Jenton.... Undercover Detective Agency..

Jenton Franks sat back in his comfortable desk chair and sighed, kicking off his smart shoes which were beginning to blister his right heel. 1

‘Thank goodness that case is over!’ he loudly exhaled, thinking back to the previous fortnight’s long hard labour he had endured. Some woman had come in noisily sobbing that she thought her husband was having an affair with his... cliché of all clichés... secretary. It took a whole hour and half a box of man-size tissues before he could finally grasp what was going on through her sobs and tears. 2

It took a whole week of sleuthing to find out that her husband was indeed having an affair with one of his co-workers, just not his secretary. His Boss, Mr Machern. As Jenton was new to the detective agency game, this rather shocked him, and he wondered how on earth to break it to the woman gently. To his huge surprise, she didn’t seem as bothered as he had first assumed. He handed her the report, she dated and signed it, handed him the cash (something he insisted on) and left. No word of thanks, no nothing. He figured that maybe she had an idea about it, but just wanted to make completely sure. Whatever it was, that was just one of the strange cases. But it made his work interesting and full of variety. You got the normal ones too, such as following someone to see if they are doing what they say, and checking out money schemes between colleagues; not really any trust shown when they hire a detective. 3

He felt his eyes slowly beginning to close, even at such an early hour of 4.26pm, ready for a well earned nap. This however, was not meant to be. There was a timid knocking at the door. 4

‘Come in.’ He growled, taking his feet off the desk and squeezing them back into his tight shoes. 5

The door opened slowly, and a small face peeked around the door. 6

‘I’m not disturbing you am I?’ Asked a small woman, her dark hair plainly showing grey dotted about it. 7

‘No, no, of course not, come in. What can I do for you?’ 8

The entire body of the woman pushed herself round the small gap in the door. She shut it quietly, as if afraid for people to hear her there. 9

‘Take a seat.’ Jenton smiled, extending his hand, ‘I’m Jenton Franks, and if I believe I can assist you I will do my everything to do so.’ 10

The woman nodded. She looked like one of the old fifties char women, he thought, half expecting her to have a fag hanging out of her mouth. She did not take his hand. Rather embarrassed, he sat down, hands crossed together. 11

‘It’s a rather strange matter.’ She whispered, ‘I’m not quite sure how to tell you about it.’ 12

‘It’s fine,’ Jenton replied, ‘We have all the time you need. I just need to take a few notes as you talk if that is alright?’13

She nodded again, clutching her hands together, seeming to ooze her unease at being in his cramped little office. Jenton followed her gaze. 14

‘Yes, it’s rather stuffy in here, isn’t it? I keep asking the council if they can find me a better office, but you know what they are like.’ He joked. He didn’t like the place either. With the peeling wallpaper, and the back street it was on. Looked like something out of those black and white mafia films he used to watch when he was a kid. Always wanted an office like that then... now he wanted bigger rooms, CLEAN white paint, and plants around the place. And what had he ended up with? Peeling wallpaper, a drippy ceiling and a pot plant which looked like it might have once been alive during the Tudor times. 15

He shook himself out of his daze, and looked expectantly at the woman. She started up hesitantly. 16

‘It’s where I work, sir. Strange things are a’ happening up there.’ She whispered. 17

‘Up where?’ He asked, pen poised. 18

‘In Auldburn... a far ways from here. About one hundred and fifty odd miles.’ 19

‘Just curious, why did you come for help from me, and not someone closer to your work?’ 20

‘I don’t want people knowing my business. I know what the folks up there are like, for they’re a’gossiping lot.’ She frowned. 21

Jenton nodded, and scribbled a few notes down. 22

The woman continued. 23

‘I am Mrs Lathon, widow of twenty three years. I recently found work up at this old place and since all the time I have been there it has been strange, stranger than you would expect from a place like that. ‘24

‘A place like that?’ 25

‘A crazy house, an asylum, a loony bin, anything you want to call it,’ She muttered impatiently, ‘but strange, weird things are going on there. I’ve worked in one or two beforehand, and nothing as mental as this had been going on.’ 26

Jenton put his elbows on to his worn out table, and leant on his hands. 27

‘You might not believe me, Mr Jenton, but all I will tell you is true, and I think that you would like to take on the case, simply to find out the answers for yourself.’ 28

He nodded. 29

‘Right, well, I began my job just over a year and a half ago in the Aulburn Mental Asylum. It’s a great big old fashioned looking place, with wrought iron gates and fences. Big scary looking place, one you wouldn’t even want to see in a horror film. But people still do bring their relatives here when they need specialist help. But all from word of mouth. This place is not advertised in any paper, or any other form. It was pure chance how I got to get working there.’30

Jenton leant his head to one side, intrigued. 31

‘So, how did you get the job..? What is it you do again?’ 32

‘I am simply a cleaner there, a strictly twelve until four working hours. I was looking at the advertisements in my local post office one day, and I saw a card which had slipped to the floor. I picked it up, and it seemed to be the perfect job. I seemed to be the perfect applicant. So I applied, and got the job of their cleaner. I was given directions over the phone, and after a few tries I found it. It is very hidden in the country, very secluded. So if a patient were to escape from there, he would not have any place to run to.’33

She paused and took a breath. 34

‘On my first day there I knew something was up. Besides the home being predominately full of males, they were all quiet. Jumpy. Not interested in their surroundings. The nurses seemed to simply wander in and out, giving drinks of water to those who wanted it, that kind of thing. But when it came to medicine time, half the patients seemed to become almost wide awake, shying away from the nurse. Most of them refused to take their medicine, getting to the point of violence. Some have to be physically held down they got so bad. Their clothes were filthy, their hygiene terrible. They had completely given up on themselves. Don’t get me wrong, I know they are in their for a reason, but surely at least a few would have tried to stay clean? 35

