Rose Gwendolyn's Story

Rose stumbled into the hallway clutching her thin jacket. She had just spoken to the doctors about warming up the patients rooms, and she couldn't help but agree. This stupid hospital was freezing. Yet when she worked up the courage to speak to them, they just laughed and sent her off to do her 'nursie duties' as they put it. She sighed and turned down another hallway only stopping when she saw two patients conversing with each other.

"..well I have seen people from the other side.. not sure if they're the same though. What do they look like? if they are you should- eh..- watch yourself. they can hurt you you know, they DO stuff."
the thought of The Others coming at this girl made her close to physically sick. even more when she thought about how they could possibly be listening at the moment.. hidden behind doors..
but were they real?
she didnt know anymore.
yet, in a way, she supposed it was comforting to talk about (possible) hallucinations with someone who wasnt a doctor or a nurse.. sure the nurses had their perks but there was always this feeling of "you are sick". something which irritated her to the point of no return.

speaking of nurses, from the corner of her eye she saw one marching down the hallway.. then stop for a moment and watch them converse.
(she is just making sure everything is alright...)
..is she?

It was a strange thing for Rose, it seemed everywhere she turned another patient waiting. Back home she never saw this many people. She shrugged, and without think if these patients could be one of the (as the Doctors put it) crazies. After a few steps she found herself face to face with one of them. 'Um...hello. I'm a new nurse here. Are you two doing alright?'

"My friends would never hurt me!" She said with vigor but smiled at the Cortlan, she could see them!
'Um...hello. I'm a new nurse here. Are you two doing alright?' she jumped as a nurse suddenly spoke beside them, than smiled. So many people were talking to her today, it was nice seeing as she probably wouldn't see her friends again for a long time, and even if she was crazy she still missed human contact.
"Nice to meet you! My names Cleo! And I am doing great, what about you?" She smiled happily at the nurse, it was nice that they weren't being mean to her. They through she didnt her them, the nurse whispering and gossiping about the patients, but for once they were being nice.

'Oh. I'm doing great, thank you.'. She couldn't help but smile at the girls happy go lucky attitude. It was people like this that made Rose love her job. 'I'm Rose by the way. Rose Gwendolyn. But you can call me Rosie if you want.' It was obvious these two were young, and Rose couldn't help but feel sorry I for them. No one should have to grow up like this.

during the whole conversation, Cortlan had kept a bit quiet. Sure the nurse seemed kind but with the voices in her head growing louder, and the panic rising she'd rather watch the cat out of the tree, so to say.

The nurse did earn kindness points for just randomly asking how they were. there werent many who did.

"..but you can call me Rosie if you want."

"thanks, Rosie. I'm Cortlan and this is Cleo. we just met.. she sees the people too. although they're different than mine. hers are friends.,,

'Well, it's nice to meet you two!' Rose smiled warmly. Most patients she meet had either not spoken at all, or reacted crazily to her. 'You two have really pretty names.' While speaking Rose couldn't help but wonder how long these two have been here. She shifted, pulling her jacket closer around her. The girl, Cortlan she said, had spoken about seeing people. Was that why they where here?

Cortlan smiled a bit, while keeping an eye on her. "thanks, its really nice to meer you too. I dont know many nurses yet. Got placed here yesterday from another hospital.. they send me away.,, (a voice in her head told her she was on THEIR side, but Cortlan knew she wasnt. she gave them her name. and the bad people didnt have names..)
but on the other hand, meeting two kind people in one day SEEMED unlikely. two potential friends.. was that true? was that realistic?

and suddenly the hospital felt small, and she felt trapped. voices out of the walls, kind people who may or may not be good, and some who SURELY were no good.
(they're coming to get you..)
"no they dont. die in a hole.,,
only a second after she said that her eyes flew at the others.
"not to one of you! I'm sorry I didnt mean you two.,,

Rose blinked, more confused then hurt by her statement. 'Is...' For a moment she pondered if it would be justified for her to ask. But then again, she was a nurse and it is Rose's job to help everyone she can. 'Are you okay Cortlan? Do you need anything?' She approached the girl delicately, not wanting to do anything to offend her.

as she watched Rose blink she knew the damage was already done. thinking up some curses to one of the voices in her head which arent for children's ears, Rosie approached her gently. shoes ticking slightly on the tile floor with every step she took and it sounded like a clock of some sort, ticking away to midnight.
but what would happen on midnight?
"are you okay Cortlan? do you need anything?,,
(poison... it's poison..)
"no. sorry. I'm so sorry. it's just.. it gets loud up there. sometimes..,,
she tried smirking it off as a voice whispered in her ear. (murder..)
"and sometimes a tad more active than other times. But the doctors said the pills would work.,,
(pills you shouldnt take anymore- they cause nothing but damage.. what if they poisoned you..? they probably would, you dont know about the medicine anyways..)
"but you might know. the nurses station is right by the doctor's offices and they dont always close their doors well..,, she added cryptic

as she watched Rose blink she knew the damage was already done. thinking up some curses to one of the voices in her head which arent for children's ears, Rosie approached her gently. shoes ticking slightly on the tile floor with every step she took and it sounded like a clock of some sort, ticking away to midnight.
but what would happen on midnight?
"are you okay Cortlan? do you need anything?,,
(poison... it's poison..)
"no. sorry. I'm so sorry. it's just.. it gets loud up there. sometimes..,,
she tried smirking it off as a voice whispered in her ear. (murder..)
"and sometimes a tad more active than other times. But the doctors said the pills would work.,,
(pills you shouldnt take anymore- they cause nothing but damage.. what if they poisoned you..? they probably would, you dont know about the medicine anyways..)
"but you might know. the nurses station is right by the doctor's offices and they dont always close their doors well..,, she added cryptic

'oh. Well, do you need your medicine?' She took a step back ready to leave at a moments notice. Sometimes she wondered how this kind of medicine worked. It seems to calm patients down, but left a dull vacantness that Rose never like. It just made the poor souls look tired and out of it all the time. To Rose, that wasn't what the Doctors should do. If anything, the medicine should help them yet not change them completely. Of only Rose was brave enough to tell them that.

