Sorry for the delay, Sprinkles. Unfortunately the Asylum Letters have been postponed due to my darling computer being at the computer shop. As soon as I get it back I will give the letter it's finishing touches and post it ASAP but until then I want to leave you with something. So I'm going to give an excert from my own journal. Enjoy.
JS.
5/24/10
This is the third time I've tried to fall asleep but yet again I have failed. I am being teased by slumber and I don't understand why. It's almost three and I need to attempt to get some sleep. I have so much to do in the morning. I have a nice cold glass of milk and my window is open to let the air in. It smells like rain, amazing. I need to do something but what? I've been thinking about writing some poems for C.C. because May just finished with one. It was a nice little limerick I just don't know what to talk about. I did write a poem a few weeks ago but I think I'll do some editing to it before showing May. It's sooo late. Wait a second...since I'm being an insomniac maybe I could write about that. But not a simple rhyming poem. No. Too easy. Haiku...hmm...no. What haven't I done? I'm flipping through Emilie's Your Sugar Sits Untouched. Maybe this will give me an idea. I've always loved Ghost. I've got it now. I will do a sonnet. Now how does one do a sonnet. Thank the Dear Divine Above for Google. This should be easy enough. Now how to start this?
Insomnia, a sonnet
Racing thoughts spinning in my brain
Sounds seem to loop throughout the night
Slumber never comes even with eyes shut tight
Wondering now if I have gone insane
The minutes fly by, the beast un-slain
Soon the dawn will bring it’s early light
I curse as I try to doze in spite
Knowing that this task is in vain
I pull the covers over my head
Take slow breaths to slow my heart
Relax the muscles and pray for sleep
The moment comes, I feel cozy in my bed
I can’t help but smile as my slumber starts
Seconds away from bliss when the alarm beeps
I think I did pretty well. (Several drawings were involved in this. Leeches and cupcakes. Keys, sprinkles, and many more. Wish I could post a picture.) It's pretty late. I'll attempt to go to sleep again.
Good night,
JS.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Just A Little Taste
The photoshoot was amazing. We had a nice time with an amazing photographer named Karlo X. Ramos.
We went to back to Jefferson where all this magic happened. We're going to get the rest of the photos later this week so we'll post the rest when we get them. So for now here is just a little taste of what we have in store for you.
J.S.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Asylum Letter V
Hello my lovely sprinkles! Jay Scarlet here with a new Asylum Letter. I'm so sorry that this has taken so long to post. I hope you can forgive me :3. Anyway here is our next letter. Enjoy.
J.S.
Asylum Letter V from Lizzie Lobotomy from the Bastille Asylum for Misfits and Miscreants
Her Story
Many people believe that my father runs the Bastille Asylum but in truth I’m the one who’s in control. No one suspects sweet and innocent Elizabeth Smyth of any misdeeds. And why should they? And one day soon I’ll own the Asylum. I’ll probably have to marry before that. I’d rather not but it’s the only way to move forward in this day and age. At one point in time my father wanted to marry the Asylum founder’s son, Eriq.
The Bastilles had been owners of the Asylum for generations. Father had met Henry Bastille while learning medicine and the two became fast friends. They both had a vision of curing the world of all diseases. I don’t know where my mother was in this dream. She died soon after giving birth to me. Father never remarried. Monsieur Bastille and Eriq had been in our lives for as long as I could remember. I was about eight years old when all that changed.
When I was younger, Father and Monsieur Bastille would take turns living at the Asylum. Every six months they would switch. There is a small little house that is behind the Asylum where we could sleep and bathe, and we took our meals from the Dining Hall. Father would act as my teacher and I took my lessons in his office along with Eriq and Monsieur Bastille. Father hardly ever let me near the inmates. He was always so afraid that I would be frightened by them but it was quite the opposite. I was intrigued by these strange people and I wanted to know more about them. And soon I would.
One day Eriq and I were bored from sitting in Father’s office, so we decided to explore the Asylum. Well, I decided to explore the Asylum. Eriq hated being anywhere by himself. He was such a mousy little boy. He was three inches smaller than me and easily terrified. His unruly brown hair was always sticking up because Eriq would pull on it when he was nervous. Eriq jumped at the slightest sound and he would scream as well. This is why I had gagged him before we headed down the corridor.
The Asylum is a vast place so it’s easy to get lost. There are four wards, A-D. A is for the women, B is for the men, C is for the more unique patients of either sex, and D is for the most hostile patients. Besides the wards, there are other rooms such as the Dining Hall, Leech Room, Operating Room, Solitary Confinement, Hydro-Therapy, Father and Bastille’s laboratory, the orderlies quarters and both of the offices. And outside we have a fairly large courtyard where the patients from wards A and B take separate walks a few times a week. The ward C hardly ever steps outside of the Asylum and if they do they are heavily shackled. Ward D, however, never leaves their cells.
It had been such a long time since I was able to explore the Asylum. Father kept such a close eye on me but every now and then work had to be done. I tugged on Eriq’s hand and led him down to Ward C. I loved going down to see the inmates of Ward C. They were such fascinating creatures. As we pushed through the doors Eriq pleaded behind the gag of sock and twine I had given him. His blue eyes darted back and forth between the cells.
“What is it now you ninny?” I asked him. “Stop sniveling. They’re in cages. They can’t hurt you.” I pulled Eriq forward as we walked down the hall to the cells. “Think of it as a zoo but in this case it’s lunatics rather than animals.” Eriq’s eyes widened. “That was a joke you moron.”
There were rows of bars on either side of us. I watched in wonder while Eriq trembled in childish fear. There was a young girl with no eyebrows in the first cell. She was singing in a slow whispering voice, something about the man that kissed her. Another cell there was a man with white and black hair, his voice was in a constant growl but his posture was anything but feral. There was also a small woman whose voice quivered as she spoke and she skipped around her cell. There were some people who tried to grab at us or scream at us, there were people that wept in the corner, and there were people begging to die. I was filled with fascination and sorrow for these people. This was the moment where I became resolved to one day become the head of the Asylum and help these people.
My arm felt heavy and I could see that Eriq was crying on the floor. “Get up, Eriq.” I said trying to pull him up. “Stop whining.” I removed his gag.
“Je veux retourner.” He coughed.
“What?”
“I want to go back.” He said. “I don’t like it here.” I pulled him up.
“Fine.” I sighed. “We’ll go, but no more crying.” Eriq sniffed and nodded.
We made our way back through the Ward C door and back to Father’s office. Eriq cleaned his face and we continued with our lessons. We were almost done when the door burst open. It was Monsieur Bastille, his eyes blazing. Father followed soon after and spoke to Bastille, in French. Eriq’s eyes darted back and forth between the two. I hated not knowing what they were saying. Bastille then grabbed Eriq by the arm and dragged him out the door.
“What’s going on?” I watched Eriq stare back at me. His eyes were different this time, a mixture of shock and hurt. They turned a corner and I never saw either of them again.