But the things that worried me the most was the stories these men used to tell me. Every day, someone would come up to me, begging me to help them get out of the place. Always the same story. I didn’t understand. It drove me half insane trying to figure out what was going on. They would come up crying, screaming, and begging. Especially the new inmates. They would rush up to me, grab my skirts and start crying. I felt terrible that I could do nothing. 36

I told these stories to the matron in charge and she simply told me not to worry about it, ‘they are insane after all.’ That’s why I came to you, to see if there is a reason why every single one of these men have the same story.’ 37

Jenton sat up straight. 38

‘That certainly is unusual.’ He said, eyebrows furrowed. ‘Tell me, what was the story they used to tell you?’ 39

The woman swallowed, 40

‘The men would come up to me and swear blind that they should not be in there. They had wives and children on the outside, and that no-one knew where they were. They claimed that they were undercover people trying to see what the state the hospital was in, yet were badly treated, half starved, and beaten, forced to lie in the dark for a week with rotting bodies. Some of the men looked like they had given up on life, had accepted that they would never get out of there. The ones which were the worst at crying and screaming were the recent patients. I was told that these were the ones who would try and get you to feel sympathetic for them, but to simply ignore them. Tell me, how do I ignore such a thing?’41

She was starting to get flustered as she spoke, and dropped her handbag on the floor. Jenton quickly dashed up and helped her to pick up the contents which had fallen out. Among one of the items was a piece of paper with small neat notes typed across. 42

‘That is for you.’ The woman sniffed, ‘Details of the place. Thought you might need them. There are also my contact details on the bottom.’ 43

Jenton looked at the notes. They were small and very detailed. He studied them for about five minutes, and he warmed to the idea of investigating such a strange case. 44

‘You know what Mrs Lathon? I will take this case on. I will call you to arrange fees, etc when I am finished writing up notes and things to prepare this investigation. You have my word.’ 45

He stretched out his hand to shake on the deal, and she grasped it quite firmly. 46

‘Thank you, oh, thank you.’ She replied quietly, ‘This means alot to me. I just need my mind put at ease.’ 47

She walked to the door and scooted through it before he could say anything more. 48

Jenton Franks went and stood by his musty looking window, watching the little lady trot across the street quickly. Strange, quirky looking woman, he pondered. Strange that she got that job so easily. He shrugged his shoulders and sat at his desk, starting to write notes on how he could get into the place. 49

****** 2 days later ****** 50

‘Hello again Mrs Lathon, please take a seat. I am happy to tell you that I think I have cracked out how to do this investigation.’51

Mrs Lathon sat straight up in her chair, staring intently at him, causing him to go a little red. 52

He cleared his throat. 53

‘I have cleared with a friend of mine to help aid me in this. He... ‘54

‘I don’t want any more people knowing!’ She screeched suddenly, causing him to start. 55

‘What?’ He said, losing his professional composure. 56

‘I said, I don’t want anyone knowing!! If I knew you were going to say anything I would have gone to someone else!’ 57

‘Don’t worry!’ He soothed, his heart beating fast, ‘He does not know the details, just the plan I have given him.’58

‘And that is?!’ She demanded. 59

‘He is to drive me up to that place you stated, and sign me in as a patient. That is all. He knows I do crazy things at work, so he knows better than to ask questions. He is the only one who knows of this.’ 60

She relaxed a tiny bit, and exhaled slowly. 61

Jenton continued, ‘I shall however, take the complete role as patient. I shall give you a tape recorder to hide in your apron pocket, or whatever pocket you can put it into. Always have it switched on, wherever you are. I will show you how to use it in a moment. When I talk to you, I want you to write copious notes down when you have your free time, ok?’ 62

‘I plan on being there only a week. A week and a half at the very most. To get back out again, I shall need your help. I shall give you the number of my friend and he will come and pick me up from the asylum. Does this sound fine to you? 63

She sat still for a moment, contemplating. 64

‘Yes.’ 65

‘Good,’ Jenton smiled, ‘Because that is the only plan I have.’ He laughed. 66

She sat there is stony silence. Jenton cleared his throat again. 67

‘When do you plan on going?’ She asked. 68

‘When can I get booked in?’ 69

‘Next week, Tuesday next?’ She replied. 70

‘Then I shall see you there.’ He grinned, extending his arm to help her off the seat, and securing the deal once and for all. 71

****** Next Week ******72

‘So you know the plan then?’ Jenton asked nervously. 73

‘Yes, yes, for God’s sake, yes!’ His friend laughed beside him, ‘I sign you in, leave you there, make sure you’re ok, and then await a phone call from the sexy cleaner.’ He grinned. 74

Jenton gave him a look which showed his complete unease at such a mammoth task. 75

‘Come on Jen! Nothing is going to happen to you here, ok. Seriously. It will be fine. The silly old bat is probably going senile and the patients are just mental.’ He joked, driving the car slowly up the twisting path to Jenton’s destination. 76

‘Don’t call me Jen,’ He growled, ‘And saying that does nothing for my confidence.’ 77

His mate smiled, ‘Come on, you will be fine, yeah. Look, we will be there in a second. I can’t believe how far out we really are. Looks like they want no-one to ever find this place, let alone escape.’ 78

The huge building came into their eyesight, but the huge wrought iron gates prevented them from going any further. Jenton involuntarily shivered. The car hooted. 79

‘I wish I hadn’t agreed to go through with this now,’ He said, eyes full of fear, ‘They really all are loonies. What if they attack me?!’80

‘Calm down Jenton! You have been watching waaaay to many horror movies. Asylums these days are far more patient and calm. The nurses will be there all the time. If you are really worried, just make sure that one stays in your sight at all times. Oh, and don’t take the medicines if they offer it to you. Just spit it out when they are not looking. Oh for heaven’s sake, what is keeping them?’ 81

His friend indicated to the heavy gates, whose lock was plainly in view. He honked the car horn again. 82

Jenton tried to steady his nerves, breathing in deeply, completely regretting his decision. He just hoped that this case would be worth it. Boy, this woman owed him some big money. He would make sure he damn well got it too. 83

A figure appeared in the distance, sauntering down the long drive. 84

Jentons friend was an impatient man, and it took all of his strength to keep from yelling at the lazy, ignorant sod to hurry up. The person eventually got there though. Jenton took a good look at the female, if that was what you could call it, as it came closer and closer. Short, severe hairstyle, bosom strapped up tightly in an apron, and a thick, boring skirt wrapped around her legs. She unlocked the gates using a huge key they could see from the car. She also punched some numbers into a small console hung by the gate. The gates, protesting in need of oil, opened noisily. 85

The driver put the car into first gear, and smoothly went up the gravel driveway, observing the place and gardens they passed. It was eerily silent. Not a bird call, not the drips of dew from bushes, the sound of wind... nothing. It unsettled the driver, let alone Jenton. They reached to the top steps and the car stopped quickly. Both of them got out of the car and surveyed the place from where they stood. Even the weather seemed nonexistent. The sky was a murky grey, and seemed sullen, unwelcoming. 86

‘I think we both watch too many horror films.’ Nervously laughed his friend, closing the car door quietly, and locking it. They turned to see the severe looking woman tramp back up the drive way. 87

‘If you have to be scared of anything, I think it would be that.’ Laughed his mate. 88

Jenton managed a weak smile; too busy worrying about what lay in store for him. He knew that the story couldn’t possibly be true... could it? 89

The woman came to where they stood and lifted her head high, and peered at them. 90

‘Which one of you is coming to stay here with us?’ She said in a high voice, the complete opposite of what was expected. 91

‘Umm... he is.’ Jentons friend stated, extending his hand to the lady. 92

‘And you are?’ She asked. 93

As Jentons friend introduced himself and Jenton, Jenton was miles away. Busy thinking of how to escape if it got too bad. Scarily, he could not think of a single way. He was jerked out of his macabre thoughts. 94

‘Jenton! The lady wants us to go inside now.’ His friend called, ‘Come on.’ 95

Jenton, and the other two walked up the steps, the woman leading the way. She declared herself to be Miss Thorburn, nothing else. She was the sort of woman who demanded respect, and automatically got it. Mainly because people were too scared of her otherwise. 96

The door creaked open, and they stepped inside a large spacious hallway. A reception desk was crouched at the side of the hall, all polished and gleaming. The whole place smelt strongly of disinfectant and bleach. It made Jenton gag a little as it was so overpowering. His friend felt the same way. Miss Thorburn lead them over to the desk, and grabbed a pile of sheets from behind it. Expertly she flicked through them to get the appropriate ones needed, and produced a pen from behind her ear. 97

‘Could you please sign here, and here, and print your name in block capitals here, please.’ His friend took the pen and obeyed the orders, checking the sheets through carefully. 98

They chatted for a little while over the day to day routine of the place, where he would sleep, eat, drink, etc, and the replies made him feel a little easier. Maybe the place wasn’t so bad after all. 99

‘Remember that Jenton is just here for a short period of time, alright?’ His friend said anxiously, ‘Phone me as soon as you can if anything is needed. I will keep checking up on him.’ 100

‘Of course, of course,’ Said the nurse irritably, as if she had heard it a thousand times before, ‘Jenton Franks will be well catered for, and will want for nothing. Now, do you want a quick tour before you go?’ 101

His friend looked at his watch, and started to hesitate. Jenton glared at him. 102

‘Yes, yes, we have time for a quick tour.’ He smiled, trying to reassure Jenton. The nurse pushed a small button behind the desk, and the doors at the end of the corridor slid open. It looked fine, and clean. Jenton stepped through the doors, and was amazed at how normal the place actually looked. He sniffed the air. Bleach again. He stifled a giggle, as he thought that the only thing that would drive him insane was the constant smell of undiluted bleach. He turned this into a cough. The nurse looked at him sternly. No time for giggles here she seemed to stare into him. The one thing that got to him was the eerie quiet. 103

‘Where is everyone else?’ Jenton asked .104

‘In bed asleep. We rise at 8am in this place. Everyone has another half an hour to sleep yet.’ She replied. 105

The nurse hurriedly showed them some rooms, a dining room, an activity room, a television room, a quiet room, and last of all the room where he would be sleeping. It was a bare looking thing, with a metal bed nailed to the floor, and rough looking blankets set upon it. There was a big window, spoilt by the thick bars emerging from it. Jenton felt easier than he thought he would coming here. This is nothing, he thought to himself, look at the place! It’s a palace compared to what you thought it would be! 106

‘Come no,’ Said Miss Thorburn, ‘Let us take you to see the manager. He likes to meet all of the new people that come to stay here.’ 107

With a flurry, she turned on her heels, and started to trot down the corridor. It was quite hard keeping up with her. The click of her shoes was the only thing that they could hear in the place, and even if all the inmates were asleep, it was still pretty spooky being able to hear NOTHING at all. 108

They walked through an open door, passed two small staircases, and up the third. The nurse knocked upon a thick oak door, head cocked to one side, listening for the answer. 109

‘Come in.’ Said the Voice. 110

She opened the door, and ushered the two in. 111

‘We have a new recruit.’ She said quietly, pointing towards Jenton. 112

The manager stood up, with a warm smile on his jovial features. 113

‘Welcome, welcome!’ He smiled broadly, ‘And welcome again! How lovely to see you. Jenton isn’t it? And Mr... ahh, yes. I remember from the papers I was sent yesterday. Of course.’ 114

