"Will you save me, Mordecai?"
"Can you save me?"
"Will you know when the time comes?"
"Two months"
"Two months"
"Six weeks."
Mordecai jolted awake in panic, gasping, and letting some accumulated saliva run down his beak. The time changed. The dream Mordecai had had some weeks ago, this dream had been like an abstract from it. But what had scared him so sorely was the time change. He himself had no idea how long ago the dream was, and how much longer he had left. He hadn't been keeping track of time. It was as if someone had entered into his mind to remind him, and that scared him, if anything.
Mordecai paused for a minute, before sitting back on the bed, with his back against the wall. He curled up in his blanket, and lit a cigarette. The clock said 5 am, but the days were getting colder, and shorter, so the sun wasn't up yet as it had been in summer.
Mordecai let his head hit the wall behind him. He thought about when he first noticed Rigby wasn't well, but then again, it had been going on for longer than that. He thought about the first time Rigby had threatened to kill himself, and he cringed and groaned at the fact he had let it slide. How much of what seemed like Rigby's personality had actually been early warning signs? What if it had been caught sooner? Rigby's poor decisions had landed them both in hot water and weird situations dozens of times. How would their lives be different if it had been caught sooner?
The last day that Rigby had appeared well was probably July twenty-second. He remembered the date well, because the next day Rigby had suddenly been heavily invested in the news, at the time of the forth Soviet nuclear-testing stand off with NATO. That had started on July twenty-third.
What pained Mordecai the most is how normal that July twenty-second had seemed. To him at the time, it was just another day, but now it seemed like the last time his friend, his pseudo-adoptive brother ever was himself. They had woke up late, got scolded by Benson, ditched mowing to go to the coffee shop, where Mordecai had ignored Rigby to awkwardly converse with Margaret, then they went to the arcade and ate hotdogs, before getting an angry message from Benson to come back and finish mowing the lawn.
Mordecai felt mad at himself for not making the most of that day, or of any day for that matter. Maybe if he had really followed the philosophy of living each day to its fullest, he wouldn't be feeling this way.
He wanted to go see Rigby, maybe to see if he had suddenly gotten better at some point. Every day he went, it was like Christmas morning, and he was waiting to see if he had gotten the cool new toy he so desperately wanted. But then, every day he was let down, and he would silently ask Santa why he didn't care about him.
He sighed. It was five and a half hours before the visiting period started. He was supposed start assisting with the groundskeeping duties today, like he had promised Benson he would, but he was going to have to blow it off. Not that Benson would mind. He hadn't seemed quite himself since Mordecai had had that little talk with him.
Rigby crept out of his room, turned left, and walked down the hallway. The fluorescent lights made a soothing hum that contrasted with how harsh they were visually. The floor felt disgusting, but Rigby pattered along down the hallway regardless, all the way down to the telephone bank close to the intake lock. Escape was impossible, since the door on the other side of the lock would be sealed completely.
Instead, he meandered over to the sitting area, and picked up one of the telephones.
"It's me again" Rigby said into the receiver.
"Oh. I was wondering when you were going to show up again. You've been slack lately"
"Don't give me your bullshit. Slacking is my job. Besides, I haven't been able to talk lately." Rigby said.
"You haven't been able to, or you haven't remembered to?" The receiver questioned.
"I'm here now" was all Rigby said.
"I needed you here yesterday. Anyways, how have things been going?"
"Fine, I guess. I'm supposed to get out soon. On Wednesday maybe."
"Wonderful. A shame it's no sooner. You haven't been taking those awful so-called medications, have you?"
"Of course not" Rigby said.
"Good. Your mind needs to stay intact if you want out of this."
"I do. So badly"
"You'll get out. I promise you. I'll give you all the instructions you need on Wednesday. Call me when you get out, and get a minute alone. I'll be there."
"Sweet. Is that all?"
"Not quite. New issue popped up. Something you need to be aware of."
Rigby sighed and rolled his eyes.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Movement may be restricted in a few days. Something's happening that I can't get a full grasp on. Nothing that would bring you any direct harm, but… -"
The receiver was plucked out of Rigby's hands. Mathis raised the phone up to his ear and listened. There was only a dial tone.
"Schizo… Rigby." He said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, "you really gotta stop doin' this" he said.
"Doing what? Give me that back!" Rigby said, jumping up in a vain attempt at getting the phone.
"Ain't no one there. Youse speakin' to a dial tone, boy" Mathis said.
"Not true. They just hung up is all." Rigby said, folding his arms.
"We done this three times. Ain't never been anyone there"
"It was really fucking important!"
"Back to bed" Mathis replied pointing down the hall towards their room. "You know I'm just lookin' out for ya" he added, more sympathetically, when Rigby didn't move.
"Whatever" Rigby said, and trudged past Mathis on the way back to bed.