Now I am a young woman of seventeen and I work as a nurse at the Asylum. Father lets me help with making and mixing medicine, and the other chemicals, as well as helping with assisting with all the lobotomies. I felt like I was actually accomplishing something. Although things would have been better if Scarlet hadn’t come here. His, and Naughty’s, snarky comments were becoming too much lately. At least his cellmate, May-May Macabre, kept quiet most of the time. Unless it’s Bath Day and you try to comb through that rat nest of hair.
I’m required to visit Ward C at least six times a day. As I prepared to make my final round I stopped by Father’s office. I knocked on the door before entering. Father had his head buried in papers. His left hand was gripping some of his hair as he wrote down something.
“Is everything alright?” I asked him. Father looked up.
“Elizabeth. What are you doing here?” He rose from his seat. “Shouldn’t you be finishing up for the night?”
“I was just about to do that.” I said. “But I was wondering if I could borrow some of chloroform.”
“What for?” He asked making his way to me.
“In case any of the inmates are restless.” I lied. “I’ll have Davidson and Marcus helping me tonight but I’d rather put the inmates to sleep rather than have them beaten to unconsciousness.”
“Alright then.” Father turned a nearby cabinet and pulled out a blue bottle. “Here you are.” I took the bottle.
“Thank you, Father.” I said. “I’ll start on my rounds now.” I was about to leave when he stopped me.
“Elizabeth.” My father said putting his hand on my shoulder. “I want you to know that I’m very proud of you.” I turned to face him.
“Thank you, sir.” I said. Father had never said that to me before.
“Now, go finish your rounds.”
“Yes, sir.” I bowed my head.
“I love you, Elizabeth.” He said.
“I love you too, Father.”
I walked down through Ward C with the orderlies at either side of me. We had checked almost all the cells and so far everyone had been compliant. I checked all the cells and everything was going smoothly. All I had to do finish with Cell C and I could move on to my plans for that night.
“Alright, boys, time for bed!” I called out as I turned the key to the cell door. Suddenly I hand shot out and grabbed my arm, knocking the key away.
“LOBOTOMY!” He cried out. It was Scarlet. His eyes were red and full of fear. I tried to break his grip but it was ironclad.
“Jay let go of her!” I looked to see May-May trying to pry Scarlet’s hand from me. “He’s been acting strange for the last hour or so. I think he’s having a fit.” Scarlet gripped my arm harder.
“Listen to me.” He said with his eyes on mine. “Something horrible is about to occur, something that will send this entire place into a spiraling bloody end. You have to listen to me!” The orderlies scrambled for the key. Useless men. I would have to subdue him myself. I tried to reach for the blue bottle in my pocket.
“I see death.” Scarlet moaned, his hand still gripping tight. “All I see is death. There will be blood, so much blood.” Finally he released his grip and then covered his ears. “I can still hear the sounds of their screaming. They’re all screaming.”
I managed to uncork the bottle. Some of the liquid spilled on my apron but it was just enough. I ripped my apron and pushed it into Scarlet’s face. He coughed and swayed before falling to the ground. May-May rushed to his side.
“Now if you two would make yourselves useful.” I said to the guards. “Take Scarlet to Solitary for next few days. I’ll see if Dr Smyth can do with his medication.” Finally the men opened the cell. May-May looked up and headed to the corner of the cell. “And I better not hear from you for the rest of the night, understand?” He nodded. “Good.”
The guards picked up the unconscious inmate and headed down the hall. I slammed the cell door and headed to the orderlies quarters to change. I had to look presentable for tonight.
To be continued….
Lizzie Lobotomy
J.S.
Asylum Letter V from Lizzie Lobotomy from the Bastille Asylum for Misfits and Miscreants
Her Story
Many people believe that my father runs the Bastille Asylum but in truth I’m the one who’s in control. No one suspects sweet and innocent Elizabeth Smyth of any misdeeds. And why should they? And one day soon I’ll own the Asylum. I’ll probably have to marry before that. I’d rather not but it’s the only way to move forward in this day and age. At one point in time my father wanted to marry the Asylum founder’s son, Eriq.
The Bastilles had been owners of the Asylum for generations. Father had met Henry Bastille while learning medicine and the two became fast friends. They both had a vision of curing the world of all diseases. I don’t know where my mother was in this dream. She died soon after giving birth to me. Father never remarried. Monsieur Bastille and Eriq had been in our lives for as long as I could remember. I was about eight years old when all that changed.
*****
When I was younger, Father and Monsieur Bastille would take turns living at the Asylum. Every six months they would switch. There is a small little house that is behind the Asylum where we could sleep and bathe, and we took our meals from the Dining Hall. Father would act as my teacher and I took my lessons in his office along with Eriq and Monsieur Bastille. Father hardly ever let me near the inmates. He was always so afraid that I would be frightened by them but it was quite the opposite. I was intrigued by these strange people and I wanted to know more about them. And soon I would.
One day Eriq and I were bored from sitting in Father’s office, so we decided to explore the Asylum. Well, I decided to explore the Asylum. Eriq hated being anywhere by himself. He was such a mousy little boy. He was three inches smaller than me and easily terrified. His unruly brown hair was always sticking up because Eriq would pull on it when he was nervous. Eriq jumped at the slightest sound and he would scream as well. This is why I had gagged him before we headed down the corridor.
The Asylum is a vast place so it’s easy to get lost. There are four wards, A-D. A is for the women, B is for the men, C is for the more unique patients of either sex, and D is for the most hostile patients. Besides the wards, there are other rooms such as the Dining Hall, Leech Room, Operating Room, Solitary Confinement, Hydro-Therapy, Father and Bastille’s laboratory, the orderlies quarters and both of the offices. And outside we have a fairly large courtyard where the patients from wards A and B take separate walks a few times a week. The ward C hardly ever steps outside of the Asylum and if they do they are heavily shackled. Ward D, however, never leaves their cells.
It had been such a long time since I was able to explore the Asylum. Father kept such a close eye on me but every now and then work had to be done. I tugged on Eriq’s hand and led him down to Ward C. I loved going down to see the inmates of Ward C. They were such fascinating creatures. As we pushed through the doors Eriq pleaded behind the gag of sock and twine I had given him. His blue eyes darted back and forth between the cells.
“What is it now you ninny?” I asked him. “Stop sniveling. They’re in cages. They can’t hurt you.” I pulled Eriq forward as we walked down the hall to the cells. “Think of it as a zoo but in this case it’s lunatics rather than animals.” Eriq’s eyes widened. “That was a joke you moron.”
There were rows of bars on either side of us. I watched in wonder while Eriq trembled in childish fear. There was a young girl with no eyebrows in the first cell. She was singing in a slow whispering voice, something about the man that kissed her. Another cell there was a man with white and black hair, his voice was in a constant growl but his posture was anything but feral. There was also a small woman whose voice quivered as she spoke and she skipped around her cell. There were some people who tried to grab at us or scream at us, there were people that wept in the corner, and there were people begging to die. I was filled with fascination and sorrow for these people. This was the moment where I became resolved to one day become the head of the Asylum and help these people.
