A Feigned Madness by Tonya Mitchell

Author:Tonya Mitchell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC041000 FICTION / Biographical (*); FIC014000 FICTION / Historical / General
Publisher: Cennan Books of Cynren Press
Published: 2020-10-06T00:00:00+00:00

My mind was unraveling. There were no mirrors, but I knew the vapid look of listlessness, of despair, was written on my face as plainly as it was on the others’. Anyone who arrived at Blackwell’s Asylum who endured the long days, the inadequate food, the harsh treatment, would eventually succumb. It was only a matter of time.

Now that I knew that going outside was a possibility each day, I was devastated to awaken to foul weather. I wasn’t fooled, though. The doctors didn’t restrict our time outdoors on cold, wet days to preserve our health; it was the nurses who didn’t like to venture outdoors when it was too raw for their comfort, though they wore more layers and heavier coats than the inmates.

We talked of food, Anne, Tillie, Molly, and I. We voiced our cravings and tried to outdo each other. We concocted exquisite delicacies—roast mutton, cured ham with pineapple, bread pudding, apple pie with ice cream—to amuse ourselves. It spiked our hunger, but it passed the time.

Anne’s persistent request was for nothing more exotic than a fresh red apple. We laughed. Surely she could think of something more delicious than an apple! Pork chops perhaps. Or stew. But Anne was steadfast.

Like a diminutive Ellis Island, Hall Six bustled with activity when new inmates arrived by ferry. Each day I awaited the hour when it arrived to see if any new unfortunates would join our ranks. Molly considered it her personal mission to offer sympathy and ask questions of the latest arrivals. As long as she was sly about it, the nurses didn’t meddle. As I wanted to learn as much as I could from the newcomers, I sat next to Molly often.

On the fourth day, a young woman arrived. After she handed over a small suitcase and her coat, she took a seat. Her eyes darted around the room, and the restless energy of her limbs kept her moving on her bench almost constantly. She reminded me of a deer, ready to run from the room at the slightest sound. Most telling, however, was the large bruise on her cheek, and another on one of her wrists, which, when she saw that I had noticed, she attempted to hide by pulling her shirtwaist sleeve down.

Nurses McCarten and Grupe, seated at the nurses’ table, were reading through the woman’s paperwork, which a nurse had handed over when she’d arrived. The newcomer didn’t appear to notice.

“I’m Molly.” She reached over and offered her hand. The young woman shrank back. Molly dropped her arm. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean anything by it. I was just trying to be a friend.” A quick glance at the nurses’ table, then “You’ll need one in this place.”

The woman paled and met my eyes. “She’s right,” I said. “You’re among friends here.”

For a brief instant, she seemed to relax.

Nurse McCarten looked up, her eyes narrowed to slits, as she considered the woman. A devious smile formed on her face. She rose and waddled over, stopping in front of her, hands on her ample hips.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.