Okay, so this is the result of watching Dead Poets Society and Takin Over the Asylum. It has the characters of DPS and the setting of TOA, which is a mental hospital in the mid-1990s. I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 1

Todd still wasn't sure how he'd managed to get himself into this situation. It felt surreal more than anything, like it wasn't him who'd gone and had a nervous breakdown, yet somehow he was the one being punished for it. He'd had a lot of time to think about how desperately unfair the situation was as his mother had driven him to the last place on earth he wanted to be.

St. Jude was the patron saint of lost causes, so Todd was sure it was the aptest name for an asylum he'd ever seen. They were greeted by an older man who's expression was more that of a warden than someone who ran a hospital.

"Mrs. Anderson, my name is Doctor Nolan," the man said solemnly, "and you must be Todd."

Todd said nothing, only acknowledging the comment by briefly looking up from his shoes. His mother looked like she was about to cry, and she hugged him tightly. She didn't need to say goodbye, he knew how she felt, and it made him feel shittier than he already did.

He wasn't led so much as shoved into his new living space though calling it that was a bit of a stretch. It was small and bare and smelled like antiseptics. There was also someone already in there.

"Hello," the boy smiled brightly and held out his hand, which Todd couldn't shake as he was carrying too many bags. "Jesus, how long are you planning to stay here?" He looked like was going to try to help, but Todd ignored him and plopped his bags on the only empty bed.

"Guess we're gonna be roommates then."The boy was still making an effort to be friendly, and Todd had to commend him. Most people would've already stopped by now. "My name's Neil."

"Todd" the other boy mumbled, looking up to take a look at Neil. He suddenly felt his stomach lurch at the sight of a scar across the side of his jaw.

"I shot myself in the face." Neil answered Todd's unspoken question. "Don't worry, everyone does that, I'm used to it."

Suddenly a voice cried out "DINNER!" and Neil jumped to his feet.

"Do you want me to show you where the cafeteria is? The food's dismal, but you kind of have to eat it." He gave Todd another smile, and this time it was returned.

The cafeteria was as white and frighteningly clean as the rest of the hospital, and the floors had been washed recently, so Todd's grand entrance nearly involved crashing into all the tables. Luckily he had Neil to guide him, and they sat down with a group of other boys.

"So," one of them said grinning, eying Todd to see of he was a friend or foe, "what's a handsome fella like you doing in a place like this?"

"Don't you start Charlie." Neil groaned and turned to Todd saying "He's like this with everyone, just ignore him."

"Dammit Neil, how many times do I have to tell you, the name's Nuwanda." Charlie snapped back.

Neil rolled his eyes. "Nuwanda, this is my new roommate, Todd."

"Well hello there Todd, welcome to hell. Try to enjoy your stay." Charlie was still grinning smugly in a way that was still slightly intimidating.

"My name's Knox." said one of the boys, holding out his hand, which Todd limply shook. "Oh, and this is Meeks." he gestured to a curly haired boy to his right.

"What's on the menu tonight then?" Neil inquired, and all of the boys responded with disgusted expressions.

"Meatloaf, or as it should be called God-knows-what's-in-there-loaf." Charlie said, and Knox looked immensely uncomfortable.

Neil quickly picked up on this and asked Knox if everything was alright, which he said it was.

"Knox has problems with that stuff, that's why he's in here." Charlie said, but somewhat less smugly. "What are you in for, Todd?"

"I... uh..." Todd felt himself freeze up suddenly, and Neil quickly came to his defense.

"If he doesn't want to talk about it, don't make him."

"No, it's okay. I... kinda had a breakdown." Charlie nodded understandingly.

"Oppositional Defiance Disorder, or at least that's what the shrink says. Also, some slight problems with recreational abuse of illegal substances. I'm a bit of a problem child." he smirked.

"Don't we all know it." Knox snorted, earning him a slap on a head from Charlie.

"Alright, that's enough, do you want to get yourself forcibly separated again?" Meeks said, looking as though he'd had to deal with this sort of behavior on not just a daily but hourly basis.

"It's really not too bad here," Neil whispered to Todd as Knox and Charlie tried to resolve their argument, "just try not to do whatever Nuwanda does and they'll let you out soon enough."

Todd nodded, but couldn't help but notice this was the most he'd talked in months.