My arm felt heavy and I could see that Eriq was crying on the floor. “Get up, Eriq.” I said trying to pull him up. “Stop whining.” I removed his gag.
“Je veux retourner.” He coughed.
“What?”
“I want to go back.” He said. “I don’t like it here.” I pulled him up.
“Fine.” I sighed. “We’ll go, but no more crying.” Eriq sniffed and nodded.
We made our way back through the Ward C door and back to Father’s office. Eriq cleaned his face and we continued with our lessons. We were almost done when the door burst open. It was Monsieur Bastille, his eyes blazing. Father followed soon after and spoke to Bastille, in French. Eriq’s eyes darted back and forth between the two. I hated not knowing what they were saying. Bastille then grabbed Eriq by the arm and dragged him out the door.
“What’s going on?” I watched Eriq stare back at me. His eyes were different this time, a mixture of shock and hurt. They turned a corner and I never saw either of them again.
******
Now I am a young woman of seventeen and I work as a nurse at the Asylum. Father lets me help with making and mixing medicine, and the other chemicals, as well as helping with assisting with all the lobotomies. I felt like I was actually accomplishing something. Although things would have been better if Scarlet hadn’t come here. His, and Naughty’s, snarky comments were becoming too much lately. At least his cellmate, May-May Macabre, kept quiet most of the time. Unless it’s Bath Day and you try to comb through that rat nest of hair.
I’m required to visit Ward C at least six times a day. As I prepared to make my final round I stopped by Father’s office. I knocked on the door before entering. Father had his head buried in papers. His left hand was gripping some of his hair as he wrote down something.
“Is everything alright?” I asked him. Father looked up.
“Elizabeth. What are you doing here?” He rose from his seat. “Shouldn’t you be finishing up for the night?”
“I was just about to do that.” I said. “But I was wondering if I could borrow some of chloroform.”
“What for?” He asked making his way to me.
“In case any of the inmates are restless.” I lied. “I’ll have Davidson and Marcus helping me tonight but I’d rather put the inmates to sleep rather than have them beaten to unconsciousness.”
“Alright then.” Father turned a nearby cabinet and pulled out a blue bottle. “Here you are.” I took the bottle.
“Thank you, Father.” I said. “I’ll start on my rounds now.” I was about to leave when he stopped me.
“Elizabeth.” My father said putting his hand on my shoulder. “I want you to know that I’m very proud of you.” I turned to face him.
“Thank you, sir.” I said. Father had never said that to me before.
“Now, go finish your rounds.”
“Yes, sir.” I bowed my head.
“I love you, Elizabeth.” He said.
“I love you too, Father.”
*****
I walked down through Ward C with the orderlies at either side of me. We had checked almost all the cells and so far everyone had been compliant. I checked all the cells and everything was going smoothly. All I had to do finish with Cell C and I could move on to my plans for that night.
“Alright, boys, time for bed!” I called out as I turned the key to the cell door. Suddenly I hand shot out and grabbed my arm, knocking the key away.
“LOBOTOMY!” He cried out. It was Scarlet. His eyes were red and full of fear. I tried to break his grip but it was ironclad.
“Jay let go of her!” I looked to see May-May trying to pry Scarlet’s hand from me. “He’s been acting strange for the last hour or so. I think he’s having a fit.” Scarlet gripped my arm harder.
“Listen to me.” He said with his eyes on mine. “Something horrible is about to occur, something that will send this entire place into a spiraling bloody end. You have to listen to me!” The orderlies scrambled for the key. Useless men. I would have to subdue him myself. I tried to reach for the blue bottle in my pocket.
“I see death.” Scarlet moaned, his hand still gripping tight. “All I see is death. There will be blood, so much blood.” Finally he released his grip and then covered his ears. “I can still hear the sounds of their screaming. They’re all screaming.”
I managed to uncork the bottle. Some of the liquid spilled on my apron but it was just enough. I ripped my apron and pushed it into Scarlet’s face. He coughed and swayed before falling to the ground. May-May rushed to his side.
“Now if you two would make yourselves useful.” I said to the guards. “Take Scarlet to Solitary for next few days. I’ll see if Dr Smyth can do with his medication.” Finally the men opened the cell. May-May looked up and headed to the corner of the cell. “And I better not hear from you for the rest of the night, understand?” He nodded. “Good.”
The guards picked up the unconscious inmate and headed down the hall. I slammed the cell door and headed to the orderlies quarters to change. I had to look presentable for tonight.
To be continued….
Lizzie Lobotomy
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Casanova Cupcake Birthday Adventures
Hello, Sprinkles. This past weekend was May-May's birthday. We had an amazing time at one of the most haunted towns in Texas. Jefferson. There, after an impressive burlesque show by your's truly, we went shopping and went on the annual Ghost Walk through the town. Here are some pictures.
Here we have the railroad that runs through the town. I always have had a thing for them.
Now this was a goof up on my camera but doesn't this look amazing. This could have easily been a ghost. May-May swears someone or something grabbed his arm while we were taking pictures. Too bad the culprit didn't show up in the picture. Guess he was shy.
This former saloon was the most haunted thing we saw all night. As we left to go to our next destination the lights flicker on and off. There was no one inside the building. Very creppy.
Another haunted building. It has been abandoned for years and it's only use is storage. Here we all heard several strange whispers.
Here was one of the churches we saw. I just love the stained glass dove.
From this point we went on the Ghost Walk. We were taken all around the town to some of the local paranormal hot spots. As our guide told us "places with a lot of history usually have the most activity". Not only that but we also took our trip during a full moon. Apparently the engery from this can help people sense or see the ghosts.
Here was our last stop at the tour. Our guide told us that she was terrified of this place. The owners of the house said that they have learned to live with the ghosts here. It was a very interesting trip. May-May had a good time and that's all that matters to us.
The next Asylum Letter will be up in a few days or so.
J. S.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Asylum Letter IV
Sorry for the delay, sprinkles. My little laptop has been getting over a virus. We have the latest installment of the Asylum Letters. Read it, enjoy it, and love it.
Icing kisses,
JS
Asylum Letter IV from May-May Macabre at the Bastille Asylum for Misfits and Miscreants
Feeding Time.
I looked at the smiling young woman in front of the cell. Her dark hair was pulled back behind her white nurse cap. She wore a simple black colored gown and a white apron over it. She had white stockings and black shoes. A silver crucifix dangled from her neck. Jay managed the slip the brick back into place without the woman noticing. Her lavender-like eyes passed over to me.
“Well, well, well, who do we have here?” She smiled. Was I supposed to respond to that?
“May-May Macabre, madam.” I whispered and gave a small nod.
“That’s an interesting name for an interesting boy.” She said. “Good thing you were admitted today. Tomorrow is Bath Day and we’ll have to do something with that hair of yours.” My hands quickly came up to my head. “It’s just such a mess. We’ll have to straighten it out.” Her grin suggested something sinister; thankfully I had Jay with me.