"Mordecai, bud, I gotta talk to you" Mathis said, stopping Mordecai on his way down the hall.
"Mathis, Dude, I just wanna see Rigby" Mordecai said, trying to brush by Mathis, but Mathis held him fast.
"It is about Rigby" Mathis said through his teeth, almost whispering. Mordecai took a step backwards.
"What, what is it?" Mordecai said, exasperated.
"Mordecai… Rigby… he's…" Mathis sighed, and slicked his hair back, looking around nervously. "Rigby ain't one ounce of sense better than when he came through those doors there" Mathis said, shaking his head, and pointing down towards the intake lock.
"Wait, what?" Mordecai said, narrowing his eyes, trying to understand.
"I'm saying he hasn't got any better. Not at all. He's worse now than he was then, I'd even venture to say. And they wanna let him out on Wednesday"
Mordecai bit the sides of his beak. This is what he'd been afraid of.
"How bad is it?" He finally asked.
"He was havin' a phone conversation with himself last night"
Mordecai brought his hand up to his face. "Fuck, fuck, fuck" he said, slouching downwards.
"Look. This place here is no good for him. But you tell that to one of these doctors, and the next place Rigby is goin' is the lobotomy chamber. It's real touch and go with schizos. I'm only tellin' you this cause you gotta be prepared when he gets out. He can't stay in here." Mathis said.
"All right, well… thanks Mathis. Can you keep an eye on him till then?"
"That's the other thing… I'm gettin' out today, and I'm on my way out right now. Just wanted to wait for you."
"So you're saying Rigby's going to be alone until Wednesday?" Mordecai said, feeling an anchor drop down from his chest to his stomach.
"I let all the guys know what's going on, and they'll try their hardest to look out for him, but… otherwise, yeah. Pigdawg… Frank – he said he'd maybe try sleeping in my old bed, an' make sure he don't do nothin' stupid."
Mordecai folded his arms, thought for a moment, and then nodded.
"Okay, okay, fine. That might work. How is he right now?"
"He's all right. He was kinda bummed since I'm leavin' and all, but I said we'd prolly see each other again some day"
"Yeah. I sure hope so," Mordecai said, giving an affectionate slug to Mathis' shoulder, "Thanks Mathis. For everything"
"My pleasure, friend. See ya' in the brine" He said, and then lumbered down the hallway, checked out at the intake lock desk, and was released into the world.
Wednesday
Rigby sat down at the smaller of the two desks in the room. Dr. Marconi gently sat down next to him. Rigby looked from left to right at the hospital's psych committee. All humans, Rigby noticed, unlike most of the staff.
The man in the middle, a relatively tall man in his thirties, with jet-black hair, a chiseled face, and some light stubble, spoke first.
"Well, good afternoon, Rigby" he said with a reassuring smile.
"Hi" Rigby croaked.
"I'm sure you know why you're here. Your case psychiatrist has nominated you for release today, yes?"
"Uh… yup."
"Great! Now believe me when I say we all have full faith in our doctors to make the right call when it comes to patient release, and we all trust doctor Marconi fully" The man said, gesturing round his left and his right to the other people on the panel. "We just want to make sure today that you feel like you're ready for release, and for us to get a general sense of how you've progressed, and how you're feeling right now. Still with me?"
"Uh huh"
"Very good" the man said, smiling and nodding. He seemed sincere, but Rigby's first impression of these people was that they were installed to make sure as few people got out as possible.
"So, Rigby, with that in mind," the man said, opening the manila folder on the desk in front of him, "when you came in here, you were in quite a state, I understand. Involuntary check in" he commented.
"You were administered fifty milliliters of pharmaceutical grade tranquilizer, and forcibly restrained in a restraining camisole, then bound to a bed by control straps" A woman in a white lab coat commented.
"Restraining camisole?" Rigby asked, shaking his head in confusion.
"Straightjacket" the man said quietly, as if it was a forbidden word.
"Oh" was all Rigby could comment. This wasn't going well.
"Now Rigby, I've just got to say, we're quite impressed as to how someone can go from needing tranquilizer and camisoles to being relaxed, lucid, and on the road to recovery in just two weeks. Usually, with these kinds of precautions, we don't see patients leaving us so quickly." The man said.
Rigby nodded slowly, and waited for someone to say something, but as the clock ticked down the seconds, he realized that he was supposed to give some kind of response. He looked quickly to Dr. Marconi, who nodded.
"Uh, well… you know… that was just like, a one time thing, you know?" Rigby said.
"What was a one time thing?" The woman asked.
"Like, that whole thing with the tranq and straightjacket and stuff"
"You mean that episode was a one time thing?" The man asked.
"Yeah, yeah, like, that never happens" Rigby insisted.
"I see" the woman commented, "So, Rigby, you would say you're not prone to psychotic outbursts like that?"
"No, no way" Rigby said confidently.