(no.. nonono.. dont do it, Cortlan. it's poison..)
but maybe it would be good this time. Rosie was there and she wasnt one of The Others.
"..maybe..,,
(do you want to get killed?! do you want them to get you?!)
and for a moment the whole hospital didnt seem to excist anymore. it was just the three of them- well six if you counted in the people with only voices..
"yes. I think I need them.,,

these words. they felt like she had damned herself.

Rose smiled, happy that Cortlan wanted to be better. 'You know...if you are uncomfortable with me getting the medicine you could come with me to get it.' Samuel, her friend never liked Doctors to get medicine without him watching. To be honest, Rose could understand why. She wouldn't put it past the doctors to put some sleeping pill mixed with the medicine. Less to put up with she supposed. Just the thought of it made her sick. Doctors don't-well shouldn't- do that.

She watched as Cortlan exchanged words to Rosie about her medicine, she looked conflicted and confused. She hated it when people took the medicine the doctors have them, they always seemed to fade away and were just dolls, she never took her medicine because every time she did if felt wrong, there was something wrong with the medicine... Something really wrong.
"You shouldn't take you medicine..." She whispered out as rosie turned to leave, "There is something wrong with it... It makes people fade away slowly until they are nothing but living dolls..." She stared into Cortlan's eyes and could literally hear the voices in her own head. She was right, Cortlan's friends weren't the same as hers, they weren't nice like hers were... And they never left unless she took the medicine.
"Hay Cortlan, let's go to the garden and I will tell you a story, the medicine will turn you into a doll but if you like I can take you to a world where everything is better!" Cleo smiled, she had always been good at telling stories, as she basically discribed what was happening in her mind out loud, she didnt want Cortlan to become a doll but she didnt want her to be stuck with her mean friends.

'W-what do you mean?' She blinked in confusion. 'I agree that the medicine has some strange side effect that I don't like....' She wondered what these girls thought of the medicines effects. 'But it does help.'

"it does against one thing, but it causes.. things. people change.,,
she shook her head for a moment as Rosie blinked in confusion. "Cleo is right, in a way. it steals you away.,,
(its poison and they try to poison us..)
"Hay Cortlan, let's go to the garden and I will tell you a story, the medicine will turn you into a doll but if you like I can take you to a world where everything is better!"

a world where everything is better.. that sounded nice. at that moment the windows turned a bit brighter and the rain had finally stopped. nature had great timing.
(but the weather only sleeps and it will get you if you go outside)
"I think I change my mind. Rosie, do you want to go with? we can't go out with just the two of us and well..,,
Cleo's smile worked like the sun, suddenly lighting up the conversation and breaking through like the weather outside.

It couldn't hurt to leave with them, right? That way, she could keep an eye on them while getting to know them. Besides, helping and making patients feel comfortable was her job, so this was allowed. 'Sounds fun' She smiled widely, happy to have a normal (sort of) day. Well, if you call a garden in a hospital normal.

"Yay! Come on Cortlan, Rosie! Let's go, the world is so pretty today, fresh rain droplet on the plants makes everything sparkle in the light!" Grabbing the two other girls hands she began to skip down the corridor towards a patio, where a few other patients sat around staring into space. Grabbing a seat that gave the group a clear view of the lawn, Cleo smiled as she began to hallucinate.

"Nature sure has a way of being an escape, the way the trees move in the wind to creat the sweetest music and how flowers can add colour to an otherwise dull world. I can almost see it, the place hidden just beyond our reach, hidden away behind the trees. There are many beautiful creatures that live there, mermaids swimming through the water and centaurs playing their magical flutes for the king and queen. Oh yes the king and queen, so brilliant and kind they are, they look at everything and only see the good. They walk among the subject and bestow gifts to those who have done them great service, no one there is unhappy, they live in a world of peace and love. These are my friends Cortlan. This is why I don't take my medicine, because the world I can see threw my eyes is so perfect and is my sanctuary. You can come visit it with me someday, those mean friends of your want ever be able to hurt you, so please don't become a doll and live happily with me, let us be friends."

Cleo flashed Cortlan a happy smile again, and reached out her hand, hoping the girl would take it.

as she concentrated intensly at what Cleo told her (ignoring the flashes and whispers), her shoulders went down a bit. this girl had a way of talking that got you captivated untill the very last sentence. It worked relaxing to listen to how she described her own world, a world so much more beautiful than what THIS world really was.. or hers. The dark shadows, people whispering her name around corners while nobody was there, The Others who visited her, dangerous as always..

Sure, she didnt want to become a doll, but how far would the alternative go? today was one of the better days but would Cleo still want to be with her when she would get bad again? would it be like the last hospital, where drugs were the actual padded rooms? and what if The Others came to take Cleo?

well at least she would offer some distraction, and, if she was brutally honest, she started to carefully consider her a friend already.
Cortlan took Cleo's hand tightly.