“What do you want, Lobotomy?” He asked.
“That’s Elizabeth, Scarlet.” She snapped.
“My apologies, Lizzie.” He smirked.
“You better learn some respect.” Lizzie Lobotomy spat at him. Jay chuckled and walked to the bars of our cell.
“When are you going to realize that you don’t scare me?” he laughed. “You can poison me with all your pills and potions or lock me away in Solitary but I’ll still be smiling. You want to know why? Because one day soon I’ll see you behind these bars, Lizzie, and when that day comes you’ll see how much respect we all have for you.”
“You amuse me, Jay.” Lizzie smiled. She looked down to see the unconscious guard. “Playing ‘Straight Jacket’, Naughty?”
“What can I say?” He shrugged. “I’m a fool for big dumb men, but you know all about that don’t you, Lizzie?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Mmm…sure you do.” Naughty smiled as he passed his hand down the bars. “Late at night, when the Doctor Sodheim is working on his case notes, you slink in and help him relax.” He chuckled at this. “We can hear you screaming throughout the whole asylum.”
“Horace! Jasper!” She cried and the guards rushed over. “Take this rat to the bleeders. I bet the leeches are very hungry for you.”
“Well of course they are.” Naughty said. “I’m delicious.” The guards opened the cell door and quickly shackled him. “But seriously, Lizzie, you should learn to be quieter. We all know each other’s screams by now.” He smirked. The nurse slapped him across the face. The entire mad house was silent for a few moments. Naughty, or maybe it was Jay, threw his head back and laughed as the orderlies carried him off.
“Remember one thing, May!” Jay shouted. “Your mind can take you anywhere in the world! The moon, the royal courtyard, or even the ocean…” He stopped struggling and the guards took him out the doors. There was something odd about that last bit…almost as if Jay knew about my past. But that’s impossible. He couldn’t know about that…could he?
“So…May-May…” I looked to see Lizzie Lobotomy looking me up and down. “What brings you to our lovely establishment?”
“I was taken here after being found on a beach.” I said. “I had made several fires throughout my lifetime and Chief of Medicine believes that is insane.”
“I’d watch what you say about, Dr. Smyth.” Lizzie smirked. “I have a special relationship with him.” I cocked my eyebrow. “He’s my father.” She said in a deadpan voice. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”
“Then why is your last name…?”
“My father lets me assist in all the asylum’s lobotomies.” She smiled. “Thus my nickname at the hands of inmate C319 or Scarlet to you.”
“I could think of better one for you.” I said.
“Really?” She asked.
“Nurse Kitty.” I smiled and playful stretch my hand like a cat stretching it’s paw.
“Come again?”
“Because you’re catty and you move like a cat.” I explained. “I could swear I saw a thin black tail swish behind you when I you first came in.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment…” Lizzie said staring at me, quite confused. “You seem like a good boy. If you promise to stay that way I can make your life here much more enjoyable.” I took a step back from the bars. “But if you become a nuisance like Scarlet…well…you don’t want that to happen.”
The sound of heavy feet echoed throughout the hall. I glanced over to see two new guards emerge from the far end. I looked over to Lizzie. Our eyes met before she turned back to the guards.
“Guards, take the patient to Dr. Purge. He needs to get his first feeding over with.” She gave me a smirk. “Try not to scream or thrash about.” The guards unlocked the door and reached in for me. Each one took my wrist. The look in the nurse’s eyes told me not to resist. I was quickly pulled out of my cage
“It seems a little early for supper.” I said.
“Who said anything about you eating?” A smile slowly came to Lizzie’s face. “And when I told you not to make a fuss? I wasn’t just talking about the guards.” She patted my cheek and then wiped it on her apron. Lizzie Lobotomy turned on her heel and headed down the opposite. “And when you’re done with the boy, take care of Emmet.” She sighed. The guards nodded and proceed to take me down the hall where Jay had recently gone down.
Again, I was taken down a series of twists and turns and more halls before we pushed through the final door. Inside the room were a few metal slabs. Straps were on either side of the slabs. There were a few wooden chairs with straps on the arms as well. I saw a few shelves but my eyes were transfixed on the ground. The floor was filthy. It had rusty brown streaks all over. I could see that another door lead out of the room into something else. A deeper chamber perhaps? The guards forced me over to one of the wooden chairs. They forced me down into it. In a flash my hands, feet, and neck were all bound by thick leather straps. It was pointless to fight them off but still I tried. Because of this a strange metal cage was put on my head. I was at their mercy.
“Wer, who this?” I looked up to see a short, bald, skeletal man. The Asian man beamed at me and clapped his boney hands happily. He wore a dirty white coat that covered all but his black shoes.
“New arrival, Dr. Purge.” One of the guards said. “The Chief of Medicine wants him properly bled.”
“Goody!” The small man exclaimed. “Don’t wowee, I take cawuh him.” The guards nodded and left the room. I did my best not to tremble. “So, you have name?”
“Y-yes sir.” I stammered. “It’s May-May—”
“QUIET!” He screamed at me. “To me you nothing but food fow babies.”
“P-pardon?”
The man slowly swayed to one of the shelves and hummed to himself. He picked up a stool and climbed so he could reach one of many jars. He hopped down with a heavy jar. I heard liquid sloshing inside. Beads of sweat began to fall from my face. What was he going to do to me? Dr. Purge set the jar down and slipped on some gloves. He smirked at me and in a flash produced what I would later come to know as a scalpel.
“I know I need no cut for babies.” He said bringing the blade to my arm. “But it fun.” Quickly he made several tiny cuts along both my arms. I bit my lip down so I wouldn’t cry out. “Now, feeding time.”
The strange man began to giggle and then he dipped his gloved hand into the jar. He pulled out several squirming black slug-like creatures. Dr. Purge placed them on each of my cuts. I felt teeth sink into me. I held back my screams. I wasn’t here. It was a dream. It was just a terrible dream. I was back with my family, back at sea with my captain.
When I was a young boy I lived in a small village in Ireland. I had a father and mother but I hardly have any memories of them. I was so little when I left. I was on the beach near our house. I was playing with some sticks and shells when I came upon a small rowing boat. It was beginning to get late and I was very tired so I climbed upon the boat. I found a white blanket and I covered myself with it and soon I was asleep. I awoke to the sound of someone yelling, a woman. I rubbed my eyes and opened to see an amazing creature before me. Her hair was orange, like fire, and her skin was milky white. She was small and slender but she seemed so strong. Maybe it was the way she was yelling at the several men that stood around her. I crawled out of the small boat and saw that I was on a ship. The sails billowed in the wind and I could hear the sea roar all around us. I took in the sea air and sighed happily.
“Who is this here?” I looked up to see the woman towering over me. “How in blue blazes did this kid get here?” She looked down at me. “How did you get on my ship?” I was silent because I really didn’t know.
“Well boys.” She said. “Looks like we have a stowaway…what should we do with him?”
