A/N: still working in the combo of original and Rob Zombie's Michael for the earlier chapters..
Chapter 5
Normal POV
Dr. Loomis walked swiftly through the cafeteria, eyes glued to a file in a folder, reading as he walked.
"Come along, Michael. We're running a bit behind today." His patient was usually a creature of habit, always sitting alone at the same table for meal times, so seeing young Michael sitting with another child for once nearly made the doctor drop his papers. "Oh! My apologies! I didn't see you had a friend today."
When dealing with such young patients, he'd made it a point to encourage both social skills and manners - however sick the mind of a young patient may be, helping them to achieve age appropriate development was often a crucial part to their treatment.
It certainly helped put Loomis at ease to see both of his young patients sitting and talking like regular six year olds. "In fact…you may come along if you'd like, Lynn. We could try something new for today."
He lead the children back up to the patient's ward, and without much prompting Michael had gone into his room to fetch one of his paper masks. As soon as the door clicked shut, Loomis knelt to be eye level with the little girl.
"Now Lynn, I'm sure you don't understand much of what's going on yet, but I've just been told you will be staying here for…a long time…but given your age, it is very important for you to learn and make friends here like you would at your regular school.."
The child blinked at him, deadpan.
"I'm rambling, aren't I? What I'm leading into is that I think you can help me with Michael. He seems to like talking to you, and I haven't been able to get him to speak with anyone else here. Would you like to have scheduled time to interact, and maybe share some sessions?"
Lynn POV
"Can I ask Michael first?" I asked, not really understanding, I looked down the hall to avoid looking at the doctor to see my own room just a few doors down. Here I thought my best friend was gone forever when he was just a few doors away now!
"Certainly."
I knocked on the door, before tiptoeing inside. Michael was wearing some paper mask he'd colored.
"I– what's that?"
"My mask! I made it." He said, excited.
"...but Halloween is over." He shrugged. "...can you take it off for now? It's scary." I watched my feet, expecting him to shout or push…but he didn't. Instead, he took the mask off and laid it on his desk.
"Sorry. What did Dr. Loomis want?" He tilted his head.
"He wants us to have 'scheduled time' together?" I wrinkled my nose, not sure what that meant. He shrugged.
"Well. Lots of the stuff I do here has to be scheduled, I usually don't like it. But I like you, so that's okay."
—--
We went on with the talking everyday, though Michael and I only talked to each other, and usually when nobody else was around. Soon, we were allowed to have more freedom, like going out in the courtyard on warmer days and going to the recreation room during free time where they had games, a tv set playing cartoons or some kind of show, and other activities that were "safe".
We were in the recreation room, Michaelwas showing off another paper mask he made. He seemed to do that a lot, but never usually wore them around me.
We were off in the corner when an older justboy yanked it out of his hands, crumpling it up at throwing it across the room. Michael balled his fists and stood up. His eyes were different…darker. Scarier.
Before I could think about it, I jumped up between them.
"Just go away!" I glared up at the bigger boy.
"What? Can't handle it yourself? Gotta send your girlfriend?" He shoved at Michael.
Hit him.
The voice in my head commanded.
Before Michael hurts him. Do it. Hit. Kick. Shove.
I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. I couldn't stop myself. The next thing I knew I was on top of the kid, with a fistful of his shirt still in my hand as a nurse yanked me off of him.
My hands stung and my lip tasted like blood, but the other kid looked like he already had a black eye and his face was swollen. The nurses that saw the fight forced me to go down the hall for for a very long therapy session about how 'not to be violent." I never said a word anyway.
When they finally dismissed me back to my room, there were still a few minutes before quiet hours, Michael snuck in to see me.
"Why did you do that?" he asked, his queit voice sounded so worried, but his face was blank.
"I didn't want you to get in trouble. You're my only friend," I replied. "You helped me before, it was my turn." Michael smiled and I smiled back.
I knew what was behind his stare. I know that Dr. Loomis would want me to tell him. But if Michael won't let him see, there has to be a reason…
–
Normal POV
December 21st 1963
"Michael, are you ever going to take that off?" Edith Myers sighed, shifting her hold on her baby daughter to tug away at the brightly colored mask he'd decided to wear. He sighed, dark eyes roaming blankly over the little girl.
The holidays were always a difficult situation for the residents of Smiths Grove, the patient's whose families never visited, the ones who couldn't be with their families, the ones who didn't have families. The staff tried to keep things festive, hanging a few decorations in the hallways and offering special treats with meals, but it still very much had the 'hospital' feeling.
Dr. Loomis sat across from them, "I do believe we've made some progress…we have not yet been able to talk about the Halloween incident but I am happy to report that socially Michael has made some developments." He clapped his hands together, hoping the good news could restore some holiday cheer to the Myers' family at least.
Edith smiled down at her son. "Really? Have you made any friends in your group?"
"I told you about her before Mom, Lynn went trick or treating with me before…I came here." Michael replied, Dr. Loomis was, impressed, that was the most he'd said to her at one time since being admitted.
"The…Brenson girl." Edith's eyes seemed to frost over into a hundred-yard-stare for a moment before locking on Loomis. "The one from the news…of course." She stood, nearly breathless.
"Now Mrs. Myers if you'd like to…discuss your concerns we can do that…" the doctor followed after her. Michael felt his grip tighten around his plastic fork.
He could hear the whispers of the supervising nurses behind him, but they hushed when he turned around, his dead dark eyes locking with theirs. When his mother returned, Michael decided he wasn't in the mood for talking anymore, opting to sit quietly and glare at his empty tray until the visitation was over.
His hands shook. They burned. He wanted to take that plastic fork and stab her with it. Or the nurses. But that would mean solitary confinement. More therapy. Not seeing Lynn for days.
No. He knew he had to behave to avoid being punished.
When he was brought back to his room, he waited for the nurse on her rounds to turn the corner, running three doors down the hall and opening the door.
There weren't heavy doors and big locks in the children's ward, if he watched the nurses enough, it was easy to sneak away.
The little girl was waiting for him, sitting on the bed, wide eyes watching big fluffy snow flakes tumble down from the sky.
Lynn POV
"It's snowing." I said, "How was your visit?"
I hoped John could visit soon, but his school wasn't letting him leave for break without parents.
"I hope they don't come back." He whispered. His eyes were dark again.
"I like to watch it snow." I said, hoping the dark would go away. I pulled up a chair for him to sit beside me and we sat watching the little, fluffy, white flakes fall from the sky.
The nurse came by, knocking and telling me lights out without opening the door. Michael looked at me, and put his fingers to his mouth in a shush. We sat there quietly, just enjoying. That is another thing we have in common; we like the quiet. We could sit there for hours saying nothing and it would be the best part of the day. I think a few more hours passed by because eventually I started to feel a tired.
I felt Michael move, I thought he was stretching, but then I felt his arm wrap around my shoulders. I smiled and leaned against him. It was cold in my room, but he was so warm.
I must have fell asleep, the next morning I woke up in bed, tucked in with a blanket, but didn't remember getting in bed myself. The chair was still next to my bed, with one of Michael's paper masks on the floor beside it.