I must have dozed off because I was being rudely awakened by nurse Lee. He was new, so he tried to make a difference in our lives still, he tried really hard to make sure everyone was clean and bathe before he left, he worked seven days a week. I'm not sure how long he will last, I hope it will be for a while, my fellow inmates need his care. I just hope for his sake, his soul doesn't get burned or lost to this place.

 As we walked to the eating area, I started getting more and more pissed off at how many people have lost their lives and souls to this place. Lee must feel me tense because he squeezes ever so slightly. I steal a glance, I'm sure someone out there thinks he's attractive the ring on his finger proves me right.

He lets me choose where to sit in the dining room, most of us do not get that privilege. Then again most of them are just savages; mindless empty shells of the people they once were. I sit by myself towards the front of the room near the door, I like to rush out of here. It is not a pretty sight watching all these people eat.

I think today's breakfast is supposed to be pancakes, eggs, and oatmeal but the eggs aren't really cooked all the way so it's really disgusting and runny, and the pancake is soggy. Thankfully, the oatmeal is instant, so they can't really mess it up. I eat my oatmeal quickly, not bothering with the rest.

 I like to get to the Pit before everyone else does. I do not really like large groups; which is why I am almost always at the Pit during the day as part of my treatment and all.  Wondering what "group" is going to be about, it's not really a group session though.

None of the patients say anything, so all the Dr. does is talk and lecture. Sometimes he shares about himself and rambles at times. I think he just likes to hear himself talk, or needs someone to talk to.

Every once in a while he will pick one person and ask them hundreds of questions. Since we have nothing else to do here, he can make the session be as long as he wants most of the time it's two hours, but he has gone up to four hours. I'm trying to please the Dr. so I make sure I am early for every group.

I sit in the chair that's not quite in the middle but not close to the end either, I don't want to be sitting next to Dr. Hayes. There are only twelve chairs or so.

After about half an hour or so people start being brought in, the chairs start to fill up rather quickly. Stinky Stan and Biter Mia sit next to me, just fucking great; Stan smells like five-month-old garbage mixed with a sweaty old gym sock.

He doesn't bathe, even when given the chance, he is afraid of water to an extreme point. Stan is a really big guy too like I barely reach his shoulders tall. He has brownish hair, or maybe it's just that dirty, he keeps it pulled back into a dreaded ponytail.

Mia the biter doesn't offend really, she just likes to bite people, if that wasn't obvious. Even has her teeth shaped into points, it's rumored she bit her husband's throat out and that's why she is here.

I openly stare at her. Who's going to stop me? No one cares.

She was probably really pretty when she could take good care of herself, you can still see a hint of that beauty with the shape of her face and body. I think her hair used to be a very pretty shade of red before it dulled out and started to gray. 

The rest of the regulars start to show up; Bill, Jeff, Martha, Sue, the guy whose name I have never been able to remember, the old lady called Mother, Mr. Creepy; he has never said a word to anyone, and he rarely looks at people, the one time he did look at me my skin crawled.

The new girl is the last to show up, I have yet to learn her name, she ends up with the seat next to Dr. Hayes. Speak of the devil, he comes strolling into the Pit and takes his seat.

Dr. Hayes was grumbling and muttering to himself, his eyes were very dark. He looked like Santa Claus if Santa was a businessman and a sick sadistic asshole.

I hate this man with every fiber of my being. He usually has a false sort of happiness and warmth about him. He is as inviting as a Cobra today or maybe it's me.

I started to twirl my dingy blonde hair, oh what I would give for a shower with real shampoo and soap.

Everyone began to get nervous. Shifting in their seats, slightly. Usually, Dr. Hayes started right away, asking everyone how their nights were or about their mornings; knowing how their nights went. 

All he was doing now was going through his papers, steadily muttering to himself. I have never seen him like that and trust me I have seen just about every side of Dr. Hayes. I do not know what to expect from this man in front of us now.

He glances up as if he feels all of our eyes on him; even Mr. Creepy is staring at him. He gives us his best attempt at a calming smile, clears his throat, puts down his papers, and crosses his legs to get comfortable.

"Hello everyone, I have some sad news for you all." He pauses for effect, I'm sure.

"It is with a heavy heart that I tell you; Martin will not be joining us for an unforeseeable amount of time. He is very, very sick and his family wanted him to be treated at a different hospital." He looks down for a moment as if this saddens him.

"We do not know when or if he will be back. Let's have a moment of silence or pray, whichever you would like." With that, he puts his head down and holds out his hands. Slowly and hesitantly the group joins hands and put our heads down, eyes closed. I didn't close my eyes all the way, I wasn't taking my eyes off Mia.

