Sympathy
"There are moments when even to the sober eye of reason, the world of our sad humanity may assume the semblance of Hell."
― Edgar Allan Poe
"You know nothing about it my little rose bud; you know nothing of sympathy because you have never felt pain. I believe it to be a blessing my darling, you are very lucky. Pain is what makes us weak, you see me do you not? I am in pain at every moment of everyday. These old limbs of mine…but not you my little dove, you will never have to worry about that. Marley, are you paying attention to me?"
Sixteen year old Marley Rose shook herself from her trance and nodded her head, the sunlight that bounced off the plain white walls burning her eyes. Sister Dahlia smiled and tucked a piece of Marley's limp brown hair behind her ear. "Let me look at you." The nun said as put two fingers under her chin and lifted her head. "You are a very pretty girl Marley," Sister Dahlia sighs as she turns her head a little. "It's a shame you must spend the rest of your life behind these walls. An asylum is no place for a young girl now is it?" Dahlia asked and Marley shook her head no. "But you made that decision yourself correct?" The nun asked and a smile formed on her old face. "Actually, today would be the six year anniversary right?" She wonders. "Yes, today is October 14th. So it is the day that you spilled the blood of your own father."
"I didn't do it" Marley mumbled and Sister Dahlia cackled.
"Oh yes you did darling, never cut yourself short!" She exclaims. "Don't tell me you forget…stabbing your father several times in the chest and the cutting up his whores face?" She inquires.
Marley gasped and shut her blank blue eyes, flashes of that fate full day whizzing through her mind. She came home from school that day and had found her father in bed with a waitress at his bar. It was her that went into the kitchen and grabbed her mother's butcher knife, it was she who plunged the knife into her father's chest as his slut screamed and it was she who turned her attention to Lynn Blair, her father's mistress and made the beautiful blonde into a disfigured beast. Marley took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Sister Dahlia was still looking at her, a smile on her face. "Now there is the face of the girl who remembers her sins." Dahlia faked a frown and shook her head. "But god has is reasons." She said as she took a small pocket knife from her pocket. "Let me see your hand." She commanded and Marley weakly nodded, extending her scared arm and letting Sister Dahlia take hold of her hand. She smiled as she pressed the blade into Marley's skin as Marley looked on blankly.
"Any pain dear?" she questions
Marley shook her head. "No Sister Dahlia, no pain…there is never any pain."
"Very good." Dahlia said as she stood up. "God made you different for a reason, just like how he placed you in my care." She smiled as she banged Marley's hand. "Now come along my little flower, I promised a day in the garden today so that is what you are getting."
Marley looked down at the white bandage on her hand that was slowly turning red. "Do I have to wear all of that stuff?" She asks. "I'm not dangerous Sister Dahlia, you know that."
The nun sighed as she knocked on the door. "Yes I know that, but they don't. They will never understand you."
Marley squinted her eyes as the door flew open and the sounds from the corridor filled her ears. She stood still as two nurses secured the straight jacket and the other put the muzzle over her moth.
"She will be able to take this off once we get to the gardens correct?" Sister Dahlia asked and the nurses looked at each other unsurely. "She won't harm anyone, she listens to me." The nurses nodded and Sister Dahlia smiled. "See Marley, didn't I tell you? Now come along."
Marley bowed her head as she followed the nun out of her room; once she was in the corridor she found the source of all the yelling. It was a boy, who looked to be about her age fighting offabunch security guards. The rage in his dark eyes was indescribable and then finally he stopped as Marley passed, watching her carefully as the anger washed off of his face.
"The monsters they bring into this place." Sister Dahlia comments as the pass him; Marley finally turned her head to look in the direction she was being lead to. "You know he will be in the room next to you." Dahlia states. "But you shouldn't talk to him Marley, he will not understand you. I am the only one at this hospital that understands your reasons for murder." She says in a low voice. "Not ever your mother understands."
That was like a knife to the heart, Marley winced at the comment. Her mother hadn't visited her in three years, every day she hoped and prayed but they went unanswered. More than anything, Marley missed her mom and she would give anything to see her again. She stood still again when they entered the garden and the nurses took of the muzzle and the jacket. Marley closed her eyes and let the cool fall breeze tickle her face and play with her hair. She opened them up and looked up at the clear blue sky that contrasted beautifully with the shades of red, orange and yellow of the trees and their falling leaves.
"Have a seat Marley." Dahlia commends and Marley sits on the bench next to the nun. Sister Dahlia smiled as she handed a bible to Marley and then opened her own. "Now the book of Matthew, that was where we were correct?"
"Yes sister Dahlia." Marley answers and pretends to listen as the nun read the verses out loud. But instead Marley's thoughts wandered back to the boy who would be rooming next to her. She didn't believe Sister Dahlia and her false warning, if he was here he would be here for a reason right? Smiling to herself, she sat back into the bench. Maybe this stranger would be like her, maybe he would be her saving grace.