Hey Twilight'ers! Well, it's been a while, and I'm sorry for that. My team got second in state basketball, woot! and I've been separated from my computer for most of the week. I was too busy performing my cheerlead-y duties… heehee. So, please read and review! Thanks!

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Tell me when these visions started," said Dr. Harrison.

I sighed. "I've had them forever," I said. "But they got stronger as I got older." I told him about everything. Everything from my first visions to the one at the Debutante Ball. Words poured out of my mouth. I said all my feelings, and all my frustrations.

"So, you've talked about your mother a lot," he said after I told my tale. "How's your relationship with her?"

"Hah, relationship is hardly the word to describe it," I said back angrily. I then spent about twenty minutes complaining about my mother. It felt good to get all of this stuff off of my chest.

"Well, thank you for telling me all of this," said Dr. Harrison kindly, "but it is time for dinner."

"Oh, already?" I was surprised about how quickly my time with him went by. "I guess I'll be going then." I stood up, but Dr. Harrison grabbed my arm. He was by my side, which shocked me. Wasn't he just behind his desk? And why were his hands so darn cold and hard? I had a million questions going through my head.

"Let me accompany you," he said. He flashed a smile, and my knees went a little weak. Could a human being be that beautiful?

I felt something for this man. I don't think it was romantic feelings. It was more like an infatuation. I just wanted to look at him, and drink him in. There was something different about him, and I was determined to figure out what.

We left his room in silence, my hand loosely draped over his arm. There was some hustle and bustle in the hall as the rejected and condemned of society shuffle down to the dining hall.

He left me as we entered the hall. I sat down at a small table that was empty. At least, it was until a small girl with frizzy brown hair and cloudy blue eyes sat down. I recognized her as Amanda.

"Hello," I said softly. How exactly are you supposed to communicate to a crazy person that thought she was the 26th president?

"I've heard about you," she said. Her voice was high and crackly. It reminded me of pebbles dropping onto the ground. "You're the talk of the place."

"I am?" I asked. I didn't know that they talked to each other.

She nodded her small head. "You're new, and you were big in Biloxi. We've heard of your father."

"Most people have," I said, sitting back in my chair. Disappointment filled my being as I thought of my father. "I'm Mary Alice Brandon."

She nodded. "And I'm Theodore Roosevelt." I snorted a laugh, but turned it into a cough.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. President," I said. She gave me a curt nod, then walked away. I sighed. Was this really how it was going to be?

I sat in silence for a few minutes. I looked around the hall. There were about fifty other residents, and about five nurses and doctors. Dr. Harrison was sitting with the employees. He caught my eye, smiled, and I looked away, blushing. I didn't want him to see me vulnerable and alone.

From a large, metal door, a few plump ladies with bored expressions and trays of food emerged. They began maneuvering their ways between the tables, distributing plates with an expert flick of the wrist. They got to me, and flicked me a plate of some strange-colored clumps.

"What is this?" I asked with disgust. The women avoided my glance, though, and went on with their business. I sighed and picked up my fork. I poked the small piles, and they jiggled. Yuck.

"Not the most edible thing ever, eh?" said an amused voice. I looked up. Dr. Harrison was sitting across from me.

"How did you get over here?" I asked.

"It's called walking, Alice," he said with a smirk. "Have you ever heard of it?"

Whatever. He clearly wasn't going to let me onto his secret.

"How are you fitting in?" he asked.

"Well, I've met Mr. President," I said, rolling my eyes, "and he seemed very sweet. No one else has attempted to communicate with me, though."

He smiled. "Don't worry. You'll make friends. I can see you're a nice girl." With this, he got up and went back to his table.

I shook my head. This man was going to drive me crazy.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

This free time thing was interesting. For a while, I sat in the corner, simply observing my new peers. Some didn't look too strange, but they would then twitch or shout out a profanity. Others, though, were much farther gone. They sang to themselves in foreign, unknown-to-mankind languages and imitated different animals.

I felt like a wall flower, and that was an odd thing for me. I wasn't exactly an attention getter, but I did like to communicate with people and be a little loud. I saw a phonograph in the corner, and I got a great idea. Ballet was exactly the thing that I needed to clear my mind. I slipped out of the big hall and went to get my ballet outfit and pointe shoes. I'm sure they won't even see that I'm gone, I laughed to myself.

I came down, and nothing looked different, so my absence obviously went unnoticed. By the phonograph was a small box of different music. I shuffled through them until I found some Bach. The soothing sounds relaxed me, and I felt somewhat happy for the first time in what seemed like forever.

Before I knew it, I was spinning and leaping. This was definitely the oddest place I had ever danced. I didn't care, though. Soon, an audience was gathered around me, encouraging my turns and grace.

The song ended, and I stopped as well. The first face I saw was Dr. Harrison. He smirked at me.

"You seem to make quite an impression," he said.

I began to respond, but then I slipped under before I could react at all.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The closet was dark and damp, and Alice did not like being in here.

"Remind me again why I have to talk to you in here," she said exasperatedly.

"Because," said a girl in the shadows, "I'm not supposed to leave the third floor." She stepped forward. Alice was stunned by her beauty. She had wavy, dark brown hair and big chocolate eyes framed by thick black lashes.

"Okay," said Alice.

"Now, listen to me," she said, shaking her finger in Alice's face. "Do you think there's something odd about Dr. Harrison?"

"Actually, I do think that," said Alice.

"Well, there is," said the girl. "He's a—"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

I was pulled out of my vision before I heard what he was. Damnit. The only time I actually wanted to see the outcome of a vision, and I come to before the conclusion!

"Alice? Alice?" I heard the soft and velvet voice of Dr. Harrison pulling me back. "Are you okay?"

I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes. "Yes." I looked at him. His face was full of concern. "How long was I out?"

"Only about thirty seconds," he said, glancing at his watch. He helped me up, and I noticed that there was a crowd of people around me. Dr. Harrison led me to two small chairs in the corner. We sat down, and the eyes were all still on us.

"Well, I think you've made some friends," he said with a laugh, "or at least some admirers."

"Admirers? Yeah, sure," I said with a snort. "They probably all think I'm a freak."

"Well, at least that will mean you fit in," he said. "If it isn't too personal, could I know what your vision was?"

I hesitated. "I don't know if you want to hear it."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"It was about you," I said glumly.

"Me?" he asked. "Then I certainly do want to hear about it."

I shook my head. "Perhaps I'll tell it to you sometime. But for now, I want to wait for it to happen."

Dr. Harrison looked slightly disappointed, but he nodded as if he understood and accepted. He got up and left, and I spent the rest of free time deep in thought.

Finally, a nurse announced that it was time for bed. They ushered us up the stairs like cattle, and I was alone with Amanda again. She didn't speak, though. Apparently, she was content with talking to herself about battles, horses, and shooting things. Great hobbies, Mr. President.

I opened up my drawer and pulled on a simple nightgown. I slipped it on, and crawled into bed. Not surprisingly, the mattress was hard and lumpy, and the pillow was like a block of stone.

The first night at the asylum will never be forgotten. I tried to fall asleep, but the sounds of screams, creaking, and hushed sobs kept me up. Later, I realized that the sobs were mine.

I was going to be strong, I decided. I was going to keep my sanity, and some day I would find a way to prove my innocence, and get out of this hell hole. I had to. I held onto that hope for dear life.

I also held on to the mystery of today's vision. I would wait until I found, or was found by, that girl. Then, I would know what was so different about Dr. Harrison. I smiled to myself. Perhaps I would be okay.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Poor Alice! Cheer the emo kid up by reviewing!

Edward love,

broadwaymbw