Hi readers! Your support is so amazing. c: I realized that I'm updating pretty quickly..oops! I hope you guys can all keep up haha. I feel like I should let you know of some background for this story. This does take place in modern day! The little Tate blurb at the beginning is describing the events of the night before. And there is a trigger warning in this chapter for self harm/violence. Enjoy.

"-And then it is all madness- the madness of a memory which busies itself among forbidden things."

-Edgar Allan Poe

Tate:

The few minutes, as she was sleeping, were probably the most stressful. I couldn't move with Violet in my hands- I couldn't disturb her. Because she finally looked peaceful, which was a quality which I was positive that she craved. Without a doubt, the guards heard the previous commotion, and a few came my way. But I was exhausted, and willing to take punishment. As long as I could see her after it was over.

When someone took her body, wrapped up in mine like it was meant to be there, every part of me felt ice cold. Violet was distanced now- they were carrying her to solitary. I began to try and call her name, but my throat was dry. Too dry to form words. I let them drag me away, as I hoped in every part of me for her safety. I let them lead me to the unknown terror.

Violet:

I was going to be sent to the doctor. So that I could save him- convince Arden that he was of no use rotting in there. That Michael, or some other asshole should take his place, and the bit of innocence that rested in Tate could be given back to me. A plan was starting to form in my head, nothing too smart and thought out, but I was acting on instinct. Every thought was screaming at me to go back to him- see what was happening to him, so much that I had no time to make things creative. I was going to get the job done- and as fast as possible.

The pathway to the kitchen was easy. It seemed like no guards were roaming around, and the few that were standing, I easily got past by saying I was using the restroom. Nobody seemed to worry about a sixteen year old girl getting into trouble. They had bigger problems. Like a school shooter, for example. One who cared about others over himself.

I greeted the doors with open arms. I hadn't been inside the bakery yet, but there was a first for everything. Through the windows, I could see that the entire place was abandoned. Briarcliff was seriously lacking at good security skills. So many patients could easily find a way out. I snatched the door handle and turned it slightly to the right, and it creaked open. The place seemed like one huge haunted house. Not that I was afraid- I felt even more fearless, in fact.

My eyes went immediately to what I was looking for- the large supply of kitchen utensils. Dozens of spoons, forks, knives, spatulas, practically everything. One in particular caught my attention. Perfect.

I held on to it, and placed my hands behind my back. Although it looked suspicious, there really was nobody around to judge me. I hurried out of the bakery and made sure that the doors were relocked. Still, the object was visible in my hand. Just a few more steps...

And there. A guard, blocking the right exit. He didn't even look up- his eyes were staring with hope out the window. A guard here would be such a shitty job. You couldn't use your cell phone, or anything of that nature. No more world news, YouTube, Tumblr, email.

I purposely coughed loudly, and immediately he turned towards me.

This was it.

Before he could react, or yell at me, or any other form of punishment, I showed him the knife from behind my back. Not to threaten him- no, I wasn't going to hurt him. His eyes widened with fear, but I only sighed, and ran the knife over my wrist. It didn't hurt- no, I was used to that pain, but it had been such a long time. Blood began to pool onto my clothing, dripping to the floor in small puddles. I didn't cut deep enough to kill me- it would heal, but not without a bandage. Not without a doctor.

The guard raced over, screaming for more patrol, and soon many other men came rushing through the doors. One snatched my hands, pulling me slowly but surely towards Doctor Arden's office.

Three knocks on the door, and I was once again staring at the doctor. He seemed confused at first, but then noticed the wound on my hand.

"Give her to me." He announced, pulling me away from the guards. The door was shut instantly. I whipped my head around, trying to search the room for Tate, but Arden's body blocked my way.

"That was a bad idea." The doctor spoke, in a strange way. I wanted him to be angry- but his emotion was calm.

"But it worked." I replied. The second the words came out of my mouth, there was some sort of commotion in the back of the room. Something dropped, crashing loudly on the ground. My mouth opened to scream his name- but Arden's hand grasped over it. I couldn't fight his strength, but I squirmed in defiance. He pushed me forward, so that I was finally turned around.

I could see him now. He sat crouched on a metal table, one hand bound so that he couldn't escape. Wild panic was displayed on his face, and he began to pull desperately at the chain. "Violet!" Tate's voice cracked, just a tiny bit. "-Why are you in here?!"

I angrily bit down on the hand that was covering my mouth, and Arden let go- mumbling a few curse words.

"Tate!" I shouted, and as I stepped forward- I finally noticed. The color was drained from his face. Fresh bruises lined his arms, a few red dots here and there. He looked like a broken rag doll, and I shivered in rage.

"-What did you do to him?" I spat, turning back towards the doctor.

Before he even began an answer, I was pulled to the right- next to another metal table. It was identical to the one of Tate's- and I began to fight Arden's strength. It was no use. My hand was chained to the bed.

