Asylum

In which we learn the fate and legend surrounding a young man named Mark and his small group of friends.

It had always been overlooking the hills like a dark watch tower for years. Mark didn’t always know what it was, but it still left an empty feeling deep inside whenever they drove by. When he was five he asked his mother what it was. A church, she said, and he believed her. It looked like a church, especially with its bell tower and stained glass windows.

Then he started having the dreams. He was at the church, alone or with his mother, he couldn’t remember. The room was large, and filled with a strange yellow light. It was empty. He knew something was wrong. He turned quickly to make for the door and screamed. There was a monster in front of him. It wasn’t a monster, it was a man. His back was hunched, his face was red and scarred. He had no hair other than a few greasy strands. He grinned. His mouth was nearly toothless, save a few yellow stubs. Mark always woke up here. "I don’t wanna go to that church Mommy, ever." He’d say after he caught his breath.

Mark drove his car up the hill. It sputtered and clanked, searching for the power to make it up.

"It’s right up here," Mark said to Jem (his girlfriend) and Hutch (her best friend). Mark obviously liked Jem, but he felt a strange attraction towards Hutch that surprised him. Hutch was different. Maybe that is why Mark liked her as much as he did.

Mark was a normal kid (or young man, he was a senior in high school). He liked his friends few and reliable. If one wanted to find him, they would only need to look at one of his friends houses. That is where Mark spent most of his time. During this time, Mark and his friends produced a small community television show with its subject matter largely mimicking that of "The Muppet Show". They were goofy kids.

In an analysis of the company that Mark kept there is a common trait amongst all of his friends; none of them are normal. Now, at this point we know only two of his friends, and one (Jem), has very little significance to this story. However, the abnormality of Mark’s friends can be seen through Hutch. She was an avid mountain biker. This only makes her abnormal because she also spent her free time painting. She loved music, and her book bag proved it, it was covered in pins from ska bands and such.

The car continued up the narrow, hilly road. He looked through the mirror and saw the buildings behind them. He looked around and noticed that they were surrounded by oak trees. It was like an island of trees in an ocean of cement, Mark thought.

They arrived at a fork in the road. The left fork led down a road that was maintained fairly well. This road led to the new UMASS hospitals. The right road led down an un-cared for road covered by a tunnel of trees, whose late September leaves blocked out the sun. This road was of no concern to Mark anyway, so he took the left fork.

They drove silently down the road, which passed nothing but trees until they got to a large building. It was modern, made completely of gray cement and glass. It was the UMASS Memorial Mental Hospital.