Several of the men wanted to throw me off the ship but the woman just looked at me.
“We are in need of a cabin boy.” She said to the men. “And he looks like he could be a hard worker.” Some of the men groaned. “And if he does a bad job then we can throw him off the ship.” This got a few cheers. “Now, boy, what is your name?” I told her. “No, that not nearly good enough of a name to be on my ship. Let’s see…how about…May-May?” She looked at me again. “That seems fitting. May-May Macabre. How do you like that?”
“Very much, Miss…?”
“We’ll have none of that.” She said. “I am your captain, Captain Mad Ness. I will be called that or just ‘Captain’. Understand?” I nodded. “Good then. Now if you are a good cabin boy then I’ll take care of you.” Captain patted my head. I smiled. This would be the first in many happy years.
I felt the cold hard floor as I was tossed back into my cell. The room was spinning and I felt so tired and hungry.
“You’ll get used to it after a while.” I looked up to see Jay staring out the window. It was dark outside, the rain poured down and some of it fell into our home but Jay didn’t seem to mind though.
“Why do they do this?”
“Leech us?” Jay asked. “Because they believe all sickness lies in the blood. If they keep draining us then maybe we’ll be cured.” He looked over to me. “Did you take my advice and think of a better place?”
“Yes…I did.” I mumbled.
“What did you think of?” I didn’t say anything. I was so tired. “The sea?” I sat up despite the room spinning. “Thought so.” He said to himself.
“How did you know?” I asked him but Jay ignored my question and just continued staring at the rain.
“Something is about to happen.” He said. “Someone’s coming.”
Sincerely,
May-May Macabre
Icing kisses,
JS
Asylum Letter IV from May-May Macabre at the Bastille Asylum for Misfits and Miscreants
Feeding Time.
I looked at the smiling young woman in front of the cell. Her dark hair was pulled back behind her white nurse cap. She wore a simple black colored gown and a white apron over it. She had white stockings and black shoes. A silver crucifix dangled from her neck. Jay managed the slip the brick back into place without the woman noticing. Her lavender-like eyes passed over to me.
“Well, well, well, who do we have here?” She smiled. Was I supposed to respond to that?
“May-May Macabre, madam.” I whispered and gave a small nod.
“That’s an interesting name for an interesting boy.” She said. “Good thing you were admitted today. Tomorrow is Bath Day and we’ll have to do something with that hair of yours.” My hands quickly came up to my head. “It’s just such a mess. We’ll have to straighten it out.” Her grin suggested something sinister; thankfully I had Jay with me.
“What do you want, Lobotomy?” He asked.
“That’s Elizabeth, Scarlet.” She snapped.
“My apologies, Lizzie.” He smirked.
“You better learn some respect.” Lizzie Lobotomy spat at him. Jay chuckled and walked to the bars of our cell.
“When are you going to realize that you don’t scare me?” he laughed. “You can poison me with all your pills and potions or lock me away in Solitary but I’ll still be smiling. You want to know why? Because one day soon I’ll see you behind these bars, Lizzie, and when that day comes you’ll see how much respect we all have for you.”
“You amuse me, Jay.” Lizzie smiled. She looked down to see the unconscious guard. “Playing ‘Straight Jacket’, Naughty?”
“What can I say?” He shrugged. “I’m a fool for big dumb men, but you know all about that don’t you, Lizzie?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Mmm…sure you do.” Naughty smiled as he passed his hand down the bars. “Late at night, when the Doctor Sodheim is working on his case notes, you slink in and help him relax.” He chuckled at this. “We can hear you screaming throughout the whole asylum.”
“Horace! Jasper!” She cried and the guards rushed over. “Take this rat to the bleeders. I bet the leeches are very hungry for you.”
“Well of course they are.” Naughty said. “I’m delicious.” The guards opened the cell door and quickly shackled him. “But seriously, Lizzie, you should learn to be quieter. We all know each other’s screams by now.” He smirked. The nurse slapped him across the face. The entire mad house was silent for a few moments. Naughty, or maybe it was Jay, threw his head back and laughed as the orderlies carried him off.
“Remember one thing, May!” Jay shouted. “Your mind can take you anywhere in the world! The moon, the royal courtyard, or even the ocean…” He stopped struggling and the guards took him out the doors. There was something odd about that last bit…almost as if Jay knew about my past. But that’s impossible. He couldn’t know about that…could he?
“So…May-May…” I looked to see Lizzie Lobotomy looking me up and down. “What brings you to our lovely establishment?”
“I was taken here after being found on a beach.” I said. “I had made several fires throughout my lifetime and Chief of Medicine believes that is insane.”
“I’d watch what you say about, Dr. Smyth.” Lizzie smirked. “I have a special relationship with him.” I cocked my eyebrow. “He’s my father.” She said in a deadpan voice. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”
“Then why is your last name…?”
“My father lets me assist in all the asylum’s lobotomies.” She smiled. “Thus my nickname at the hands of inmate C319 or Scarlet to you.”
“I could think of better one for you.” I said.
“Really?” She asked.
“Nurse Kitty.” I smiled and playful stretch my hand like a cat stretching it’s paw.
“Come again?”
“Because you’re catty and you move like a cat.” I explained. “I could swear I saw a thin black tail swish behind you when I you first came in.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment…” Lizzie said staring at me, quite confused. “You seem like a good boy. If you promise to stay that way I can make your life here much more enjoyable.” I took a step back from the bars. “But if you become a nuisance like Scarlet…well…you don’t want that to happen.”
The sound of heavy feet echoed throughout the hall. I glanced over to see two new guards emerge from the far end. I looked over to Lizzie. Our eyes met before she turned back to the guards.
“Guards, take the patient to Dr. Purge. He needs to get his first feeding over with.” She gave me a smirk. “Try not to scream or thrash about.” The guards unlocked the door and reached in for me. Each one took my wrist. The look in the nurse’s eyes told me not to resist. I was quickly pulled out of my cage
“It seems a little early for supper.” I said.
“Who said anything about you eating?” A smile slowly came to Lizzie’s face. “And when I told you not to make a fuss? I wasn’t just talking about the guards.” She patted my cheek and then wiped it on her apron. Lizzie Lobotomy turned on her heel and headed down the opposite. “And when you’re done with the boy, take care of Emmet.” She sighed. The guards nodded and proceed to take me down the hall where Jay had recently gone down.
Again, I was taken down a series of twists and turns and more halls before we pushed through the final door. Inside the room were a few metal slabs. Straps were on either side of the slabs. There were a few wooden chairs with straps on the arms as well. I saw a few shelves but my eyes were transfixed on the ground. The floor was filthy. It had rusty brown streaks all over. I could see that another door lead out of the room into something else. A deeper chamber perhaps? The guards forced me over to one of the wooden chairs. They forced me down into it. In a flash my hands, feet, and neck were all bound by thick leather straps. It was pointless to fight them off but still I tried. Because of this a strange metal cage was put on my head. I was at their mercy.
