Hard Times (wip)
It was a long drive in the car. He had wished that his friend wouldn't play the music so loudly on the way there. And his ducklings were tightly packed in the backseat, wishing the trip was over soon. They were going to see some of their bosses family. A part of his family, that until recently; he didn't even know he had.
"NOOOO!!!!"
The scream echoed throughout the cafeteria hall of the asylum, reverbating off of the concrete walls and slick linolium floors. A young woman was writhing underneath strong arms, her head twisting from side to side; wishing she was in her room, reading or sleeping.
"You've gotta take your medicine, 'lisha; or you won't get your dinner!" The nurse was pleading. He knew how much Alisha loved eating, for she had a special place among the others. She helped, with supervision of course, to cook certain parts of the dinner.
And she had made a favorite recipe of her's. Sweet potato casserole.
The other nurse picked up the small bowl, which had a double portion of the above mentioned casserole, and waved it in front of Alisha's face, under her nose. Trying to tempt her to open her mouth. She did so, trying to grab the bowl with her teeth. But what went in her mouth wasn't casserole. It was her medicine.
She started coughing, trying to spit it out, until the male nurse clamped her mouth shut gently with one hand. He then heard the thing he had wanted to hear. She had finally swallowed it.
"...I took it. Lemme have my food now." Alisha sulked, until they handed her the tray, and she tore into her food with unbounded relish.
As the nurses walked away from the table, continuing to hand out the other patients medicine; they looked back at Alisha, who had her eyes peeled to them. Like she was a feral animal. They shook their collective heads, and went on with their duties.
"She's such a little bitch when it comes to dinnertime." Murmured the male nurse which had held her mouth closed shut. "I just wish she'd take the medicine without a struggle..."
The other two nurses shrugged, and handed out one of the multitudes of small cups on the trays, along with a tray of food to another patient. "She's always like that. She'll never change. Hates taking her medicine, she does. She claims that we're trying to kill her with the medicine. Never will change."
Back across the room, one of the patients; his name was Gerald, and he always never ate the food he was given. He was skin and bones. Always had claimed they were poisoning him with the crap food they gave him. He only would talk to Alisha, and even then, in hushed tones.
"S-See this, 'lisha?" Gerald whispered, across the table from her. She glanced up for a moment, and looked at what he was holding. It was some green beans in a small styrofoam bowl.
"Yes. It's the green beans, Gerry. They're good." She responded, then proceeded to pick up her own bowl and eat a few. Gerald reached across the table, and grabbed the bowl from her hand.
It was the same thing every night.
"Don't! Don't eat 'em! They've bugged the green beans. They'll get in your head, know your thoughts! They won't let you sleep!!!" He was protested, while looking at the green beans as if they were many small bombs right in his hand.
Alisha stared at Gerald. She didn't like her food to be taken away, even by her best friend. "Gimme my beans, Gerry. I'll...I'll take my chances."
'Already got me locked in here, on their schedule...all freedom gone. I don't care if they're bugged or not.' She sullenly thought.