STORY! "Small Price"
Small Price
I pushed the card forward, under the glass. The large, sullen-looking receptionist glared at me through thick, black-rimmed glasses. I cleared my throat.
Her eyes narrowed. “Yes?”
Delicately, I shoved the card further forward. “I’m here to, um… check in.”
“Check in?”
“Yes.” I wasn’t quite sure of the proper procedure so I tried simply to smile. She was not in the least bit moved by my pleasant, and I’d been told handsome, demeanor - and I found her impassivity rather off-putting.
“Fine,” she said, drawing out the “I” and sounding somewhat beleaguered. “Sign here please.” She shoved a few papers towards me, along with a ballpoint pen that was slightly chewed at one end. Hesitantly I took it up and stared down at the lines of blank, official language. Just a few quick signatures and I’d… I’d have finally done it. Quickly, not giving myself time to doubt, I scribbled my name down onto all the proper lines. With a shaky smile, I slid the papers back to her and she picked them up, batting the ends against her counter with her fat, sweaty hands. I edged away from the window slightly, hoping she’d give me some sort of instruction. That had been so simple I could scarcely believe it. Free. I finally felt free.
But the receptionist didn’t seem eager to bask with me. In fact, she seemed to have forgotten I was there completely. “Is that… Is that all?” I asked meekly, still cowed by her rather impressive girth, tightly contained in her grimy off-white sweater. “Isn’t there a… a guide of some sort? Perhaps someone to show me the way? Or a nurse to…” Her eyes narrowed further. “Or I could just… go on my own.”
“I’ll call someone. Wait a second, please.”
I only nodded stiffly as she picked up the telephone beside her. She mumbled something into the receiver before slamming it down and going back to the magazine she’d been reading before I had interrupted. For a long moment I waited, hoping for some sort of information. But then she turned the page.
“I… Will I - “
“Just wait,” she told me, cutting off my timid inquiry. “Johnson’ll be with you in a second.” She fidgeted slightly, sinking further down, her body bulging out as its height decreased.
Who Johnson was, I didn’t know - but I was perfectly content to obey her instructions and wait. There wasn’t a chair around, so I stood there, trying to curb my impatience. Admittedly, I was excited; I’d thought about getting away for a long time, and I felt waves of relief to have finally done something about it. I heard the receptionist turn another page of her magazine. Besides the ticking of the clock, that was the only sound I could hear. The exterior of the building had been imposing and cold, and I was unsurprised - if a bit disappointed - to find the interior was no different. The floors were spotlessly clean, but in the yellow gleam of the fluorescent lights they were colored a sickly sort of pale cream. And the walls were a bland, calming blue, papered in some textured robin’s egg. I hadn’t expected a homey atmosphere, of course, but it was certainly far from comforting.
The door down the short hallway to my left opened and a petite, light-skinned brunette came walking through, wearing white scrubs and a wide, vacant smile.
“Hello,” she said cheerily.
“This is…” The receptionist, who seemed a bit irritated at having to do her job, glanced down at the forms I’d signed. “Thomas McCormack. Self-admittance.”
I nodded politely, grabbing my bag from its spot by my feet. The nurse seemed pleasant enough, though her sweet, unfaltering smile made me a feel a bit unsettled. “Right this way, please; I’ll take you to your room.”
We started walking. “My name is Emily Johnson,” she told me. “I’m a nurse here. Obviously.” She laughed brightly and I wondered if she wasn’t a little unsettled herself to be so very chipper. I followed after her a few feet behind, listening absently to her peppy chatter as she led me down a bright corridor. “That’s where you’ll eat,” she said, pointing to a set of closed gray doors. “They have delicious food, really; I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Close to gourmet, I think!”
“Mmm.” I nodded, even though she was in front of me. I had no interest in conversation; I’d come to get away from it, after all.
We walked a little further before coming to another set of doors surrounded by large, glass windows. There were at least twenty people in the room, some standing, some sitting at tables or around a large television. One woman, with short-cropped hair and skin the rich, beautiful color of caramel saw me and smiled enigmatically. I stiffened as she walked past the window, made anxious just by the sight of all those other bodies. And to be acknowledged outright? Other people terrified me and it made my blood run a little cold.
