by Kristin Lennox I’d been looking forward to this tour for months. Every spring, Brookhaven Psychiatric Hospital opens its doors to the public, for PR purposes. The facility was bright and welcoming on the surface. But a faint sour aroma lingered beneath the lemon-scented air, and the light jazz playing in the sunroom couldn’t quite […]
by Tracy Davidson Which is more psychotic? Doctors in white coats with their hammers and drills, or screaming patients, helpless, in their restraints and straitjackets? Once, I’d have said the patients. Before I came here, to inspect the place. They’re not patients at all. Nor inmates. They’re prisoners. They come in and never go out […]
by Sean Donaghue Johnston It was late. The only sounds were the buzzing of the fluorescent lights, the moaning of drugged patients, and Dr Laroche’s footsteps. A swipe of the keycard and Dr Laroche was in the common room, now empty. Another swipe and he was at the “welcome” desk, unmanned at this hour. A […]
by David Staiger Dr Reynolds shook his head insistently. “Some patients, sadly, must be more fully restrained, for their own safety. This one attempted to eat his tongue the other day. Thus the dental guard.” The reporter and her camerawoman each took a turn peering through the soundproofed safety glass before nodding absently and moving […]
by Pauline Yates Beechwood Psychiatric Hospital’s new nurse has a head full of ideas, like “kindness begets kindness”, that sort of shit. I play along. I stop smacking my head against the wall when she asks me, politely, mind you, to take my pills. Now she lets me eat ice cream with a spoon. I […]
by Carol Ryles “Ta-da!” Lucinda gestured to her newest creation: a tree adorned with taxidermic hummingbirds, cygnets, sparrows, and ducklings. Dorian chuckled, then guzzled his third goblet of merlot. “That takes stuffing the turkey to a whole new level. Is it finished?” Lucinda almost lost herself to his hypnotic gaze. “What the—” He dropped the […]
by Sophie Wagner As he rotted away, cheeks sallow, smile bloody, dreams of sugarplums died. Even magic couldn’t fix him. “Good morning!” piped a sing-song voice from the speakers in the padded room. Santa shot to his feet, camera’s following his every move. “Please!” he screamed. “I can’t take this anymore. Let me go!” […]
by David D. West Santa turned away from the plate of milk and cookies and saw the round rump of a boy digging through his sack of wonders. He frowned as the greedy boy wriggled to and fro, searching for hidden delights meant for others. He set one soot-covered boot against the boy’s ass […]
by Mel Andela A dead mouse sat in sister’s stocking, a toy car on the stairs for mother, and Jamie nestled with visions of destruction rather than sugar plums. He sees you when you’re sleeping… Faint music made Jamie prickle with goosebumps. Be good for goodness sake… There was a creak at the door, […]
by Jameson Grey New Year’s Eve. The day the last of my line dies. I’ve hired a boat for the occasion—a yacht, no less! Sailed out to the Line Islands. Currently sitting one second east of the International Date Line. Waiting. I’ve requested the captain crosses the Date Line at midnight. Time it right, […]