"But you have officially been diagnosed with Schizophrenia." The man said.
"And, I'd like to add, just looking through doctor Marconi's notes," the woman began, "that you have reported both auditory and visual hallucinations. That's quite uncommon. Most cases of Schizophrenia involve only auditory hallucinations. Visual hallucinations are considered to be substantially more serious," She said.
Rigby waited for more to come, but it again became apparent that he was required to respond.
"Well, uh… I guess, I've learned a lot from doctor Marconi, and all the therapy and stuff… like, it's working" Rigby said.
"So, for example, you've come to be able to tell what is and what is not a hallucination?"
"Yeah, like that" Rigby lied. As far as he was concerned, he had never had a hallucination in his life.
"Excellent" the man nodded, "doctor Marconi?" He prompted.
Dr. Marconi shifted forward in his seat, and clasped his hands atop the desk.
"Well, yes," he said, adjusting his glasses slightly, "I think a good indicator of Rigby's behavior and progress at this facility is reflected by the fact that we've had no reports of misconduct, or any further restraining peripherals being necessary during his stay here. From our sessions together, I would feel confident in saying that Rigby is on the right path, and doesn't at all appear to be a threat to himself, nor others." Dr. Marconi said, leaning back in his chair afterwards.
"Do you think it would be a waste of state funding to keep Rigby at this facility?" The man asked.
'Ah', Rigby said inside his head. So that was the hook. They wanted to know if they could keep him here and have it be worth it.
"Yes, I do believe it would be counterproductive to continue to use resources on Rigby here" Dr. Marconi said, shifting again.
"Does Rigby belong here?" The woman in the lab coat pressed.
"No" Dr. Marconi lied.
"Rigby, do you feel like you're ready to leave the ward?" The man asked.
"Oh, yeah, totally" he said. Quickly he caught himself, "I mean, definitely, I just feel like I've done so much here" he added. The man nodded.
"And you're currently on Seroquel, and Effexor. How have those been working for you?" The woman asked.
"Uh… yeah… pretty good" Rigby said.
There was a moment of silence before the man stood from his chair.
"All right, thank you Rigby, doctor Marconi. We'll take a moment to deliberate, so why don't you take a seat outside, and we'll call you back in when we're ready." The man said, walking over to the door, and pulling it open for them. Rigby shakily stood up, and walked out the door.
There, in the hallway of the administrative center, Rigby and Dr. Marconi sat on opposite ends of the hall, waiting for the decision. Rigby could feel his fur getting wet with sweat. He let out a shaky sigh.
"They're a very fair committee" Dr. Marconi said, noticing Rigby's nerves.
"Oh good" Rigby said. He was trying to keep the talking to a minimum, afraid that they might catch him out on something. That was what they were trying to do, after all.
It was about five minutes before they were called back in. Rigby and Dr. Marconi assumed their same seats as before. Rigby was trembling slightly.
"So, Rigby, we've reached a unanimous decision," the man said, smiling.
"Okay" Rigby said, nodding expectantly.
"We've decided, based on what we've read in our notes, and what we've just heard from yourself, and doctor Marconi, that…"
Rigby held his breath. He could brake at any moment, like a space shuttle, rattling around as it penetrated Earth's atmosphere.
"…That you're on the right path to leading a mentally healthy life, and we feel confident that you no longer require the assistance of this facility. We'd like to authorize an immediate release" he finished.
Rigby closed his eyes, lifted his head towards the ceiling, and let loose a sigh of relief. He had done it. His nightmare was over.
"Congratulations! For such a severe case, no one could have expected you to make such a swift recovery."
"And you'll continue to recover now outside the ward as well. Hopefully, you've learned the skills needed to regain control of your life." The woman added.
"We'll set you up with an appointment with the general practice's psychiatrist. You'll be seeing him from now on. We'll have doctor Marconi write up a month's worth of your prescription, which you'll be able to collect on your way out"
Rigby nodded appropriately throughout the whole thing. He had stopped listening after the man had said "immediate release." Every second longer was painful. It was like getting pulled into a conversation on your way to collect your winnings after winning the lottery jackpot.
It wasn't long, however, before Rigby found himself outside the room again, with just Dr. Marconi.
"Well, congratulations Rigby! Happy to be getting out?" he asked.
"You can't even imagine" Rigby said.
"Well, I'll go ahead and get that prescription sorted, why don't you go on ahead and gather your things?" the doctor suggested.
Rigby hadn't brought any possessions, nor had he had anyone bring him anything. So instead, he decided to say goodbye to his new friends.
"Schizo! Fucking look everyone! Schizo's fucking getting out! Can you believe this shit? If he can do it, why the fuck can't you!?" Buko shouted towards the dormies, or the patients bound to the dormitories.
"Thanks Buko" Rigby said.
