Whether you're insane or not, Eichen House is a place where people go to die. Lydia didn't want to at first, but now she kinda did. Her life sucked and it was plain to see. She was a broken eighteen-year-old girl who ended up just like her grandmother; completely insane.

She sat by a single window in her room, doing anything to occupy her time. Behind her, thousands upon thousands of letters sat. None of them had been opened, gifts had been discarded without a care in the world. Every day, Lydia had another letter delivered. At this point, she probably got more than Santa Claus. 

Who knew people would be so interested in a teen murderer? At least she was still popular, even if it was for all the wrong reasons.

People cared, they pray for her and keep telling her that everything will be okay if she "lets Jesus Christ into her heart". She tries her hardest to believe life will get better, but nothing happens. Nothing ever happens. Lydia screams out at night for someone to set her free, yet nothing happens.

One of the counsellors knocked on her open door. "Rec time in five minutes, Lydia."

"Grassy-ass, Raymundo." She replied.

As the counsellor left, Lydia glanced at the many photos that were scattered on her desk. Images that reminded her how perfect her life was before. There was a prominent picture that always took her eye. It was a photo from when she was a little girl, so blissfully happy. Little Lydia had no idea how screwed up her life would become. Beside her was her best friend, Jennifer Check. She guessed that the picture was there to remind her of what she did. How could she forget?

A lot of people asked if she was sorry for what she did. The only thing she was sorry for was letting it all happen in the first place; she should have done it sooner.

Lydia exited her small room that could be considered a prison cell. The stench of blood and shit didn't phase her in the slightest as she wandered outside. The other patients fumbled about, having completely lost their minds. Unlike them, she was calm and collected. But that didn't make her an easy target.

Here at Eichen House, they were big on recreation. Some of the staff were positive that they could all change for the better, but Lydia knew they were just in it for the money.

She grabbed a nearby tetherball, immediately punching it. However, the string swiftly broke away, the ball smacking the concrete wall in front of her. She huffed, annoyed for a moment until moving on.

An hour later, everyone gathered in the cafeteria for lunch. Lydia sulked whilst carrying her tray past the noisy cliques nearby. She grabbed one Toastem from the rack, she wasn't hungry for anything else. Eichen House was trying to wear them out, in her opinion. They were trying to suck the life out of them, waiting until they all dropped dead.

Nevertheless, Lydia was different from the rest. They called her a "kicker" and a "screamer" too; it's on her chart. God, they could never stop her from screaming the house down. 

She sat at the window, isolated from everyone else. Though the message got across to everyone else, a nutritionist still approached her. "Just one Toastem, huh?"

Lydia didn't even look at her. "I like Toastems."

"That's good. But I'm not sure a Toastem can provide you with sufficient energy for your day." She didn't need a lecture. She didn't need anyone. "I'd recommend more complex carbohydrates-"

It was then that Lydia kicked the nutritionist away from her, instigating a fight. The rest of the room piped up as she smacked them again, throwing the nutritionist over a table. She landed with a thud, her head colliding with the tiled floor. 

Blood began to pour from her face as Lydia approached her. "I'd recommend that you shut the fuck up!"

She spat at her, full of fury. The insane residents cheered as the orderlies immediately restrained her. Lydia screamed as they dragged her out of the room, taking her to the lower levels. They hauled her to solitary confinement, tossing her into a padded cell. She screamed through her matted, strawberry-blonde locks as they slammed the door.

There was only one window, but it was too high for her to reach. As she slumped on the ground, time began to pass quickly. The limited lighting died down and Lydia was left in the darkness. She rubbed and scratched at the prominent scar on her neck; she never told people how she got it.

She wasn't always this cracked. Once upon a time, Lydia Martin was popular and loved by everyone. She was and still is smart. Even though she hated being there, she missed her high school. If only the killings started after graduation, maybe she wouldn't have cared then.

After the several murders she had to live through, Lydia started to become loose around the edges. It was like she was becoming more unhinged every day. She was coming undone by the seams, the threads of her sanity were unwinding even still.

The speaker turned on, a song playing through it. "Through the trees, I will find you. Heal the ruins left inside you. And the stars will remind you, we'll meet again..."

God, she hated this fucking song.

Lydia put her hands over her ears, lying down in agony. It continued to blare, almost making her bleed inside. That song was the most painful reminder of them all. 

People will ask what happened to Lydia Martin? How did the most popular girl in Beacon Hills end up behind bars with a first-degree murder charge? Well, it all comes down to one stupid decision she made. Because if it wasn't for Lydia Martin, Jennifer Check would still be alive.

***

The next few chapters aren't going to pick up from where the film started as I want to expand on the girls' friendship before we delve into the main storyline. I hope you all don't mind.

- Alice ❤