After a long night of snoozing in the car (Mike snores loudly, so I could barely shut my eyes), we were back on the road again. Mike allowed me to drive, so I accepted the offer. Meggy was decided to join me up front. Now, we're about an hour away from town, right where my adventure started.
Me: Well, we're almost there.
Mike: You said that an hour ago.
Me: We'll be there in about an hour. Promise. I just forgot how long it took me to leave. It's been two months, after all.
Serina: I'm not going to be alright.
Me: Pardon?
Serina: I just feel... I don't know. Empty?
Me: How long has it been since you last left it all out?
Serina: Like, punched something?
Me: Yeah. How long's it been?
Serina: Shit. I can't really remember last time.
Me: I only managed to last 13 years without losing it. I bet you held it in longer than I did. Maybe that's why you feel like shit. You've gone through so much, and had no way to let it go.
Serina: I guess... that makes sense. I haven't been able to let it out in so long. I've just held it back.
Me: It's not healthy to hold it in. Letting go of it, whether nonviolently or by punching a wall, is the better way to handle it.
Serina: I really want to let it go. But I can't.
Me: You can try once we get there.
Mike: Yeah. What's the worst that could happen?
Me: Umm... plenty. Just because it's a small town does NOT mean that everyone was nonviolent. I can still remember the cars.
Meggy: Are you alright?
Me: It was about four years ago near the old gas station. There was a dispute between two bitter rivals. It didn't end well for either of them. One went to prison, the other went home with a bullet in the chest.
Mike: And how do you know this?
Me: It was all over the news. "Street Gang Member Shoots Unarmed Man. Sentenced to 15 Years Behind Bars." The Guy was fine after a few days in the hospital.
Mike: Damn. You were 14 by then. I thought you lost yourself at 13.
Me: Yeah. The Asylum actually had television and reception, so we could keep in touch with the outside world.
Meggy: What's The Asylum really called?
Me: I think it's Branford and Barry Rehabilitation's Center for Troubled Youth.
Mike: That's a long name.
Me: Yep. I just called it B and B Rehab Center. Or The Asylum. It felt like that for most people.
Meggy: Soo... it wasn't an asylum?
Me: I make it sound like that. It actually wasn't that bad. Good food, nice people and staff, and even a gaming room.
Mike: That sounds nice. It doesn't seem like a bad place to be.
Me: It's really not. It was just... uncomfortable for a little bit.
Serina: Can we stop somewhere? I'm starving.
Mike: Yeah. We need to eat sometime.
Me: Alright.
I grabbed the radio and scanned through the channels for Marie's.
Me: Hey, Marie?
Marie: Go ahead, Orange.
YOU ARE READING
Once Human
AdventureEver since The Incidents he had in his past, Orange has been ashamed of his past. His mother's only request is for him to move to Inkopolis from his small town, and he accepts it, albeit reluctantly. What will happen to him when he arrives? It's any...
