Ward D: A gripping psychological thriller

I googled The Daily Chronicle and brought up a list of the staff members. And there he was, third from last, along with a color photograph. William Schoenfeld, Staff Reporter.

He was telling the truth all along.

When I look back at where the little girl was standing, there’s nobody there. She’s gone.

As usual.

She’ll never entirely leave me though. I saw her the most when I was drinking those peach iced teas laced with hallucinogens, but even after Jade left my life, I still saw the little girl from time to time. It’s been nine years, and I have never told a soul aside from Jade. I don’t know if the drugs she slipped me triggered something inside me that couldn’t be turned off, but that little girl is always with me. Always.

And she always tells me to do things. Bad things.

But I don’t listen. Of course I don’t.

Well, most of the time.

I did listen at that party when Cameron and I hooked up. I dropped some laxatives from the medicine cabinet into his girlfriend Jess’s drink because I had my eye on Cameron for a while, and the little girl knew how badly I wanted to get him alone. I listened to her when she told me to send a damning letter to the director of that research fellowship Cam applied to because she knew I didn’t want him disappearing across the country for an entire year.

I also listened to her when she told me to go back and check Seclusion One instead of making my escape from Ward D. And when she whispered in my ear to stab Jade with Mary’s knitting needle. I never would have thought to do that on my own.

But I don’t listen to her blindly. It’s not like I would do absolutely anything she tells me to do. I mean, I would never kill anyone just because the little girl told me to. Even though it feels like more and more, that’s what she’s been telling me to do. But I wouldn’t do it.

After all, I would have to be crazy to do something like that.

Code blue is cardiopulmonary arrest.

“Oh, get over yourself.” Jade sneers at me. “This isn’t about you. Damon and I wanted a fresh start, so what better way to get it than to burn down the psych unit and pretend both of us went up in flames?” She smirks. “Although when I saw your name on the call list for this week, I did get excited about the idea of having a little fun with you in the process. We were going to do it last night, but we decided to move our plans just for you.”

“I told you I would protect you, Amy,” Spider-Dan tells me.

“You did,” I acknowledge. “Thank you so much. I can’t thank you enough.”

“Don’t worry, Amy. That was part of the plan all along. The only people who are going to survive the night are me and Damon. Nicole was just a third wheel.”

“As soon as the dayshift staff left,” Jade says, “I opened the door to the seclusion room. It was almost pitifully easy for me to get that code. Just as easy as it was to give you the wrong code. And once Damon was out, we took care of the real Dr. Beck and Ramona.”

“My name is Nicole,” she says. “I actually am a nurse.”

“Before you went berserk,” Jade points out.

Damon was my mother’s drug dealer. You know how she was always hooked on pills? Well, he used to bring them to her.”

“You’re more resourceful than I thought you were.” His gaze lifts to the fluorescent lights overhead. “If you hadn’t been so damn curious, you actually might have gotten away. Respect, Amy. Truly.”

I take a step back. “Stay away from me…”

“Why are you so afraid?”

“I don’t know who you are, but I know you’re not Dr. Beck.”

“You’re right—I haven’t even introduced myself.” He smiles at me and those dimples pop. He really is handsome—I can see why Jade fell for him. “My name is Damon. Damon Sawyer. And it’s very nice to finally meet you, Amy. I’ve heard so much about you.”