"I've been doing tests. The human emotions are very strange, you see. I was intrigued by Tate. It's not every day we get a school shooter in here. His violent tendencies..I just couldn't resist getting answers. So he's been here with me, experiencing different forms of pain. I've been recording all of it."

Experiencing different forms of pain.

Arden snatched something off the table- a bandage, but I was staring at Tate. Neither of us said anything- but there was that unspoken communication. He was pissed at me for showing up, not wanting me to get hurt- but I didn't imagine things to be this cruel. I wasn't exactly thinking correctly. Arden's hands wrapped around my wrist, preventing the blood from spilling anymore. Tate looked hurt as he stared at the crimson color, which was staining my clothing.

"You see, Violet. I'm really glad you showed up. I've been doing some thinking." The doctor spoke, smirking.

"Of what?"

"I wonder how he would react to mental pain. I mean, Tate, your head must be a very dark place.." Arden commented, and I began to sweat bullets. "-Clearly he cares too much about you. God, he hasn't shut up about you. He can't be a complete psychopath, because he's showing human emotion..But I wonder."

Tate realized before I did. I saw fear strike his face, and I didn't understand until there was a sharp pain in my arm. Tate began to scream- pulling desperately at the chain, shouting curses and my name. I couldn't really focus on anything except my right arm, which was suddenly feeling like it was catching fire.

"What is this?" I whispered, looking up at Arden.

"That's a medication used for a muscle disease that you don't have. If you take it without a prescription, it messes with your nerves. It mainly causes harsh pain- though some people have become paralyzed due to it."

"-And why are you trying to torture me?"

"I'd like to see how Tate reacts. Mental pain. Like I said."

Oh.

Because hurting me- someone he cares about, is a form of mental pain. The real type.

That all falls together as the blood in my arm began to burn.

Tate:

It's funny, because even as she sat there, trying not to show her pain and weakness, she still looked beautiful. But I knew the medicine she was just given- he used it on me. Though, my body was muscular and large, and it wasn't capable of paralyzing me. Violet, on the other hand, was tiny and skinny, and it could very well have terrible effects. The chain wasn't moving, as much as I yanked on it- with every single force in my body, it just wouldn't budge. There were tears once again on my face. Things would never be normal for Violet and I.. and wasn't it my fault that she was here, anyways? If I hadn't touched her that first day- she could be okay, right now. This was all my fault and I had to stop it. She's innocent, pure. Not worthy of this. No.

Violet was sitting so close to me- I could practically see the tiny beads of sweat on her forehead. But for some reason, she didn't look at me. I wanted her to look at me. I wanted her to see that she was going to be safe, and I was going to help her, but her eyes were trained on the floor. Quiet whimpers fought their way out of her lips, although she was trying to restrain them. Arden had his gaze directly on her. I guess he was as intrigued with her pain as he was with mine.

I noticed the knife, which used to be curled in her pale fingers, on the table beside me. On the side of the bed with my free hand.

I moved swiftly and silently, not allowing myself to fail this simple task. It was balancing near me, and the tips of my right fingers grabbed it... Yes.

"Hey, asshole." I mumbled. Arden turned to face me, and I noticed Violet's eyes glance up. They were beginning to turn bright red. It was at this moment that I was glad I was a killer. The knife had been moved to my left hand, the one chained to the bed, and my free hand grabbed Arden's shirt. I pulled him close to me, so close that I could use my left hand to press the blade to his chest.

"Let both of us go, or I'll kill you. Right here."

And he looked afraid. No longer carrying that peaceful countenance. He knew that I would do it. After all, I had the advantage. The cold knife was pressing a line into his skin.

"Let us go."

"Then let go of my shirt."

"Funny. You're going to unlock this chain from my hand, and I'm going to hold this knife to your chest until you let her go." I stated, and without a doubt, he gave me a panicked nod. The doctor couldn't risk his life being thrown away.

Arden's hand twisted the screw on the chain, and I felt it break off of me with ease. I immediately moved the knife higher, now that my left hand was free, so it sat positioned at his throat. He didn't try anything smart- only let me rise from the bed. My feet almost collapsed underneath me..I had been sitting on that chair for far too long. But I kept myself balanced for her.

Her- Violet- who was looking at me with so much hope, that I wanted to take a picture of it. She was still crying, involuntarily, because the pain was causing her body to react. There wasn't a way to get the poison out of her- or else I would have demanded it. We just had to wait it out for an hour or so.

Arden unlocked her chain, and she rushed towards the door- but didn't open it. Violet wouldn't leave without me. That was a first.

"You're going to let both of us leave here, and you're not going to bother us again. And I swear to God- if you even touch her, I'll find a way to kill you. Understand?" I spoke, directly at Arden.

"Fine."

And with that, I picked up her body- which weighed practically nothing, and stepped in the hallway. Back towards my room- where we wouldn't be bothered.

Reviews are much appreciated c: