"What's that shit?" While waiting, Simon decided to clean the room upstairs, and when he came down the kitchen he's welcomed with a sour and musky smell of a smoothie. He stared at the paste, because you can't call it a drink, as if it's the most hideous thing.
And it really was.
The smoothie is partially green and red, the colors didn't really mix well because there are bits of brown ingredients, oil of some sort and,
"Is that a hair?" He asked with an unbelieving expression. Now that he looked around, the kitchen was a mess. There are ingredients all over the table and cartons, plastic containers, and plastic packaging in the sink. There are also squirts of the paste everywhere.
Even in the ceiling.
Goodness Gracious!
"That's just the hair of the corn," Aurelia answered nonchalantly as she also looked down on the smoothie she made.
"Why would you do the smoothie like..." Simon paused as he gestured his hands towards the ridiculous paste, "...that" Aurelia laughed at him and she began to clean the mess she created.
"It's not fun if it's just a normal smoothie." She shrugged her shoulders while picking up the trash on the sink. Simon helped her clean the table.
"Simon," Aurelia called him and before he could ask what, she shouted, "Rock, paper, scissors!" throwing a paper she wins over the shocked Simon who lamely brings up a rock. Her laugh echoed in the kitchen.
"I won!" She said and not giving Simon a chance to react nor complain she already dump a large amount of the hideous paste on his face that dripped down on his shirt.
"What," With widened eyes, he whispered while staring at the paste that ruined his shirt. The room was silent when he glared at Aurelia,
Before shouting,
"Rock, paper, scissors!" He throws a rock that this time wins when Aurelia hastily shows the scissors. Throwing aside the dirty dishes that he's still holding, he scoops a handful of the paste and wordlessly throws it at Aurelia.
It's Simon's turn to laugh when he saw the girl stood frozen for a second, the green oily paste covered her forehead and dripped down her nose. His stomach actually hurt from laughing at the funny scene.
"Rock, paper, scissors!" Aurelia shouted and even if they didn't yet know who the winner is she still throws the paste in his direction and before they know it the war broke out between them. The paste is thrown everywhere and the whole kitchen was dirtied from the ceiling to the floor.
"I," panting Aurelia paused, "I surrender, you win, you win," wagging a piece of dirty white cloth from the sink, she exclaimed and take time to breathe. Simon chuckled while also panting, trying to remove the paste from his left eye he said, "It's already obvious," with a duh tone.
"I take it back," Aurelia joked and stand up straight. "Wow, this smells awful," She said with a grimace while smelling herself. Simon also wrinkled his nose in disgust, the sour smell of apple cider vinegar, the sweet smell of candies and corn, and that musky smell of the unknown are giving him a headache.
"Gah, Let's take a bath." Taking off his shirt, he said, and Aurelia stared at him blatantly.
"Wow, look at those abs. It's like something out from photoshop." Aurelia commented and forcefully take her eyes off his abdomen, chuckling to himself he dumped his shirt on the trash. "You can go first to take a bath," He said.
Aurelia nodded and skip to reach the room upstairs quickly. Simon washed his face first before cleaning the mess while waiting for Aurelia to finish.
'Someone's happy,' The kind voice teased. He just shakes his head at the comment.
'Tsk, what's to be happy for? This is just an act. Liars always lie. You can never trust her.' The rough voice said. He thinks about it for a minute.
The two voices are saying both the reality and what he wants to hear. So he can't just ignore it.
Is this really all an act?
---
After a long time of the shower, I finally finished. Still drying my hair I trudged around the new room. I'm guessing we're really somewhere far away because I can hear seagulls in the distance.
I sit on the bed feeling comfortable with the large shirt and shorts that I borrowed from Simon's dresser.
Simon.
It's new and unfamiliar to say.
Sighing, I combed my still wet hair using my fingers. Looking around the room, I casually lowered my body to open the lower drawer of the cabinet at the bedside. There I found a cluster of documents.
I didn't have a chance to look at this when I found it earlier so my curiosity gets the best of me and skimmed through the files. My eyebrows furrowed when I realized what it was.
It's a prescription of meds and copies of information about the patient.
From a mental institution.
I'm confused when I saw the patient's name. Simon Miller, it says.
Simon Miller? I thought that the name was not that crazy doctor's true name.
Is there actually a Simon Miller?
My heart raced when I heard the doorknob turn, shoving the files under the bed while kicking the cabinet's door to close, I stand up and casually resumed combing my hair using my fingers.
"I borrowed clothes from your dresser," I said and cleared my throat, "I hope it's okay?" I continued sheepishly and smiled at him. Simon shrugged and walked towards his dresser, he didn't bother to answer my question.
"I'll take a bath," He said and walks straight to the bathroom. When I heard the door lock, I exhaled the breath that I didn't notice I'm holding. I looked down at the bed and arranged the documents again.
I hope he didn't notice.
I closed the cabinet with extra care just to not let it make sounds and I laid down on the bed when I think it's all set like before and someone didn't touch it. I stared at the ceiling thinking, will I ever survive from this?
"Aurelia," Simon called and I turned to look at him. Oh, he's done already? He's staring at me in concern then sit on the bed with me, "I already called you three times, what's up?" He asked and I don't know what to say.
"I'm thinking," I started, contemplating if I should say it but still sighed at the end and said, "will I ever live normal again?" with my voice shaking, I hold back the tears that are ready to spill.
I heaved a deep sigh just to do that. I almost give up on that white room. I didn't even want to think about how I can't close my eyes and sleep which leads me to think all day, all night. I thought I'll go crazy.
"You know, you will never be able to do that again." He spat. I expected him to react like that anyway so I just nodded. "You're lucky enough you last longer than the others." He said and I looked up at him with a creased in my forehead.
"Just...How long they last?" I actually already have an idea but I still want to know exactly. He smirked and shakes his head.
Somehow something is missing at his smirk.
"Three days? Four days? I don't know really," He shrugged and dropped his body on the bed. "They are that weak. But you're different." He said while his arms are covering his eyes, resting.
"How did they...die?" I said, not sure if I should ask, "Do you...kill them all?" I added and I heard him laugh that again, lacks something from before.
"I didn't kill them, they surrendered to death." His voice is small and quiet when he stated it. "They are just that pathetic. See, if they wait, they will be like you," He continued that cause me to fully turn my body towards him.
"Like what exactly?" He peeked through his arms and smiled. It seems genuine that I momentarily forgot that he has this twisted logic that would want you to vomit.
"Free," He answered and I snorted. It's not a sarcastic one but sad. I fiddled with the blanket while I'm hugging my knees.
"You call this being free?" I asked and even I can hear the bitterness in my own voice that made him snickered.
"Do you call this still kidnapping? Do you still consider yourself as a hostage?" He questioned, gesturing to the whole room and myself. Well, he has a point in that. "No kidnapper will ever treat their victims like this." He claims. I tilted my head to the side and looked at him.
"Then why are you treating me like this?" The room was silent after I asked. He didn't answer right away and stared at the ceiling before saying,
"I also wonder why,"