Jenton smiled, and sat in the chair offered to him. 115

It was all just general chit chat for five minutes as the manager explained to his friend what would be happening, and the procedures for such and such. Jenton looked around the room, checking out the fabulous paintings on the wall. He looked like he was in a rich mans study, and felt quite out of place with his old trousers and comfortable jumper. 116

He was jerked back to reality when he saw his friend stand up. 117

‘This is where I must leave you Jenton chap.’ His friend smiled, ‘Have a good stay, and don’t get up to too much mischief.’ He grinned. Jenton smiled at him, feeling oddly calmed when he saw his mate give him the secret wink to show that everything was going ok. 118

They hugged each other goodbye, and the manager put his arm round his friends’ shoulders to lead him out of the door. 119

‘Don’t worry dear chap, Jenton will be safe and happy with us, don’t worry.’120

Those were the last nice words that Jenton ever heard.121

The second that the door was closed, the manager turned round with a snarl. His features seemed completely different from the smiling cheery man from only ten seconds before. Jenton involuntarily stepped back, and was momentarily paralysed. The manager came closer towards him, and smacked him across the face... hard. He was stunned. The stories were true! The managers’ face was twisted- it looked evil. His eyes were scrunched up into small slits, his eyes seeming to be small black fires burning hatred in his skull. Even his voice had changed to a low, menacing growl. 122

‘Hahahah,’ He croaked, ‘Another mental sad case, just what I need in this looney bin. Ah well, I’ll deal with you the way everyone else is dealt with. If you die... whatever, you’re mental. I’ll tell your friend, Mr... .’ He hacks a cough, ‘I’ll tell him that you committed suicide.’ 123

Jenton finally found his voice, ‘What the hell is going on?’ He squeaked, still scared to move. The manager brought his face right up close to his, and spoke so harshly that he could see his eyes flashing, and the spit flying from his vicious tongue. 124

‘You’re right. You are in hell.’ He grinned, ‘And I am going to keep you here FOREVER!’ 125

Jenton shook his head, ‘It’s you who is mad!!’ 126

He got a kick in his groin for cheeking the manager. As he rolled on the floor he protested his innocence. 127

‘I’m not mad, I’m an undercover detective from an agency, please let me go and I will tell no-one! I’m not mad, honest!’ 128

The manager laughed, ‘Funny, they all say that.’ 129

Jenton groaned, ‘Please, whatever it is you want, I’ll give it to you. You want money, I’ll take you to the bank and give you my cards and pin numbers! Please, let me go!’ 130

The manager stood and looked at the frightened man on the floor. 131

‘I like that idea.’ 132

Jenton tried to stand up, but the man in charge stamped on his shaking hand, causing him to fall back. He howled. 133

‘Be quiet!’ Shouted the manager, ‘Do you want to wake everyone up?!’ 134

Jenton wanted to scream his lungs out, but did not want to anger the mad man any further. He looked at the manager and croaked, 135

‘The cards, I’ll give you my money, my pin numbers, please, just let me go. I’ll take you to the bank. My wallet is in my pocket!’ 136

‘Ok.’ Said the manager amiably, ‘Come on, sit up.’ He held out his hand, and Jenton grabbed it, and pulled himself up. 137

The manager walked round to his side of the desk, and sat down heavily. The chair creaked under his weight. He fished out a pen from a drawer situated at the side of the desk, and indicated that Jenton were to sit down. 138

He almost fell into the chair, still in alot of pain, nursing his hand between his legs. 139

‘Right, I will write down the pin numbers of your cards.’ The manager said, picking up the wallet from the desk where Jenton had placed it. 140

‘No,’ Jenton shook his head, ‘You take me to the bank and I will take the money out for you. I’m not going to just give you my pin numbers. How do I know you will let me go?!’ 141

The manager looked him straight in the eye. 142

‘You don’t.’ 143

Jenton saw that he really didn’t have a choice. 144

‘If I give you the numbers, will you please just let me go? Just leave me outside the gates, I’ll find my own way back, I’ll never tell anyone I was here, please!’ 145

The manager took out Jentons cards one by one. 146

‘Your VISA number please.’ 147

Eyes closing in dread, he rattled off the four well known digits. 148

‘3785.’ 149

Your MAESTRO number please.’ 150

‘7483.’ 151

The manager wrote these down neatly, along with the card numbers on the front. 152

‘Thank you. You are free to go.’ He said, waving his hand towards the door. 153

Without a second glance, Jenton rushes towards the door, and grabs the handle. Locked. As he dreaded. Even though it is useless he bangs on the door, pulling the handle any way he can, as if the lock would magically open. 154

‘Please, can I have the key?!’ He sobs in frustration and fear. 155

The manager laughed long and loud. 156

‘No, of course not!’ 157

Jenton flew at him, knocking him out of his chair. For a minute the two men fought blindly against one another, punches flying, blood spurting. Jenton landed a good fist on the managers left eyes, causing him to stumble for a moment. His victory did not last long however, as the manager kicked him hard in the stomach, winding him badly. He smacked his head off the corner of the desk, which knocked him out for a few minutes. 158

The manager looked at him through a rapidly closing eye, and remarked, 159

‘Wow, not one of them has ever fought back before. What am I going to do with you, huh?’ 160

There was a door over at the opposite wall that Jenton had not seen when he came in. It was hidden partly by a large ornamental rug hung on the wall. The manager pinned back the rug, and revealed a small metal door. He opened this partly, and it seemed like the steps behind it led to nothing. There was no light source down there, and the smell that penetrated from its depths was overpowering. The manager gagged slightly, and then composed himself. He opened the door a little more, to show a load of metal spikes and nails hammered haphazardly into the back of the door. They looked dreadful, as if it were the inside of an Iron Maiden. 161

Jenton groaned. 162

The manager spun round from his musings, and grinned. 163

‘It’s time.’ 164

He yanked on Jentons ankles until he started moving along the floor, just in front of the tortured door. 165

‘Come on Jenton, give me your hand, let’s get you up.’ He said, in an almost father like manner. 166

Jenton was still woozy, and allowed help from the hand who had committed him to this hell hole. 167

Without warning, the manager shoved him hard in the small of his back, causing him to fall head first down the pitch black stairs. 168

As Jenton fell down the stairs, his limbs banging on every surface meeting him, he could vaguely hear a strange noise, which sounded like laughter. But why would someone be laughing at him falling down the stairs? In his confused state, he could barely do anything. He knew that he had reached the bottom when his arms finally stopped flailing. And the pain no longer seemed to be sharp and landing anywhere on his body. His head had been protected from hitting the ground by something soft and sticky. The place stank, but Jenton didn’t register any of this as he quietly fainted, a bundle of pain and blood. 169

*****Two hours later***** 170

A slow groan was heard, a slight movement on concrete as Jenton twisted his arm up to reach his head. He winced in pain as his arm felt like screaming. The muscles were in agony, his whole body felt on fire. He tried hard to think back to what had happened. He couldn’t for a moment. He opened his eyes, but it was as useful as keeping them close. The whole place was in pitch black. He moved his hand close to his face but he could see nothing. He started to shake violently; a movement which just made him ache even more. Even in his dozy state he knew that he had to get help, get him out of wherever he was. He tried to stand up, and felt incredibly dizzy. He sat up, and almost collapsed. He felt very sick, and would have been so if he could have just seen exactly where he was. He stretched his arms out in front of him and he could feel nothing, not one little thing. Not one little pin prick of light helped him. Swallowing his fears, he struggled to get onto his knees. His ankle was twisted badly, and he found this excruciating to move. He managed though, trying not to let his distress take over his mind. Once on his knees he knew that he did not have the energy to yet stand up, and tried to struggle along the ground. He placed his hands on the floor, recoiling when he felt the dampness upon them. He put his hands on his chest. It was damp too, he felt around him. Everywhere was wet, and sticky. And the smell... my God... the smell. The minute he let the smells permeate his nostrils it almost took him aback. This time, he did throw up, to the left of him. He didn’t hear it hit the floor, which puzzled him, so he waved his arm to the left. It struck something almost straight away. He blindly groped whatever he was touching, and he didn’t understand what on earth it could be. He moved his hands up and down, side to side, both hands feeling, but it puzzled him. It was soft, yet firm, sticky and runny; parts were spilling their contents on the floor, which stank the place out. Everything was disgusting smelling, so dirty, so gut wrenchingly vile. 171

Jenton moved away, kept shuffling his knees. He remembered he had fallen down a staircase, so he felt around for the first step. He did not find it for a long time, and was getting very frustrated. After what felt like an eternity he had to sit down and rest. His knees collapsed underneath him, and he sank to the floor, sobs overcoming him. He was downright terrified and he knew he had a right to be. Being in the dark was one of his fears as a child, and this was coming back to haunt him. 172

‘Let me out!’ He screamed, banging on the floor with his stinging fists, ‘Why are you doing this?!’ 173

Nothing happened, just as he expected. 174

‘Please, someone! I need help. I’m hurt, it’s dark, please help me!!’175

Again, nothing. 176

Jenton could feel himself sinking into the deepest depths of despair. He wished to himself over and over again that he had never taken the job, that he had never answered the door to that woman in his life, and that he wasn’t so damn curious!! 177

‘Please!! I’m not supposed to be here! I’m not mental; I have never had a mental problem. Please, I’m undercover, please let me go!’ He continued to bang on the floor, his fingers becoming bloody. 178

Nothing happened again. He did not suppose it would. I’m trapped her until I die, he moaned. He curled up into a ball on the floor, and cried and cried. This eventually died into a snivel, as he tried to think straight. An almost impossible task when you feel like your head is splitting. 179

‘Please,’ He whispered, ‘I’ll do anything. You have my money. What more could you want from me?’ 180

‘YOU.’ 181

Jenton shrieked when he heard a voice. It sounded like someone was in the room with him. 182

‘Where are you?’ He yelled, looking up, but keeping his stomach covered. 183

There was no reply. 184

‘Tell me! What do you want from me?’ 185

‘YOU. We want you. We want every part of you.’ 186

‘What does that mean??’ Jenton roared, ‘Just let me go!!’ 187

‘You want to see what that means?’ 188

‘Just let me go.’ Jenton whispered, trying to change tact, ‘Please, just let me go. It’s been a good trick, ha-ha, funny, but please, I want to go home now.’ 189

‘Tough.’190

Jenton began screaming, shouting, yelling all the obscenities he could think of at the vague Voice. Instead of a reprimand, all he heard was soft laughter. 191

‘Naughty, naughty,’ The voice cajoled, ‘For that you will have to be punished.’ 192

‘Punished, punished, you prick! What you think this is? A walk in the park? Just let me go!!’ 193

Without warning, all the lights in the room he was in came bursting on. 194

He almost puked at what appeared in front of his eyes. Apart from the almost overpowering prevalence of red he saw what no man should ever see. He threw up almost immediately. 195

On the wall in front of him were a huge pile of bodies. Little bodies, big bodies, fat bodies, skinny bodies. All in various stages of decomposition. He recoiled at the sights of their faces poking out at strange angles, some eyes open, some not. The ones with their eyes open freaked him out the most. Their horrible glassy stares giving him looks of dread - they had been watching him in the dark. 196