“Recreation room there,” she told me with -yet another- little laugh. “We have television and many games - though some of the sharper pieces have been confiscated. Good behavior will earn you more time there, so make sure and behave!” She laughed again and I made a mental note to cause some sort of mischief soon.
The trip took us down another hallway, past door after door. I didn’t seem dangerous, I supposed, so she was putting me in a non-violent wing. We arrived at room number 349 and abruptly she stopped, pulling out a large ring of keys. “Here we are!” she trilled, unlocking the door. “Welcome to your new home!”
There were no decorations, only a bed, a small desk, and two other doors. She walked in and proceeded to fluff up the lone pillow on the bed. I set my duffle down next to the desk, shuffling past her to the back wall. “There now! Very comfortable.” She smiled at me again, wiping her hands off on the legs of her pants. “I’m sure this will suit you just fine. You’re a self-admittance, right? Should be nice to get the help you need.”
“Oh… oh yes,” I replied, trying not to roll my eyes at her. “I’m sure it will. I’m, uh… very crazy.”
“I’m sure you are,” she replied. I detected no sarcasm in her voice. “Well… I’ll leave you alone then.” I nodding quickly, thanking God she was going. “You’ll get used to things soon enough, I’m sure. Feel free to buzz if you need anything; we’ll schedule your appointments tomorrow to work out your medicinal regime. Until then, Thomas. Goodbye!”
I watched her walk briskly out, shutting the door behind her. I double-checked the small lock on the door the moment she was gone. It was secure and I felt at ease at last.
Looking around my new, spartan dwellings, I let out a long, slow breath. Peace. I sank onto the hard mattress, running a hand along the yellow comforter. The perfect situation. And it had been so easy! No crowds, no co-workers, no more responsibility, no disapproving eyes, no swarm of humanity covering my world like a thick, fleshy plague…
I sighed again, allowing myself a small, complacent smile. I was free - and being considered insane was a very small price to pay.
~~~
This was the second story I wrote for my Fiction Writing class. I think it's okay, but most of the comments I got said that it felt like a small part of a bigger work. Hmm... Continuance, perhaps? Hee.
I pushed the card forward, under the glass. The large, sullen-looking receptionist glared at me through thick, black-rimmed glasses. I cleared my throat.
Her eyes narrowed. “Yes?”
Delicately, I shoved the card further forward. “I’m here to, um… check in.”
“Check in?”
“Yes.” I wasn’t quite sure of the proper procedure so I tried simply to smile. She was not in the least bit moved by my pleasant, and I’d been told handsome, demeanor - and I found her impassivity rather off-putting.
“Fine,” she said, drawing out the “I” and sounding somewhat beleaguered. “Sign here please.” She shoved a few papers towards me, along with a ballpoint pen that was slightly chewed at one end. Hesitantly I took it up and stared down at the lines of blank, official language. Just a few quick signatures and I’d… I’d have finally done it. Quickly, not giving myself time to doubt, I scribbled my name down onto all the proper lines. With a shaky smile, I slid the papers back to her and she picked them up, batting the ends against her counter with her fat, sweaty hands. I edged away from the window slightly, hoping she’d give me some sort of instruction. That had been so simple I could scarcely believe it. Free. I finally felt free.
But the receptionist didn’t seem eager to bask with me. In fact, she seemed to have forgotten I was there completely. “Is that… Is that all?” I asked meekly, still cowed by her rather impressive girth, tightly contained in her grimy off-white sweater. “Isn’t there a… a guide of some sort? Perhaps someone to show me the way? Or a nurse to…” Her eyes narrowed further. “Or I could just… go on my own.”
“I’ll call someone. Wait a second, please.”
I only nodded stiffly as she picked up the telephone beside her. She mumbled something into the receiver before slamming it down and going back to the magazine she’d been reading before I had interrupted. For a long moment I waited, hoping for some sort of information. But then she turned the page.
“I… Will I - “
“Just wait,” she told me, cutting off my timid inquiry. “Johnson’ll be with you in a second.” She fidgeted slightly, sinking further down, her body bulging out as its height decreased.
