Tables and Chairs

Chap. 1

I woke up from a dreamless slumber, still a bit tired. I ignore it and look at the time. It was one forty-six in the morning. I needed more sleep. The summertime always made me exhausted.

I lay my head back on my pillow, my ebony quills staying intact. After trying to count sheep, I figured that I wasn't ready for more sleep.

I picked up a book that I'd picked up from the library earlier that day. It was a romance, one of the first I've read ever.

As I read about the protagonist's problems and solutions, I couldn't help but reflect on my own life. How had it come to this? When was I labeled a disease?

Oh, right. When I tried to fix my relationship with Rouge. It hadn't worked out whatsoever. She had called the cops on me for trying to tie her to a chair so she would listen to me.

Later, when the police questioned me, they told me I had paranoia and a severe case of depression. I didn't quite understand at the time, but it made a bit of sense. I always felt like someone was watching me, and it made me constantly nervous.

Not like it mattered too much. At least, not that much.

Thinking back on how scared I was when they brought me here, I buried my face into my pillow. It was horrible here, in the looney bin. This is where the crazies went, and I was one of them.

The facility itself was nice, but the staff were terrifying. They made me take these weird blue pills and gave me injections. I hate this place, and I want to leave. I've told them before, but they won't listen. They tell me that I need to be here, that I can't leave until I'm given the order that I can go.

I hardly get any visitors. It gets lonely here when people are either too busy with the voices in their heads to talk to you. There was some of my old friends that I had taken for granted that visited me.

For example, Knuckles the Echidna did every Friday. That was our guys' night before I was committed. I can't have alcohol here, but I can have soda. So, that's what we drink. He has Coke, and I have root beer. We talk about things.

Sometimes about Knuckles's kids with Tikal, sometimes about the hospital. Either way, I always ask him to get me out. He always gets frustrated, and tells me that he wishes he could, but he can't. I wish he could too. I can't stand it here.

Sometimes Sonic visits me. We don't say much, and he's never here long. Maybe an hour, half hour at the least. He's told me that the other patients freak him out. I told him that it was okay, and that at least he's still there, unlike his other wimpy friends.

He never said anything else.

The only other person that visits me is Amy Rose. She visits me on Mondays and Wednesdays. I love her visits, but they always make me wonder. I decided to ask her today why she always comes, since it was Monday.

When I was called down, Amy looked quite cute. She only had a light green tank-top on with a pair of jean shorts on, but her quills were out up in pigtails. I blushed a soft, shell pink before entering the visiting room.

We sat down on the two individual chocolate brown chairs that sat next to each other. She looked at me with her jade eyes and I could swear I saw a flicker of sadness flash in them.

"Hey Shadow," she greeted cheerfully. "How're you doing?"

"You know I haven't changed," I said, staring at the wall in front of me and crossing my legs. "I still hate this place and I desperately want to leave. I know that nobody can help me, and I know that I'm less likely to get my court approval than I am to win the lottery."

"Actually, Shadow, I did the paperwork to allow your leave." Amy looked at me carefully. "You have to live with me, and there are rules, but we can discuss those later."

Was I dreaming? "Wait...I can leave the hospital?" This couldn't be true.

"Yes."

I couldn't think. My mind wasn't processing anything correctly. I picked up Amy in one clean swoop a and hugged her tightly.

"I love you!" I shouted, then kissed her.

End of Chapter 1