Jenton let his eyes travel down in more horror. These bodies were not whole. Most of them had parts missing. A hand here, an arm here, one without eyes, one without a heart, one with their belly slit open and their entrails slipping out in a slippery mess onto the face of another. Jenton moved his hand to his face to cover his eyes, but it was covered in the red too. Everything about him was covered in blood too. He held out his hand in front of his face again and could see it sliding slowly down his arm, his clothes already drenched. 197

Without warning he shrieked, a terrible, inhumane noise that would bring fear to those who heard it. Like a mad man he got up, ignoring the pain in his ankle, and rushed towards the stairs. He clambered up them as fast as he could manage, and saw the door loom up in front of him. He was about to batter it with his fists but as he got closer he could see that he was utterly prevented from doing so. The door was littered with bits of glass and long nails. Only a madman would try to hit the door. Jenton laughed bitterly, then started to get hysterical. 198

‘ARGH! Let me out damn you!’ He yelled, ‘Let me out!’ 199

He carried on screaming for a long, long time, until exhaustion overtook him and he almost fainted asleep. 200

Jenton awoke sometime later. He had no idea of time, and couldn’t look at his watch even if he wanted to. It was smashed to pieces and the lights had been switched off again. He was not sure if he felt better about this or not, because he knew they were still there, leering in the dark, their stink everywhere. He still shivered and shook, feeling so sick. He felt chilly as well, but there was no air conditioning in there, so he assumed it was shock. He took big breaths, shallow breaths, trying to calm the rising hysteria that was coming up from his stomach. 201

He recognised the coming signs of a panic attack. He had had them once or twice before, once over money worries, and once over his exams for school. Such mundane things in contrast to this hell. He sat up again, and hugged his sore knee, his throat aching from all of his screaming. He could feel bumps coming up on his forehead as he gingerly felt his face, seemingly forgetting about the blood which had dried on his hands and under his fingernails. He looked slightly to his left, then to his right, knowing the bodies were there, knowing they were looking at him. He rocked gently back and forth on his bottom, feeling oddly comforted. 202

He had a strange feeling in his belly, something he could not put his finger on. It had been a while since he had felt anything other than pain. After a few tense moments he realised that it was hunger. His stomach growled in fury at being so long without food. He had no idea how long he had been down there, but by the pain in his tummy from hunger he guessed it had been around twelve hours. It had seemed like an eternity, and as he guessed correctly, it wouldn’t end any time soon. 203

‘Please let me out!’ He cried weakly against the floor, ‘I’m so hungry, so thirsty, so weak... please help me.’ 204

Jenton cried a few exhausted tears onto the blood stained floor, knowing that his calls were futile. He had been there maybe three days now. Nothing had he seen, the lights still remained off, the Voice had not appeared again. He was so drained, so limp, and he wished in the back of his mind that it would soon be over; he would soon die, so as to be released. He knew that his cuts were infected, his ankle swollen. He was also distressed at all over the diseased blood on the floor getting into his blood, through his cuts, getting whatever diseases these people had once had. These bodies which looked at him, which stared at him, gave him accusing looks. He was terrified that they would move, would hurt him, kill him. 205

Jenton had lost all sense of time. Time seemed to no longer exist in the purgatory state he was in. But by anyone else, he had been in there for five and a half days. A long time with no food or water. He didn’t register to himself that he had been licking the moisture from his hands when he was in his sleeping state, not realising he was effectively drinking blood. This was what kept him alive. 206

‘He doesn’t realise that he will die soon.’207

‘Sssh, don’t tell him that.’ 208

‘But look at us, we are all dead.’209

‘Sure we are, but he don’t know he going to end up like this.’ 210

Jenton sat still, petrified. 211

‘Look at him, sitting there. Can hear us but is sooooo scared.’212

Jenton stiffened. 213

‘Who are you?’ He faintly said. 214

‘We’re all around you silly.’215

Jenton looked around in the dark, even though this did not the slightest bit of good. 216

‘There is no-one here but me.’ He sighed. 217

‘Of course there is. You were leaning against us when you first came here.’ 218

Jenton shook his head, his neck limp, eyes half closed. He felt so sleepy, and thought he was dreaming. He sleepily went and pinched himself. Nope, that hurt. He was awake. 219

‘Come on Jenton, you know as well as us who is talking, you just don’t want to admit it, like you didn’t want to admit cheating in your physics exam.’ 220

‘How did you know that?’ He asked groggily. 221

‘We know everything.’ The voices giggled, seeming to get louder and louder. 222

‘Who are you?’ He asked again. 223

‘Ah, Jenton, giving up so easily. Never one to play games were you. We shall tell you. We are but the ones with staring eyes, with missing parts, with the smell... we are surrounding you. The ones who were brought here first.’ 224

‘Oh God.’ Jenton feebly said, ‘The bodies. Why are you not attacking me? Kill me, please, don’t leave me suffering so.’ 225

‘If you want to die so badly why do you drink our blood in your sleep? Why do you mutter about things in your sleep?’ 226

‘Kill me, just.... kill me.’ Jenton begged, ‘Don’t let me suffer anymore.’ 227

The bodies started laughing, a ghost of a whisper of a laugh at first, gradually getting louder and louder, until it felt like Jentons head was going to burst in the fury of it all. 228

******Two days later ****** 229

Jenton had no recollection of getting moved from the hell-hole, as he called it, to the nurses’ wing. As far as he could think, in his feeble minded way, he was still in that place, that purgatory. He muttered to himself, telling them to ‘leave me alone, kill me now.’ 230

He had a shock when he opened his eyes. He was almost blinded by the sight of white. It wasn’t a particularly bright white, but a vivid contrast to his last surroundings all the same. He had to force his eyes open, little bit at a time. He tried to sit up, but was tied down somehow. He craned his head to the left, and saw that his left wrist had been tied up to the head of the bed. His right hand had been subjected to the same treatment. He looked down at his feet. They too, were tied. 231