Who Johnson was, I didn’t know - but I was perfectly content to obey her instructions and wait. There wasn’t a chair around, so I stood there, trying to curb my impatience. Admittedly, I was excited; I’d thought about getting away for a long time, and I felt waves of relief to have finally done something about it. I heard the receptionist turn another page of her magazine. Besides the ticking of the clock, that was the only sound I could hear. The exterior of the building had been imposing and cold, and I was unsurprised - if a bit disappointed - to find the interior was no different. The floors were spotlessly clean, but in the yellow gleam of the fluorescent lights they were colored a sickly sort of pale cream. And the walls were a bland, calming blue, papered in some textured robin’s egg. I hadn’t expected a homey atmosphere, of course, but it was certainly far from comforting.
The door down the short hallway to my left opened and a petite, light-skinned brunette came walking through, wearing white scrubs and a wide, vacant smile.
“Hello,” she said cheerily.
“This is…” The receptionist, who seemed a bit irritated at having to do her job, glanced down at the forms I’d signed. “Thomas McCormack. Self-admittance.”
I nodded politely, grabbing my bag from its spot by my feet. The nurse seemed pleasant enough, though her sweet, unfaltering smile made me a feel a bit unsettled. “Right this way, please; I’ll take you to your room.”
We started walking. “My name is Emily Johnson,” she told me. “I’m a nurse here. Obviously.” She laughed brightly and I wondered if she wasn’t a little unsettled herself to be so very chipper. I followed after her a few feet behind, listening absently to her peppy chatter as she led me down a bright corridor. “That’s where you’ll eat,” she said, pointing to a set of closed gray doors. “They have delicious food, really; I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Close to gourmet, I think!”
“Mmm.” I nodded, even though she was in front of me. I had no interest in conversation; I’d come to get away from it, after all.
We walked a little further before coming to another set of doors surrounded by large, glass windows. There were at least twenty people in the room, some standing, some sitting at tables or around a large television. One woman, with short-cropped hair and skin the rich, beautiful color of caramel saw me and smiled enigmatically. I stiffened as she walked past the window, made anxious just by the sight of all those other bodies. And to be acknowledged outright? Other people terrified me and it made my blood run a little cold.
“Recreation room there,” she told me with -yet another- little laugh. “We have television and many games - though some of the sharper pieces have been confiscated. Good behavior will earn you more time there, so make sure and behave!” She laughed again and I made a mental note to cause some sort of mischief soon.
The trip took us down another hallway, past door after door. I didn’t seem dangerous, I supposed, so she was putting me in a non-violent wing. We arrived at room number 349 and abruptly she stopped, pulling out a large ring of keys. “Here we are!” she trilled, unlocking the door. “Welcome to your new home!”
There were no decorations, only a bed, a small desk, and two other doors. She walked in and proceeded to fluff up the lone pillow on the bed. I set my duffle down next to the desk, shuffling past her to the back wall. “There now! Very comfortable.” She smiled at me again, wiping her hands off on the legs of her pants. “I’m sure this will suit you just fine. You’re a self-admittance, right? Should be nice to get the help you need.”
“Oh… oh yes,” I replied, trying not to roll my eyes at her. “I’m sure it will. I’m, uh… very crazy.”
“I’m sure you are,” she replied. I detected no sarcasm in her voice. “Well… I’ll leave you alone then.” I nodding quickly, thanking God she was going. “You’ll get used to things soon enough, I’m sure. Feel free to buzz if you need anything; we’ll schedule your appointments tomorrow to work out your medicinal regime. Until then, Thomas. Goodbye!”
I watched her walk briskly out, shutting the door behind her. I double-checked the small lock on the door the moment she was gone. It was secure and I felt at ease at last.
Looking around my new, spartan dwellings, I let out a long, slow breath. Peace. I sank onto the hard mattress, running a hand along the yellow comforter. The perfect situation. And it had been so easy! No crowds, no co-workers, no more responsibility, no disapproving eyes, no swarm of humanity covering my world like a thick, fleshy plague…
I sighed again, allowing myself a small, complacent smile. I was free - and being considered insane was a very small price to pay.
~~~
This was the second story I wrote for my Fiction Writing class. I think it's okay, but most of the comments I got said that it felt like a small part of a bigger work. Hmm... Continuance, perhaps? Hee.