"No problem! Take me with you!" He said, patting Rigby on the back, hard. "I've got to admit, I am so fucking jealous of you right now."
"I'm not. I'm just gonna kick it in here for a while, you know? Get myself a shit-eating boyfriend, eat some good food, take some good meds, you know, the works" Pigdawg said, grinning. "No responsibilities in here."
"I would take all the responsibilities in the fucking world to get out of here. And I'm the slacking type" Rigby commented.
'Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know it sucks in here. But take care of yourself out there. You're fucking nuts" Pigdawg said.
"Yeah, right" Rigby said dismissively.
"We're serious! You, my friend, are in no shape to leave this ward. You should probably be downstairs with all the lobotomized fuckers." Squalor pitched in, "that said, enjoy your freedom. We'll miss you" she finished, giving Rigby a peck on the cheek.
"Thanks guys, for everything. I was really nervous about coming in here at first, but now I wish I'd done it sooner."
"Don't worry 'bout it kiddo. We'll see you on the other side, I'm sure" Pigdawg said, grinning.
Rigby had his doubts, but he said his goodbyes, and left the common room forever.
This was it. He pulled open the ward-side door of the intake lock, and approached the counter. To enter into this room, you needed a damn good excuse.
"Name?" the woman behind the counter asked. Rigby recognized her as the same woman who had been manning the ECT desk - the dull, uninterested one with the long fingernails.
"Rigby. Salyers. Outpatient" Rigby emphasized the 'outpatient.' It felt good to say aloud.
"Date of birth please"
"October twenty five" Rigby said through gritted teeth. This bitch was toying with him.
"Year?" She asked, smarmily.
"Ninety one."
The woman sighed, and tapped her pen on the desk for a while.
"Yeah. I guess I have to let you go now. Your doctor wanted me to give you these." She handed Rigby a page from a prescription pad, and an envelope.
"What's in the envelope?"
"How am I supposed to know?"
Rigby looked down at it. It was addressed to Mordecai. Dr. Marconi had attached a sticky note to it. 'Just general release instructions. Nothing you'd be interested in, Rigby.' Odd, but Rigby didn't care.
The woman pressed a button to her left. The door to the ward locked itself. She pressed a button on the right. The door to the rest of the hospital clicked open. Like the placing of a final jigsaw puzzle piece, Rigby found it incredibly satisfying.
"Get out. Before I change my mind," the woman said. Rigby glanced at the ward behind him. Further down the corridor in the ward, he could see Buko, Squalor, and Pigdawg, waving at him. Pigdawg grinned and gave him the finger. Pigdawg's literal shit-eating grin was something he would never forget. He gave a small wave in return, before turning his back on them forever. He walked through the door into the general reception area.
The colors here seemed somehow brighter. The yellow wallpaper, the thin silky curtains on the open window, the thin blue carpet – it was ugly, and it all clashed with each other, but to Rigby, it was beautiful. He had never seen this area before, but he supposed that Mordecai had waited here every day to come see him. And he had probably been through that intake lock over a dozen times. It was probably nothing to Mordecai, but this moment meant the world to Rigby.
That brought up another thing. Mordecai.
Mordecai ran a wingtip through his hair, and looked around in anticipation. The plan had been arranged as thus: Rigby's hearing was at 1:30 in the afternoon. If he got out, he would come down. If he hadn't, he would call Mordecai from the phones on the ward, and Mordecai would come up and visit Rigby. Where there would probably be tears.
It was like waiting at the airport arrivals lounge for a plane that might have crashed.
The lobby was oddly poorly illuminated. There were no lights on in the actual room, only some light drifting halfway across the floor from the large windows at the front. Such a place could probably benefit from more light.
It made it hard to tell exactly who came down in the elevator. Only four people had come in gone in the twenty minutes or so Mordecai had been waiting. The receptionist had stepped away five minutes ago, and hadn't returned. Mordecai was alone in the lobby.
Mordecai heard the elevator doors swing open. Frankly, anyone could be inside. Mordecai waited for the figure to emerge. Whoever it was, they were short. Mordecai's heart leapt.
Rigby could see Mordecai's silhouette against the light coming in from the window at the far end of the lobby.
"Mordecai!" Rigby said, breaking into a run.
"Dude! Rigby?" Mordecai said, his words coming out slightly broken with surprise and joy.
Rigby broke slightly before he reached Mordecai, just after he came into view. Tears fell from his eyes, and he jumped up to Mordecai's torso, hugging him tight. They had seen each other almost every day for the past few weeks, but this time felt different. It felt more real - surreal, almost.
"They let you out!" Mordecai said, holding back some tears of his own. Rigby climbed down from Mordecai's torso.
"Yeah" he said, sniveling. "It seemed real touch and go for a few minutes, but they actually decided to let me go." Mordecai placed a hand on Rigby's shoulder.
"Let's go home dude."