He shouted, screamed, sobbed, heaving himself against the ropes. A nurse came running over to stop him from injuring himself even further. His injuries had been tended to, his infections cleaned, and bandaged. Jenton was not thinking straight, still in his own personal hell. He did not register the nurse as a good person in his mind, just as someone to get away from. As the nurse tried to comfort him, he tried to bite her, his legs vainly moving to try to kick her. She called for assistance, and Jenton was overwhelmed seeing an extra two people trying to hold him down. He struggled against his bindings, howling in terror. Swiftly acting, one of the nurses produced a large needle, and jabbed it into his fleshy thigh, producing instant calm. Jenton longer felt terrified, just relaxed and sleepy. 232

When he next awoke, twelve hours later, the ward he was on was in semi darkness. He eased open his swollen eyelids, and looked around as far as his bindings would allow. A nurse sat at the other end of the small room, looking at some unfinished paper work, sighing in frustration. Another bed was directly in front of his, but this was empty, much to Jentons relief. He lifted his head off the pillow as far as he could, which hurt terribly, but he was still determined. Instead of a blanket covering him, Jenton wore only some boxers, and could see the full extent of damage. His legs were covered in big, black bruises, with swollen, open cuts. What wasn’t bandaged was littered with bruises. His stomach was painfully thin, and bruised too. He could feel this when he breathed in and out. He looked at his right arm, and saw a massive bandage covering it from wrist to shoulder. It ached alot, so he figured that he must have done some damage to it. His left arm was similar, but the bandage was thinner. He could see the blood seeping through it, as well as some yellowy looking pus. He started to shake, and moaned in horror. 233

‘Oh, God, what is that?!’ He called in fright, ‘Get it off me!’ 234

The nurse was up and over before he had uttered his first syllable. 235

‘What’s wrong, dear?’ She asked kindly, putting her glasses back on her nose from where they had fallen. 236

‘Everything!’ He yelled, ‘Where am I?’ 237

‘Sssh, ssh dear. You have had an accident. You need to get some rest.’ She soothed. 238

‘Why am I tied up?’ He asked haggardly. 239

‘We didn’t want you hurting yourself in your sleep, did we, or wandering off through the rooms. It might hurt those nasty injuries you gave yourself, mightn’t it?’ 240

‘I didn’t do these!’ Jenton protested. 241

The nurse shook her head patronisingly. 242

‘We’ll have no lies in this place, dear.’ She clucked, ‘Now, come on, back to sleep you go.’ 243

‘Let me out!’ He called, ‘Where am I? What am I doing here?’ 244

The nurse looked at him angrily. 245

‘You are supposed to be in bed asleep whilst I get some of my work done! You went insane in your room, and hurt yourself very badly. You are in the asylum, just as you have been for a very long time. Now, be quiet, or do you want me to drug you to sleep again?!’ 246

Jenton lay there, too scared to speak, knowing she would indeed carry out her promise. So, he was still there. He had no idea of the length of time he had been there. 247

‘Can I phone someone, please?’ He whispered. 248

‘No, it’s against the rules. Inmates are not allowed to phone outside. Only outsiders are allowed to call into the asylum. Now, I’m not saying again, GO BACK TO SLEEP.’ 249

There was not one chance that Jenton would sleep that night. 250

A week was how long he lay there. One solid week of lying on his back, with nothing to do but contemplate his fate and stare at the ceiling. He had not been allowed to get dressed, and the one time his tyings had been removed had been a disaster. The minute the nurses back had been turned he got out of bed, and staggered to the door. It ended with a nasty scene with one of the nurses forever having a scar across her face, and Jenton with an extra broken rib. He lay in stony silence, refusing to answer the nurses queries, refusing to eat, until they force fed him through tubes. The humiliation was more deep felt than his injuries. His superficial wounds were beginning to heal nicely, the infected ones even better than the nurses originally thought, and there was some talk of him being moved back into the proper wing. 251

Jenton shook his head furiously. 252

‘I don’t belong in there!’ He rasped, ‘Let me out!’ 253

His throat stung with the lack of use, making him cough painfully. 254

One of the nurses walked over and gave him a sip of water. 255

‘I’ll call the police!’ He called, ‘Just let me get a telephone, anything, please!’ 256

The nurse shook her head, ‘Come on, don’t be silly, you know you’re not allowed a phone in here. Come on, lie back, you must be tired.’ 257

‘Sick and tired of being in here! Tired of what? Lying, staring at the ceiling? Thinking about all the reasons why you lot should be in prison! Let me out, damn you!’ He started to bang his head as hard as he could against the pillow; the only effect was making himself feel slightly sick. 258

‘Now, you stop that right away!’ The nurse cried, grabbing the sides of his head, and shoving it back in place. ‘You do that again and I will make you sleep!’ 259

He knew what that meant, he had been ‘made’ to sleep many times that week. Once simply for giving the nurse a dirty look. He felt for all the patients he had ever seen in movies and on television, but not for long for he was in his own horror movie. He silently seethed, spitting at the nurse as she went past. Lucky for him she wasn’t as mean as the other nurses, though she could give him a sly slap when she thought no-one was looking. 260

When the nurses believed his injuries had been wrapped up and healed sufficiently, he was given permission by the matron of the mini hospital to be taken onto the main wing of the building. Jenton was happy at the thought he could finally move around, yet had not bargained for the watchful eyes on every corner. The first time he tried running down the hall he fell flat on his face for he was simply not used to walking in such a long time. This landed him with a kick in the small of his back, winding him painfully. He gasped and wheezed all the way to his ‘new room.’ Once there, he was thrown onto the small iron bed, with strict instructions to keep quiet and not move. Once they had locked the door behind them Jenton was straight up and looking out of the window above him. The window was small, and was only on the first floor. Alas for him, it was also covered with thick, heavy, black iron bars. He grabbed this and started shaking them with all his might, but they did not move even a millimetre. When the staff came once more to pick him up for lunch, he screamed at them, and tried forcing his way past them. This earned him more ‘sleep.’ 261

