Worn chapter 4
'It's been a few days since I was in the padded room. The Professor must have done something in my head because my flashbacks haven't been as bad. When I got out of the room a lot of people tried to include me more and talk to me. It was nice, I had almost forgotten what it was like.'
Pietro sat in the T.V. area. Lyle, Hyram, Benji and Konnor were there too. Benji, Lyle and Konnor were talking and joking around. He then noticed Hyram was looking right at him. He was sitting in an office chair that you could wheel around.
Hyram pushed the chair over with his foot with one kick to the floor. "Hey crazy. You're one of us, we're all crazy here. So, how'd you end up here?"
"Tried to kill myself."
"Can you believe they stuck me in here just 'cause I'm homicidal? They don't wanna say it but I know they're thinkin it."
"Thinkin what?"
"That I'm a psycho. They think we all are. There are some dark secrets about this place."
"Like what?"
"You'll find out sooner or later." Hyram had an evil look on his face like usual, it made Pietro nervous.
"Hyram, what are you filling his head with?" Benji stood behind Hyram.
"Why do you accuse me of something horrible?" Benji glared at him. Hyram pushed himself away while snickering.
"Don't listen to him. He's just trying to scare you." Pietro nodded.
Nurse Annett walked into the T.V. area. Hyram decided to bug her now.
"Hey nurse. What will you tell us psychos today?"
"Hyram, will you please stop referring to you and the others as psychos?"
Hyram started to spin himself around on the chair. "Aw, come on. You know it;s true." Nurse Annett gave up fighting with him; she knew she couldn't win. She decided to tell them what she came to tell.
"You all are going to the art room. So come on." she said as they all came over and led them to the art room.
"Hey Benji?" Pietro asked as they walked. Benji turned his head toward him. "What do we do there?"
"Depending on what you do in your art, they determine how you feel. They also say to express yourself." Pietro nodded.
"Hey, where's Ralf?"
"Packing; he's leaving today."
"How long have you been here?"
"Like, six months."
"And the others?"
"Ralf's been here a short time, something like two months. Lyle's been here before me and so has Hyram. Konnor came around the same tie as me." Benji finished as they entered the art room. "You been here bout a few weeks now right?"
"Was it really that long? I'm sure it's been shorter."
"Well, dun matter. We all loose track of time here."
Inside stood tables and chairs and various art supplies on shelves. The windows were barred like the others and there was a closet as well.
Pietro and Benji sat at one table while Lyle and Konnor sat at another. Hyram sat alone and he was quite happy with that.
Nurses handed out canvases and paint along with brushed, water, and paper towels.
"You paint whatever you'd like. So, begin."
Pietro took some black paint first and just aimlessly swirled it around. He started thinking about the night he had tried to kill himself.
He moved the pills on the floor all around. He drank some of the alcohol he had. His mind then skipped backward to a time with the Brotherhood.
"Stupid! Idiot!" Wanda yelled at him after smacking him on the face.
"Can't believe we have to live with him." Lance muttered.
"Why don't you just leave?" Fred said.
"Why don't you just die, yo?" Todd added.
Pietro turned his back and went outside. He walked as it started to rain. It was so cold but he didn't care.
"Hey, that's interesting." Benji said. Pietro shook his head.
"Huh?"
"Your painting." Pietro looked at the painting in front of him. There was now a mix of black, blue, and red swirled around like an internal abyss.
"Pietro? Are you ok?" he looked over to see Nurse Annett standing there. She looked at the painting then back at Pietro who nodded before she walked away.
Pietro went back to painting and thinking again. It was after the last flashback that he thought about.
He stood in front of a store in the pouring rain. He walked in and looked around. The Brotherhood had no medicine and anyone hardly ever bought such things.
It was a general store and at the moment he was looking at a bottle of Tylenol. He looked at the person at the counter who wasn't paying attention then looked around to see no one there. Pietro slipped the bottle into his pants pocket and casually walked out of the store without anyone knowing.
"Ok. It's time to go." Nurse Annett announced. She got everyone to clean up their stuff and leave the room. As Pietro walked out, he saw Ralf leaving with his stuff.
'So he really is getting out.' Pietro thought.
Hyram put and arm over Pietro's shoulder. "Hey, don't look so down! What's so great about the outside world? You got us!" Hyram laughed then walked away.
"Pietro, Professor Xavier is here." Nurse Annett told him. "Please come." she said as she held out her hand and Pietro took it.
The nurse led Pietro to a therapy room which had a soft chair and a homely setting. The Professor and Beast were there as well. Nurse Annett left and Pietro stood near the door.
"Please have a seat." Pietro hesitated before cautously walking over and taking a seat. "So, how have you been?" Pietro just shrugged and tried to avoid eye contact. Pietro had noticed Hank was holding a notebook an a pen.
Xavier decided to get to the point. "We are prescribing an anti-depressant for you. And I want to talk about your flashbacks. Where would you like to start?"
"I don't want to."
"It's the only way you'll get better." Xavier could feel Pietro withdrawing. He rubbed his temples. "How has it been here?"
"I made some friends..." he answered quietly.
"Good. Good. They are nice?" Pietro nodded. He also pulled his hands into his sleeves. Xavier noted this. Hank had scribbled some things down. From this conversation, Pietro didn't withdraw more.
"There's a therapy dog who comes."
"That's nice. The dog is kind?" Pietro nodded. "Pietro, can I see your arms?" He shook his head. "Why not?" Pietro shrugged. "Were you ever beaten?" Pietro looked down and Xavier felt Pietro withdrawing again. "It's cold out. I hear it's going to snow tonight."
"That would be cool."
The conversation went on for an hour and they hadn't progressed very far. Pietro went back to the others and the other two mutants left.
The inmates had dinner then returned to their rooms. Benji and Pietro sat on their beds. Benji was reading a book while Pietro just stared at the ceiling.
A nurse walked into the room carrying a tray with cups on it. "Med time guys." She handed Benji two cups which he swallowed the contents of then opened his mouth to show he had swallowed the medicine.
The nurse walked over to Pietro and handed him two cups. He looked into them to see pills in one and water in the other. "Come now. Take them." The nurse said. Pietro dumped the pills into his mouth then drank the water. "Open." Pietro opened his mouth like Benji. The nurse took back the cups and left.
"If your wondering, one of those pills makes you sleep."
"Then the others must be anti-depressants."
"Yeah, whatever med they prescribe to you."
It was only a few minutes later when Pietro began to feel tired and laid down on his bed. He closed his eyes from drowsiness and soon drifted off into sleep.
Pietro was a little kid in his dream. He was scribbling something on a piece of paper in front of him on the floor. Magneto slammed open the door.
"What are you doing?" Magneto yelled. He saw the pieces of paper and knew he was planning to try and free Wanda. He took the papers and ripped them up before turning to his son.
First he hit him across the boy's face then conjured up some metal around and flung it at Pietro. It scratched his arms and legs and one slash on his stomach. His dad left and slammed the door behind him. The door sounded like a scream and when Pietro woke up he realized that that scream was coming from the hallway.
He listened to hear crying as well and people talking, yelling and running around. Pietro looked over to Benji who was also awake. They looked at each other before walking to the door and cracking it open and peaking out.
An assistant yelled at them. "Stay in your room!" they quickly closed the door.
"What the hell is going on?"
"I dunno!" they kept quiet to listen. "That sounds like Konnor!" Benji yelled.
Pietro opened the door and ran out. "Pietro! Where are you going?" Benji yelled after him. Pietro was too fast for the staff to catch him. Konnor was near the door to his room. He shared a room with Lyle. Pietro looked in.
His eyes widened. Lyle had hung himself.