“Wer, who this?” I looked up to see a short, bald, skeletal man. The Asian man beamed at me and clapped his boney hands happily. He wore a dirty white coat that covered all but his black shoes.
“New arrival, Dr. Purge.” One of the guards said. “The Chief of Medicine wants him properly bled.”
“Goody!” The small man exclaimed. “Don’t wowee, I take cawuh him.” The guards nodded and left the room. I did my best not to tremble. “So, you have name?”
“Y-yes sir.” I stammered. “It’s May-May—”
“QUIET!” He screamed at me. “To me you nothing but food fow babies.”
“P-pardon?”
The man slowly swayed to one of the shelves and hummed to himself. He picked up a stool and climbed so he could reach one of many jars. He hopped down with a heavy jar. I heard liquid sloshing inside. Beads of sweat began to fall from my face. What was he going to do to me? Dr. Purge set the jar down and slipped on some gloves. He smirked at me and in a flash produced what I would later come to know as a scalpel.
“I know I need no cut for babies.” He said bringing the blade to my arm. “But it fun.” Quickly he made several tiny cuts along both my arms. I bit my lip down so I wouldn’t cry out. “Now, feeding time.”
The strange man began to giggle and then he dipped his gloved hand into the jar. He pulled out several squirming black slug-like creatures. Dr. Purge placed them on each of my cuts. I felt teeth sink into me. I held back my screams. I wasn’t here. It was a dream. It was just a terrible dream. I was back with my family, back at sea with my captain.
****
When I was a young boy I lived in a small village in Ireland. I had a father and mother but I hardly have any memories of them. I was so little when I left. I was on the beach near our house. I was playing with some sticks and shells when I came upon a small rowing boat. It was beginning to get late and I was very tired so I climbed upon the boat. I found a white blanket and I covered myself with it and soon I was asleep. I awoke to the sound of someone yelling, a woman. I rubbed my eyes and opened to see an amazing creature before me. Her hair was orange, like fire, and her skin was milky white. She was small and slender but she seemed so strong. Maybe it was the way she was yelling at the several men that stood around her. I crawled out of the small boat and saw that I was on a ship. The sails billowed in the wind and I could hear the sea roar all around us. I took in the sea air and sighed happily.
“Who is this here?” I looked up to see the woman towering over me. “How in blue blazes did this kid get here?” She looked down at me. “How did you get on my ship?” I was silent because I really didn’t know.
“Well boys.” She said. “Looks like we have a stowaway…what should we do with him?”
Several of the men wanted to throw me off the ship but the woman just looked at me.
“We are in need of a cabin boy.” She said to the men. “And he looks like he could be a hard worker.” Some of the men groaned. “And if he does a bad job then we can throw him off the ship.” This got a few cheers. “Now, boy, what is your name?” I told her. “No, that not nearly good enough of a name to be on my ship. Let’s see…how about…May-May?” She looked at me again. “That seems fitting. May-May Macabre. How do you like that?”
“Very much, Miss…?”
“We’ll have none of that.” She said. “I am your captain, Captain Mad Ness. I will be called that or just ‘Captain’. Understand?” I nodded. “Good then. Now if you are a good cabin boy then I’ll take care of you.” Captain patted my head. I smiled. This would be the first in many happy years.
****
I felt the cold hard floor as I was tossed back into my cell. The room was spinning and I felt so tired and hungry.
“You’ll get used to it after a while.” I looked up to see Jay staring out the window. It was dark outside, the rain poured down and some of it fell into our home but Jay didn’t seem to mind though.
“Why do they do this?”
“Leech us?” Jay asked. “Because they believe all sickness lies in the blood. If they keep draining us then maybe we’ll be cured.” He looked over to me. “Did you take my advice and think of a better place?”
“Yes…I did.” I mumbled.
“What did you think of?” I didn’t say anything. I was so tired. “The sea?” I sat up despite the room spinning. “Thought so.” He said to himself.
“How did you know?” I asked him but Jay ignored my question and just continued staring at the rain.
“Something is about to happen.” He said. “Someone’s coming.”
Sincerely,
May-May Macabre
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Asylum Letter III
So sorry, Sprinkles. I've been really busy lately and I just could not find the time to post. But here is the next installment of the Asylum Letters. Enjoy
J. S.
Asylum Letter III from May-May Macabre at the Bastille Asylum for Misfits and Miscreants
The Second Arrival
As I sat down in my chair, shackled with two gorilla-like men hovering over me, I couldn’t help but notice that I might be in bigger trouble than what I once thought. A man with a black patch over his left eye sat behind his desk and starred at me. He was clean shaven and his hair was an inky black. There was a golden monocle over his good eye. This man, this doctor, was my judge, jury, and if things went wrong, my executioner.
“I’ve looked over your file, my boy.” The man said. “To be perfectly honest, I’m surprised that you’re not swinging from the gallows.” That made two of us. “Let’s just get through this a quickly as possible. It seems that the church were you were baptized was also set on fire and most of the records were destroyed. I’m going to need your name.”
“May-May Macabre, sir.” He looked up from his paper.
“Excuse me?”
“May-May Macabre.” He removed his monocle.
“I am in no joking mood. It says here that there was a couple, a Julian and Margret Fawn. He was a merchant and she was a seamstress. It says that they had a son matching your description, however his records and yours records were destroyed in the church fire.”
“That wasn’t my fault.” I added. “I was at sea when that happened.” I felt a one of the men’s hand strike my head.
“There will be no need for that, Horace.” The doctor said. “Why don’t you tell me about your parents?”
“I don’t remember them at all, sir.” The doctor shook his head. “I’m very sorry but I never heard these Fawns. I believe my parents were Irish, if that helps?”
“Somewhat. You were found on the beach, where did you live before you coming here?” I shrugged. “You have no recollection whatsoever?” I shook my head. “Do you at least know how old you are?”
“I believe sixteen, sir.”
The doctor nodded.“Let’s just move this along. You are an arson?” I nodded. “In your time over the past few months you have burned down a scarecrow, a barn, several abandoned houses, a wooden statue of a local governor, and a few miles of crop fields.”
“That is true, sir.” I forced myself not to smile.
“And surprisingly enough no one was injured. Why do you insist on setting things aflame?” I shrugged.
“It makes me happy, sir.” I looked out to the glorious sun. “The flames and the embers speak to me. They whisper sweet songs. I like to watch how something as big as house or a barn, or something as small as a doll, is easily reduced to ashes by something as insignificant as a match. It’s mind boggling. Not only that but the smell of a fresh struck match or ashes just makes me shudder with joy.” I sighed happily.
“I think that will be enough for today.” The doctor said. “Gentlemen please escort, Mister Macabre to the Block C, Cell three.” I was grabbed the elbows and hoisted up. The men took me out of the office and down the long hallway. We took several twists and turns down. One of the men was laughing. When I asked him why he told me this:
“Because you’re going to be with Scarlet. How long do you think this little on’ will last, ‘orace?”
