Drugs R Us

Four years. That’s how long they tell me it’s been. Four freaking years. You think it’d be easier as time moves on. Well, it was. For a while. For a while, I got used to it, used to the fact that I’d be living alone. But then they threw me in here. And things went spiralling out of control.

You see, I used to live with my younger brother and sister, and my mother. My father had up and left when the twins were two. I don’t know where he went, but I got a birthday card three weeks late that said he’d got himself a new wife and I was welcome to come visit whenever I wanted. I never did. The man can go burn in hell for what he did to my mother.

But I’m getting side tracked. You don’t want to know about my father and all the shit he put us through. Not when my current situation is far more interesting.

I’m in this place called SITY. It stands for Sanchez’s Institute for Troubled Youth. Because that’s what we are in here. Troubled. Hell, my best friend is an alcoholic and the girl down the hall is anorexic. Me? I’m addicted to drugs. Anything really. I prefer the medical shit, but party drugs are good too.

My mum was a nurse. I stole her keys and broke into the hospital storage cupboard. Well, I didn’t exactly break anything as such. But still, they found out and I was kicked out of home. I didn’t really care at that point; I still had that key and had enough painkillers to keep me going for a long time. But I was caught again. In the hospital, one of the security guards recognized me.

And that’s how I ended up in here. Judge didn’t want to send me to juvvie, not when they thought I was emotionally unstable and could still be fixed. Yeah, fat chance. I’m more likely to graduate high school. But whatever. I’m here now and I’m going to make the most of it. I’m sure they have a stash of tranquillisers somewhere…

I dropped my pen onto my desk and let out a sigh. This was getting me nowhere. If Sanchez gets a hold of this, she’ll lock me up and throw away the key. Either that or make sure I’m watched at every moment so I can’t do anything shifty. But what else do the expect me do to? Play cards?

“Jayden? Are you finished?”

I looked up at my therapist. She needs to re-dye her hair. The greys starting to show through. And, for the love of god, could she not tone down the colour of those shirts she wears? I’m not one of the suicides, and besides, I don’t think overly bright shirts will make anyone feel better.

I shrug, picking up my sheet of paper and waving it. “I guess. Is it time to go?”

She purses her lips and stalks over, watching me like a hawk. What am I going to do? Kill myself with my pen? Or her. Maybe that’s what she’s so worried about. I wouldn’t be the first to try and mutilate a therapist.

I really do hope they get paid enough. And have life insurance. They might need that.

“You’ve still got five minutes.” She said, taking my piece of paper and holding it like it might suddenly burst into flames. I kind of wanted it to. It’d add some excitement to this drab place. It’d also repay Derek for bailing me out of gym the other day.

The kid likes fire.

“Can I leave early? Olli told me there’s a newbie coming today.” I asked, scraping my chair back along the floor.

She scowled at me, before quickly skimming over my work. “If you must, Mr. Pierce.” She turned away from me and headed for the front of the room. “But if I find out that you’ve been causing trouble, we’re going to have a problem.”

I hid a smile as I pushed my chair back in. “Would I ever cause any trouble?”

Lithium was waiting for me down the hall. She had peroxide blonde hair; two lip rings, and a killer tattoo snaking down her arm. She was also the first person I met when I was admitted to SITY, coming extremely close to knocking my head off when I ran into her.

“Hey punk.” She greeted, pushing herself away from the wall. She wore a skirt that my mother would’ve died if she saw me in it. Actually, she would’ve died if she saw me in a skirt full stop. But that’s not the point. The point is, Lithium was wearing a very, very short skirt. “You’re out early.”

I grinned. “My shrink isn’t the brightest. She said as long as I don’t cause trouble, I could go.”

Lithium laughed; an airy, musical sound. “She really is losing it.” She shook her head. “After that little performance of yours last week, I’m amazed you’re not in solitary yet.”

My little performance. Yes, it’s best if we just forget that ever happened. Let me keep whatever dignity I have left.

“I’m amazed they haven’t taken you out back and shot you yet.”

We both turned at the comment. Walking towards us was Derek, his electric blue hair nearly unbearable to look at under the harsh fluorescent lighting. Without his eccentric hair and vibrant green eyes, he’d look like a normal teenager, wearing jeans and a plain green polo shirt. He comes from a normal family, and the analysts are still trying to work out just where his fascination with fire came from.

I once asked him why he didn’t dye his hair red, because fire’s red and all. He said that a blue flame is hotter. I thought it safest to leave it at that.

“That’d be awfully messy don’t you think?” I asked, grinning.

He shrugged. “We could always set you on fire. The ashes would blow away with the wind.”

I wasn’t sure if he was kidding or not, so decided to drop the subject. “So this new kid, what’s he in for? Drugs? Psychotic tendencies?”

Derek laughed and slung an arm around my shoulder, leading me down the hall, Lithium trailing behind at her own leisurely pace. “That would be you and me you’re referring to there, my young friend. No, our young Jonathan happens to be bulimic.”

I scrunched up my face. “What kind of dude worries about his weight?”

“This kind, apparently. But the amazing headshrinkers of Sanchez’s Institute for Troubled Youth will soon have him sorted out. I mean, look at the remarkable job they’ve done with us.”

“Dear, you’ve been in here for how long now?’ Lithium retorted from behind us.

“Must be five years next month.” He replied with a sly grin.

“And how long were you meant to be in here?”

“Six months.”

“Point proven. Either you’re just a hopeless case, or they just suck.”

I looked up at Derek, who towered over me. “Maybe it’s a bit of both.” I said and Lithium giggled. “But then again, my twelve month stint was over long ago.” I glanced back at Lithium. “And you were also meant to be gone before I even got here. That was three years ago.”

“Kid’s got a point.” Derek said, turning a corner and starting up a flight of stairs. “This place is hopeless. I don’t even know why it’s still around.”

“Because they can’t get rid of it until you stop setting things on fire. Unless you burn it down. They’ll probably just let us all leave then.” Lithium said dryly, taking the stairs two at a time.

“Throw us out, more like it.” Derek threw back, already at the next floor. They were both taller than me, so I had to jog to catch up. Most people here are my height, but somehow I managed to make friends with all the people that aren’t. “But anyway, Olli said that this kid has major insecurity issues, so we can’t be mean or call him names or beat him or anything.”

“Us? Be mean to a timid little kid? Never.” Lithium said with mock disbelief, skipping down the empty corridor. She spun around and smiled. It wasn’t her usual happy smile. This smile seemed to tell me that she knew a lot more about the situation than she was letting on. “But caring for the poor kid, well, that’s another matter entirely.”

CHAPTER TWO: http://www.youngwriterssociety.com/topic36617.html