Thread: Delirium Dreams. (Runawayninja & Split_infinity)

Daniel was feeling weary already, the weight of lack of sleep was catching up on him. He could feel the tiredness creeping ever closer. Only the cool air blowing in through the car window was keeping him awake on this cold Autumn morning. The police officers had said little to him the entire journey. But they had been nice enough to not handcuff him and they had put the window down a little when he asked. He was grateful for that but not grateful for where he was being taken. They seemed to think they were taking him to get some kind of help. His protests had resulted in some nurse dosing him with something that both made him feel tranquil and almost light headed. Things seemed more muffled and heavy. There was a warm comfortable feeling of false contentment but it was tempered by the unease of being far from anything familiar. Beyond the window the Autumn sky was painted in a drab mix of greys. The bright of the early morning sun was muted and pale as if struggling to breath against the oppressive curtain of cloud that dominated the sky. The clouds hanginig heavy and thick steeped with the promise of later rain. The trees that lined the road leaned in heavily reaching out with their branches as if to stop further encroachment within. Dappled hues of reds and oranges blured past as the road wound its way steadily up a hill and curved calmly in on itself. Skeletal trees having shed their leaves across the road. A distinct smell of leaf rot tinged the still air. Nestled within the seclusion could be seen the emerging outline of a building that sat squat amongst the trees like an unwelcome guest. The trees around it hunched over as if burdened by a terrible weight. Not a single bird moved or sang against the silence of the area. Even the leaves did not seem to stir as if the vicinity were blanketed by a hushed stillness. That only his arrival was daring to disturb. At the crest of the hill a weather worn sign came into view. Its faded and washed out letters stating simply, 'Haverham Psychiatric Unit.' Some of the lettering seemed newer in places. The faded remnants of the word 'Asylum' was still visible with a cursory glance. The road straightened and the Asylum came into full unobscured view, the road turning into a gravel driveway lined by neatly tended and ordered hedge rows. The Asylum looked much like a modest sized three storey Victorian manor that had somehow been sheltered from the passage of time. It's walls were a washed out stone grey, with slight dashes of faded white to break up the brick work. The roofs were sharply angular in design and had an almost church like quality in places, especially the steeple like protrusion that formed up over the main entrance. Only the bay windows framed in white contrasted the somewhat sombre appearance of the building. Even the windows seemed gloomy, sullied by thick metal bars that crossed over them. Even still the ornate architecture spoke of former wealth and grand designs. He could almost imagine lavish parties being held and the sound of the piano playing while crystal glasses clinked together and important people danced and gossiped. High imposing walls ran around the edge of the grounds, forming a barrier against the world beyond. Making it difficult to tell if the walls were designed to keep patients in or the rest of civilization out. Barring the entrance was a complex in design wrought iron gate topped with a mean looking row of artitic spikes. Two weather scoured stone lions sat either side in a regal pose watching over the entrance like quiet guardians. The Police car pulled up to the front entrance but Daniel was struggling to concentrate. Things were slipping away as they usually did. There were exchanges of voices and he could feel himself being moved and seated. Daniel felt it polite to say goodbye to the officers but his voice sounded weak. Then he was being wheeled somewhere. His gaze fell at random on various statues, for some reason birds and lions seemed to be a reoccurring motif. It was strange, a mad cacophony of old and new colliding. The regal past mingling tastefully with the modern. If he had not read the sign he could easily mistake the place for being some sort of retreat, a hotel secluded from the hassles of the world beyond. Only the bars across the windows shattered that illusion, as did the sight of orderlies. Some one was talking to him but his voice just seemed to noise that got lost as he looked up at the swirls of plasterboard moulded in the ceiling. He did not want to go to bed but they seemed to think it best he sleep. Daniel just sighed and closed his eyes against his surroundings. The darkness greeted him with all the menace it usually did. It would have him soon enough. His eyes drifted open once more and seemingly his surroundings had jumped. He was in a sparsely furnished room, it kind of looked like a hotel room in a way. There was a warmth of color to the place and pleasant paintings of landscapes adorned the walls. If it wasnt for the bars on the windows he would almost feel at home. The nurse seemed nice enough, the pills tasted bad even after he had washed them down with some water. Then she was gone. Leaving him to stare at a closed door. With the new found comfort of the bed The tired feeling was worsening. Something desperate and terrified wanted to fight to stay awake. But the cocktail of drugs and the days of vigilance took their toll and soon he was asleep. A new resident of the Psychiatric unit. He would not stir until disturbed. Daniel was somewhat of an unknown to the Institution. The sparse nature of his file revealed him to be a twenty six year old of Caucasian descent. He was somewhat malnourished in appearance, thin with unkempt brown hair that had been left to grow into a wild tangle. Reading of the police reports was definitely revealing a marked impairment. A danger to others and perhaps himself. Either way going round spray painting symbols on buildings, smashing windows and removing car wing mirrors was not acceptable behaviour. But more concerning were the stalking charges, the extensive taking of photos and attempts to paint people. It would not be too unrealistic to assume the focus of his attentions had played into his persecutory delusions. It was curious that he would end up in Haverham. Considering his transient background and lack of next of kin. But the police had been expressly told to bring him to the institution. An unknown benefactor willing to cover the cost of his stay.