“About three minutes, Jasper, if even that.” The man saw my terrified expression. “You noticed the patch Dr. Smyth wears? Scarlet did that to him on his first day here. He should be in Block A with the other hostile little buggers here but the doc won’t send him away just yet. The doctor finds his condition interesting.”
They both continued to laugh at my fate. I was taken to a very white, very bright, room and told to strip. All my belongings that were on my person (my torches, a needle, and thread, and three matchbooks) were now in a small box. I was given dirty looking rags as clothes and worn down slippers. They forced my down another hallway and through another door with a C over it. We pressed through the door. Cries echoed throughout the prison.
“SHUD UP YOU GITS!” Horace shouted. Most of them quieted.
We finally stopped at Cell number three. I couldn’t see anyone inside the cell. Jasper said that maybe this Scarlet person was in something called Solitary. They unlocked the door and my shackles before tossing me the cell. I struck my chin and the hard stone ground. I could already taste the blood in my mouth. My eyes began to tear up for a second until I heard something move around the cell. Some light poured into the cell and something moved in front of me. I could barely make out the silhouette that stood before me.
“How shall it be handsome?” I heard the person say to me. I could see it was a young man. He kneeled to me.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“Depends on what time of day you’re asking me.” He said. “Currently? Well, you can call me Naughty.” He lifted my chin. “Aww, sweetheart, are you hurt? Do you want me to make it all better?” Slowly he leaned in when suddenly Naughty jerked away from me knocking me backwards.
“Naughty, stop it.” He said to the wall. “He’s just a child. He’s probably frightened and confused.” Naughty turned right around.
“I wasn’t going to do anything to him.” He scoffed. “I was just welcoming the boy to his new home.”
“He doesn’t need that from you.” He said to the wall.
“Trying to have him all to yourself?” Naughty asked. He rolled his eyes and offered his hand to help me up.
“Sorry about that. Naughty usually isn’t this bad.” He brushed off the dust on my shoulder. “Jay Scarlet, please to meet you.” He shook my hand.
“May-May Macabre.” I replied. “Begging your pardon but I thought you were Naughty?”
“No, that’s my alternate personality.” He winked at me. “Sorry, that was him too. What are you in for May?” He asked walking to the barred window.
“Arson.” I was somewhat nervous in asking him my next question. “What about you?”
“For the murder of my cheating wife and my late employer, her fuck buddy, and for harming the Chief of Medicine. Along with that my burlesque dancing is deemed ‘immoral’ and therefore insane. Oh and having another person living inside my head.” He stepped on the tips of his toes.
I don’t know what the guards were talking about. Jay didn’t seem as horrible as they had made him. A bit eccentric, and blunt, but not horrible. And even Naughty, if he was real, just made me slightly uncomfortable. Jay gave a heavy sigh and began to tap his feet on the ground. What was looking for?
“Hey, kid.” I looked up. “Want to play Straight Jacket?”
“Naughty…” Jay sighed but Naughty skipped over to the bars of our cell.
“Hey, Emmet!” He called. “Emmie!” Soon a young guard walked by the bar. “You missed me? I’ve been missing you.” The guard started to walk away but Naughty grabbed his arm. “No goodbye kiss? How rude.” The guard looked around the hall. “I won’t say anything.”
“Naughty…” Jay mumbled under his breath.
The guard nodded. “You see, May-May, this is how you play.” He put one arm around the guard’s neck. “Straight.” He put his other arm around. “Jack.” The guard slowly began to lean in. “Et!” Naughty slammed the guard’s head against the bars. The halls echoed with a bang. The guard slumped to the ground.
“Stupid, Emmet. He never learns.” He looked at me. “You want to play now?” Maybe I was mistaken.
“Cat!” Jay cried. He rushed to the window. “There you are.” A skeletal black and white striped cat slunk through the barred window with a small sack in it’s teeth.
I walked over and petted the cat. “What’s his name?”
“I’ve never gotten around to naming him.” Jay said. “But he’s been very good to me. He brings me things from the outside. What is it you have today, kitty?” Jay opened the bag. “What is this?”
“Those are my torches!” I exclaimed. “Oh thank you…Phelicks. That’s what we’ll call you from now on.” I took my torches in my hands and hugged them to my chest. I had missed them so much.
“That’s a very fitting name, May.” Jay smiled. “I think we’re going to be very good friends.”
“ALRIGHT, BOYS, FEEDING TIME!” we heard a voice screech.
“Oh no, it’s Lizzie Lobotomy.” Jay gasped. “Quick give me your torches.” Jay placed Phelicks on the barred window. “Thank you Phelicks. I’ll make sure to save you biscuit from dinner. Now, scat.” The cat scampered off. “Now your torches.”
I hesitated but I gave them up to Jay. He moved swiftly to the far side of our cell and removed a block from the wall. I could see something red next to a stack of what looked like cards. Jay placed my torches in the alcove before placing the block back in place. He leaned against the wall, blocking the alcove, just when a young woman stopped in front of our cell.
“It’s ok, everyone, Mommy’s here with your pills.”
Sincerely
May-May Macabre
J. S.
Asylum Letter III from May-May Macabre at the Bastille Asylum for Misfits and Miscreants
The Second Arrival
As I sat down in my chair, shackled with two gorilla-like men hovering over me, I couldn’t help but notice that I might be in bigger trouble than what I once thought. A man with a black patch over his left eye sat behind his desk and starred at me. He was clean shaven and his hair was an inky black. There was a golden monocle over his good eye. This man, this doctor, was my judge, jury, and if things went wrong, my executioner.
“I’ve looked over your file, my boy.” The man said. “To be perfectly honest, I’m surprised that you’re not swinging from the gallows.” That made two of us. “Let’s just get through this a quickly as possible. It seems that the church were you were baptized was also set on fire and most of the records were destroyed. I’m going to need your name.”
“May-May Macabre, sir.” He looked up from his paper.
“Excuse me?”
“May-May Macabre.” He removed his monocle.
“I am in no joking mood. It says here that there was a couple, a Julian and Margret Fawn. He was a merchant and she was a seamstress. It says that they had a son matching your description, however his records and yours records were destroyed in the church fire.”
“That wasn’t my fault.” I added. “I was at sea when that happened.” I felt a one of the men’s hand strike my head.
“There will be no need for that, Horace.” The doctor said. “Why don’t you tell me about your parents?”
“I don’t remember them at all, sir.” The doctor shook his head. “I’m very sorry but I never heard these Fawns. I believe my parents were Irish, if that helps?”
“Somewhat. You were found on the beach, where did you live before you coming here?” I shrugged. “You have no recollection whatsoever?” I shook my head. “Do you at least know how old you are?”
“I believe sixteen, sir.”
The doctor nodded.“Let’s just move this along. You are an arson?” I nodded. “In your time over the past few months you have burned down a scarecrow, a barn, several abandoned houses, a wooden statue of a local governor, and a few miles of crop fields.”
“That is true, sir.” I forced myself not to smile.
