Xhazam's eyes flickered open to the blinding white of fluorescent lights above. The smell of disinfectant filled the air, and as he tried to sit up, he realized his hands were restrained. Looking around, he saw unfamiliar faces in uniforms—officers, stern and unyielding, surrounding his bed. His heart sank. This wasn't a hospital; it was a government facility.
The leading officer stepped forward, his voice cold. "Xhazam Garcia, you are under arrest for the murder of your wife, Misuki Garcia."
Xhazam's heart pounded as he shouted, "I didn't kill her! Pedro—he's the one who murdered her! He's not human! I saw it with my own eyes!"
The officers exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable. Pedro, standing smugly at the back of the room, stepped forward with a mocking laugh. "He's gone mad," Pedro said, feigning concern. "It's tragic, really. In his grief, he killed his wife and now blames me. He even tried to shoot me, not once, but nine times! And I am alive after taking those nine shots, Look at him—he's delusional."
Xhazam's fists clenched as he screamed, "You're lying, Pedro! I fired those bullets, and they did nothing to you because you're a monster!"
Pedro smirked, turning to the officers. "See what I mean? He's lost it. He's dangerous. For everyone's safety, he needs to be institutionalized."
The lead officer, after a brief pause, gave the order. "Take him to the asylum."
"No! You can't do this!" Xhazam shouted as the officers grabbed him. Fueled by rage and desperation, he broke free momentarily and lunged at Pedro. But before he could land a punch, he was subdued and dragged away. Pedro's mocking laughter echoed in Xhazam's ears as he was hauled out of the room.
---
The asylum was a dark and chaotic place. The screams and laughter of its residents reverberated through the cold, damp halls. Xhazam sat in a corner of his room, his head buried in his hands. His mind was a storm of despair.
Misuki is dead. Pedro is a monster. And now they think I'm insane.
The walls seemed to close in on him as the noise of the other patients grew louder. A man in the next room screamed nonsense while another banged his head against the wall. Xhazam felt his sanity slipping away. Tears streamed down his face as he whispered, "What am I supposed to do? How did my life come to this?"
Days passed in a haze of hopelessness. Xhazam refused to eat, speak, or move from his corner. But just as he was about to surrender to despair, a familiar voice called his name.
"Xhazam?"
He looked up to see Mithi, the barber who had given him a job when he had nothing. Mithi's presence brought a flicker of hope to Xhazam's broken spirit.
"Mithi?" Xhazam's voice cracked as he stood up, gripping the bars of his room. "You have to believe me. I'm not mad. Pedro—he's not human. I tried to kill him, but he didn't die. He's... something else."
Mithi raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "You tried to kill Pedro?"
"Yes! I had to! He killed Misuki, Mithi. I saw it. And when I shot him, he—" Xhazam stopped, his voice trembling. "He healed. The bullets just fell out of him. He's not like us."
Mithi's face darkened as he looked around the asylum, ensuring no one was listening. "Xhazam," he said in a low voice, "there are things in this world that are better left undiscovered."
Xhazam stared at him, confused. "What do you mean? What things?"
Mithi sighed, leaning closer. "Pedro isn't what you think he is, Xhazam. But if you keep chasing him, you'll only find more questions. You need to bide your time. Wait."
"Wait for what?" Xhazam demanded, his voice rising.
"For the truth," Mithi said simply.
Before Xhazam could ask more, a guard approached, signaling that Mithi's time was up. As Mithi turned to leave, he said one last thing. "Hold on, Xhazam. You're not as powerless as you think. Trust me."
Xhazam watched him go, his mind racing. Mithi's cryptic words left him with more questions than answers, but they also sparked something he hadn't felt in days—hope.
As the asylum's chaotic noise continued around him, Xhazam sat back in his corner, gripping the faint spark of hope Mithi had left behind. Whatever the truth was, he knew one thing for certain : He couldn't give up