Jenton awoke woozily from his drug induced haze and sat up at the sound of someone unlocking his door. 262

‘Come on, you. Don’t you dare give me any hassle.’ Said the nurse coming to collect him. 263

It was the same one with the strict hairstyle he had seen the day he had entered the place. 264

‘You remember me?’ He asked her quickly, quietly. 265

‘Excuse me?’ She said sharply. 266

‘You met me and my friend, at the gates, when I first came here.’ He said thickly, still a little drugged up. 267

The nurse smiled at him, ‘I don’t know what you are on about you little mad man, come on, tea time.’ 268

Jenton made yet another break for it when she bent down to tie up her shoelace. She tore after him, and he nearly made it to the front entrance if it hadn’t been for the fact that one of the other patients bumped into him from the other direction. 269

Jenton howled in frustration as yet again he was sharply kicked, this time in the stomach, and dragged back to his room. 270

As he was put back onto his bed, the nurse replied, 271

‘Any more of this, and it will be back to the manager with you!’272

Jenton lay there shivering, determined to stay alive, to not anger them anymore. He could put up with anything, anything, but not that. Those bodies haunted every dream he had, every escape plan, every memory. He lay there terrified, and suddenly remembered something vitally important. 273

The cleaning lady. 274

Jenton sat up straight in a hurry. 275

‘The cleaner!’ He almost shouted in joy, stifling himself just in time. Seeing the darkness fall down outside, he decided to simply lie down, and try to fall asleep, rather than being forced to take loads of drugs. It would have been his first ‘normal’ sleep in a long time. 276

Jenton awoke early the next morning, determined to get hold of the cleaner as soon as she came on her shift. She said that she came onto the wards during the recreation times, so he would grab hold of her then. When the two male nurses came to take him down to breakfast, they were armed ready with their syringes, in case he tried to leg it again. But Jenton let them take one each of his arms, and walked quietly down to his breakfast. 277

Breakfast seemed to be a quiet affair. Each inmate sitting at a table with three others. All were quiet, and hardly spoke at one another. They ate their breakfasts quietly, and with hardly any noise. When it was over, they stacked their plates at the side and walked quickly into the large hallway that was next door. Jenton was very surprised by the way they all acted. All quiet, all sullen, not one out of place. Why? 278

He followed them into the next place. It was a large, airy hall, with a couple of comfy sofas, and chairs dotted about the place. The windows were large, but these had bars on, which were to be expected. There were some games stacked in the corner, and a telly in the other corner. The patients simply sat on the sofa, hardly any of them going to go to get any games. 279

Jenton sat on one of the comfy chairs, right next to a man who looked like he had seen better days. His clothing was rough and dirty, his beard unkempt. 280

‘Hello.’ Said Jenton, looking nervously at him. 281

The man turned to him, ‘I don’t belong here.’ 282

Jenton smiled and nodded, not knowing what to believe. 283

The man saw his smile, and growled, ‘Think what you like, retard, but I don’t belong in here. I’m not bloody insane!’284

‘How long have you been here?’ 285

‘Three years, three bloody years.’ 286

Jenton looked at him in horror. 287

‘How did you get here?’ 288

‘Undercover, wasn’t it. Got told there was something happening, I investigated, almost died under that manager, and got sent here.’ 289

Jenton shook his head. The stories were definitely true. They were all saying the same thing. He got up out of his chair and asked another man sitting on his own why he was there. The odd one or two were definitely insane, but the rest of them seemed as normal as he did. 290

His head was whirling in a mass of mad thoughts as he tried to unscramble what was going on there. From what he recalled in the cellar, he thought the manager wanted their bodies, to use them as parts. But why would all the people say the same story? Were the brain washed? 291

‘Yes, just over there, you can see there is a little spillage, just in the corner.’ The nurse said, pointing to where Jenton sat. 292

A woman wearing an apron, and rubber gloves came in, wheeling her trolley through the throng of patients. It was her. The inmates stared at her, eyes hateful. 293

Without a sound, Jenton watched her come past him, and start working on the stain just underneath the window. He crept round to her, and she saw him straight away. 294

He tapped her on the shoulder, making her start. 295

‘Oh good God.’ She said, clutching her sponge, ‘What is it you want?’ 296

‘It’s me, remember?’ Jenton said urgently, ‘Come on, from a few weeks ago, have you got the tape recorder? The stories are true, they are all true! I was beaten up so badly I nearly died, I nearly starved to death. There are bodies down in the cellar, the cellar I tell you!’ 297

The cleaner gave him a strange look. 298

‘Mrs Lathon, I’m telling you. I nearly died here! Have you called my friend, I gave you his number, I’ll give it to you again, please call him and get me out of here!’ 299

‘Is there a problem here?’ Asked the stern nurse, coming and standing over Jenton as he looked earnestly at the cleaner. 300

‘Please!’ Jenton shouted, ‘You know what I’m talking about, why are you playing dumb? Get me out of here!’ 301

The cleaner stood up, as Jenton was wrestled to the ground by the nurse and another helper. 302

Jenton started shouting at her, ‘You bitch, you know what I’m talking about. You know who I am. I was beaten almost to death, shoved in with bodies, almost died of starvation. HELP ME!’ 303

The cleaner went up to him, and took his hand, an evil glint in her eye. 304

‘Poor dear,’ She said, smiling a little, ‘I’ll get someone in to investigate.’ 305