I really don't feel like being bitten by a crazy woman today.

After a few moments, Dr. Hayes clears his throat again and let's go of Bills' and the new girls' hands. Everyone else quickly follows suit.

"On to today's topic, Stacy why don't you tell us about yourself?" Dr. Hayes says as he turns slightly to the right to face the new girl, eh Stacy. She immediately turns red and starts to fiddle with her shirt and then her ring. She looks everywhere but at the Dr. or the rest of the group.

For a fleeting moment, we lock eyes and I give her an encouraging look, or at least I hope I did. She flinches, under his stare, she sits up a bit more.

"My mother thinks I am sick and asked me to come here." She practically whispered. Dr. Hayes' face darkened a bit.

"Excuse me, what did you say?" He says to her, the rest of us shift in our seats, knowing that tone very well. Her eyes bulge just a bit.

"Ummm, My mother thinks I am sick and wanted me to come here to get better." She says a little louder and clearer. It must have been loud enough because the Dr. smiled at her, what he must have thought was a reassuring smile but had a hint of malice to it.

"Why does she think you are sick, Stacy?" She looked really uncomfortable. I feel bad for her, but we have all been there, and we have all been grilled by the good doctor.

"Well, I hear voices." She let the sentence trail off as she stared at her hands. The doctor perked up upon hearing this.

"What kind of voices are they? Do they tell you to do things? When did it start?" He just started bombarding her with questions, with each one Stacy become more nervous and fidgety.

"They are just voices, sir, they talk about their lives and families, and it started when I fell and hit my head. My mother thinks it's a sign of a head injury, so she sent me here, sir."

"Please, you don't have to call me sir." The doctor says, and he lays his hand on Stacy's arm in an attempt to comfort her. He is always nice to newbies probably because he doesn't know if they will be Lifers or Temps.

All of a sudden a nurse comes running into the Pit.

"Dr. Hayes!" She yells as she runs right to Dr. Hayes, she looks a little panicked, when she approaches him she bends to talk to into his ear. Whatever the news, we can not hear it. He jumps up before she is even finished talking.

"Group is disbanded." He says to the group and he looks at the nurse

"I want all the patients put in their rooms. Now!" And then he runs off. The nurse starts gathering the ones who need help go to their rooms, other nurses and orderlies come to help take everyone to their rooms.

I wander slowly through the halls until I reach my room. As far as I can tell nothing is out of the ordinary, nothing to make the good doctor to panic must be something big. Hopefully, it will mean something good for us patients.

 Once everyone is where they should be, the nurses go through and lock every room's door. I lay on my bed since there is nothing else to do, before I know it I am fast asleep, dreaming of nothing; just blackness.

Which is refreshing, to say the least usually I dream of past treatments or every once in a while a spirit will try to contact me. Sometimes, I even dream of my family, mainly my Pop-pop, who I miss very much so.

Whenever I wake up I do not know if its morning or night, all I know is I'm being forced to get out of bed by Lee.

"What's going on?" I ask all groggy and half awake. Lee just looks at me and shrugs. He leads the way, very quickly, down the hallway towards the Pit.

Whelp, it must not be morning, or we would be going the other way. When we reach the Pit, everyone is there and Dr. Hayes is pacing around. He looks worn down and unkempt very unlike him. Once everyone has been brought to the Pit, Dr. Hayes gets on to a table puts his hands up so everyone will quiet down.

"I received some bad news today, the hospital is being shut down, as it is being investigated by some officials due to some false claims about how you are treated and on how the living conditions are. The state is sending a specialist in, and he or she will be evaluating you to see if you will need to be sent to another facility or if you can be released, they will be here in the morning. I know you all will do the right thing and be on your best behavior." I don't know whether I should pack now hah or if I should cry. This is my one chance to get out without having to lie my ass off or run away. I hope this isn't some kind of sick prank made up to raise our hopes just so Dr. Hayes can dash them.

"That is all everyone, I will see you all bright and early, have a good sleep."

With that people start going back to their rooms, Lee makes his way to me and starts to take me back. When we are well enough away from Dr. Hayes he leans into my ear and whispers.

"I will tell them everything I know of. You have to, too. We can not let him get away with what he has done to you and everyone here." We are at my door when he finishes. All I have time to do is nod before he's locking my door and moving on to the next patient.

I lay in bed too excited to sleep, I rehearse what I am going to say for what feels like hours. I will take down Dr. Hayes and get out even if I burn for it.

So that's the Pit, I don't know how Theresa has survived for so long in there,  I don't think I could.

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