eddie. But at least she has half of a reason to be here. Mind you, half. I see a lot of mutes wandering around the world just fine. But yet, these dang officers had to take us to some lunatic party.
My parents begged the officers when they came to leave me behind. "You can take Adeline," they'd start, much to my seven-year-old self's annoyance. "Just leave Dilllan here." They didn't.
Duh.
Now, back to the whole point of this story. I'm stuck here, in a, as they call it, 'Let Your Feelings Fly Caring Session' No joke. 100% no joke. Let Your Feelings Fly- Well, I'm sure most of the people here let their sanity go anyways, why not let their feelings follow? Caring Session- Okay, I got nothing. Honest to god, are you serious? What are we, two-year-olds? Okay, I guess a few of us act like it. But most of us are nice people. Others dove into the pool of crazy. Believe me, it's tempting.
"Can you all explain why you're here?" A lady said with a sweet voice. The lady looked up, and I noticed her features dead on. I try not to stare, but I always do. What? I like to memorize people's features. Don't judge me. She pointed towards the girl to my right.
"My name is Melanie and I'm here because of depression." The group clapped. I didn't even care enough to clap.
"You?" The woman asked me with a smile so fake, it had to be made in China.
I snorted. "To heck if I know." I sighed. The lady snapped her head towards me, stunned. Some of the group even cheered. Even Eddie, who doesn't smile often, giggled a little.
"Do you have anger issues?" She asked. I laughed at how surprised she seemed! It's not like people came in here for good reasons every time. If that was true, Eddie and I wouldn't even be here. In fact, if we're being honest, if that was true, they wouldn't even need a mental institute.
"No. If I did I would have tackled you to the ground by now, right?" I smirked a cocky smirk. It's never unlike me to be rude, it's what I use to keep myself somewhat sane in a crazy place.
She laughed at this one. Like legit, an actual laugh that boomed through the room, not one of the made-in-China ones often gives.
"You're in a wheelchair. I'm sure you would have driven me over by now, not tackled me. So you've got no reason to be here?" As if she cared. Nobody did, nobody ever will. Well, Eddie will, but she'll never say it. For obvious reasons.
"Nope. Welcome to my pity party. My name's Dillan and that's about all I have to say here, right?" I question.
She smiles a crooked smile at me. "Yes, thank you, Dillan."
The group claps as the woman points another one of her bony fingers at Eddie, who was siting right next to me. " Why are you here, young lady?" I see the terror run through my twins face, and I answer for her.
"That's my twin sister, Eddie. She's here because she's a mute." Eddie nods in approval at me. I don't even think that's true, but I'll just go with it.
We go through the whole group of about 30 people. It was the worst 4 hours of my life. Yep, four freaking hours. I can't even count how many people there are, and yet, I'm already disliking them. It shouldn't have to take that long, ever!
I guess that's just what happens when you're put into a nut house by accident!
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