“And surprisingly enough no one was injured. Why do you insist on setting things aflame?” I shrugged.
“It makes me happy, sir.” I looked out to the glorious sun. “The flames and the embers speak to me. They whisper sweet songs. I like to watch how something as big as house or a barn, or something as small as a doll, is easily reduced to ashes by something as insignificant as a match. It’s mind boggling. Not only that but the smell of a fresh struck match or ashes just makes me shudder with joy.” I sighed happily.
“I think that will be enough for today.” The doctor said. “Gentlemen please escort, Mister Macabre to the Block C, Cell three.” I was grabbed the elbows and hoisted up. The men took me out of the office and down the long hallway. We took several twists and turns down. One of the men was laughing. When I asked him why he told me this:
“Because you’re going to be with Scarlet. How long do you think this little on’ will last, ‘orace?”
“About three minutes, Jasper, if even that.” The man saw my terrified expression. “You noticed the patch Dr. Smyth wears? Scarlet did that to him on his first day here. He should be in Block A with the other hostile little buggers here but the doc won’t send him away just yet. The doctor finds his condition interesting.”
They both continued to laugh at my fate. I was taken to a very white, very bright, room and told to strip. All my belongings that were on my person (my torches, a needle, and thread, and three matchbooks) were now in a small box. I was given dirty looking rags as clothes and worn down slippers. They forced my down another hallway and through another door with a C over it. We pressed through the door. Cries echoed throughout the prison.
“SHUD UP YOU GITS!” Horace shouted. Most of them quieted.
We finally stopped at Cell number three. I couldn’t see anyone inside the cell. Jasper said that maybe this Scarlet person was in something called Solitary. They unlocked the door and my shackles before tossing me the cell. I struck my chin and the hard stone ground. I could already taste the blood in my mouth. My eyes began to tear up for a second until I heard something move around the cell. Some light poured into the cell and something moved in front of me. I could barely make out the silhouette that stood before me.
“How shall it be handsome?” I heard the person say to me. I could see it was a young man. He kneeled to me.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“Depends on what time of day you’re asking me.” He said. “Currently? Well, you can call me Naughty.” He lifted my chin. “Aww, sweetheart, are you hurt? Do you want me to make it all better?” Slowly he leaned in when suddenly Naughty jerked away from me knocking me backwards.
“Naughty, stop it.” He said to the wall. “He’s just a child. He’s probably frightened and confused.” Naughty turned right around.
“I wasn’t going to do anything to him.” He scoffed. “I was just welcoming the boy to his new home.”
“He doesn’t need that from you.” He said to the wall.
“Trying to have him all to yourself?” Naughty asked. He rolled his eyes and offered his hand to help me up.
“Sorry about that. Naughty usually isn’t this bad.” He brushed off the dust on my shoulder. “Jay Scarlet, please to meet you.” He shook my hand.
“May-May Macabre.” I replied. “Begging your pardon but I thought you were Naughty?”
“No, that’s my alternate personality.” He winked at me. “Sorry, that was him too. What are you in for May?” He asked walking to the barred window.
“Arson.” I was somewhat nervous in asking him my next question. “What about you?”
“For the murder of my cheating wife and my late employer, her fuck buddy, and for harming the Chief of Medicine. Along with that my burlesque dancing is deemed ‘immoral’ and therefore insane. Oh and having another person living inside my head.” He stepped on the tips of his toes.
I don’t know what the guards were talking about. Jay didn’t seem as horrible as they had made him. A bit eccentric, and blunt, but not horrible. And even Naughty, if he was real, just made me slightly uncomfortable. Jay gave a heavy sigh and began to tap his feet on the ground. What was looking for?
“Hey, kid.” I looked up. “Want to play Straight Jacket?”
“Naughty…” Jay sighed but Naughty skipped over to the bars of our cell.
“Hey, Emmet!” He called. “Emmie!” Soon a young guard walked by the bar. “You missed me? I’ve been missing you.” The guard started to walk away but Naughty grabbed his arm. “No goodbye kiss? How rude.” The guard looked around the hall. “I won’t say anything.”
“Naughty…” Jay mumbled under his breath.
The guard nodded. “You see, May-May, this is how you play.” He put one arm around the guard’s neck. “Straight.” He put his other arm around. “Jack.” The guard slowly began to lean in. “Et!” Naughty slammed the guard’s head against the bars. The halls echoed with a bang. The guard slumped to the ground.
“Stupid, Emmet. He never learns.” He looked at me. “You want to play now?” Maybe I was mistaken.
“Cat!” Jay cried. He rushed to the window. “There you are.” A skeletal black and white striped cat slunk through the barred window with a small sack in it’s teeth.
I walked over and petted the cat. “What’s his name?”
“I’ve never gotten around to naming him.” Jay said. “But he’s been very good to me. He brings me things from the outside. What is it you have today, kitty?” Jay opened the bag. “What is this?”
“Those are my torches!” I exclaimed. “Oh thank you…Phelicks. That’s what we’ll call you from now on.” I took my torches in my hands and hugged them to my chest. I had missed them so much.
“That’s a very fitting name, May.” Jay smiled. “I think we’re going to be very good friends.”
“ALRIGHT, BOYS, FEEDING TIME!” we heard a voice screech.
“Oh no, it’s Lizzie Lobotomy.” Jay gasped. “Quick give me your torches.” Jay placed Phelicks on the barred window. “Thank you Phelicks. I’ll make sure to save you biscuit from dinner. Now, scat.” The cat scampered off. “Now your torches.”
I hesitated but I gave them up to Jay. He moved swiftly to the far side of our cell and removed a block from the wall. I could see something red next to a stack of what looked like cards. Jay placed my torches in the alcove before placing the block back in place. He leaned against the wall, blocking the alcove, just when a young woman stopped in front of our cell.
“It’s ok, everyone, Mommy’s here with your pills.”
Sincerely
May-May Macabre
Friday, July 30, 2010
Art Contest
Hello sprinkles!
Finally we have a winner for our art contest. And the winner is...VonWare! We'll be posting a video with our winner as well as an interview in just a few days so be in touch. Anyway here is some lovely photos that we took. Take a look.
Finally we have a winner for our art contest. And the winner is...VonWare! We'll be posting a video with our winner as well as an interview in just a few days so be in touch. Anyway here is some lovely photos that we took. Take a look.
And here we have the winning piece. A beautiful painting of C.C.'s May-May Macabre and it's a it a sight to see.
kisses, sprinkles
Jay Scarlet
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Asylum Letter II
Here is the second installment of the Asylum Letters. Enjoy sprinkles. :3
Asylum Letter II from Mr. Jay Scarlet & Naughty at the Bastille Asylum for Misfits and Miscreants
Making Friends
I had the dream again. I was on the stage, spotlight blinding my eyes from the audience. I know they are there though, I still can hear their “oh”s and “ah”s. I turned to stage left and there she was, my love, the other half of my soul, Sarah. Her long silk raven hair was braided, her eyes had been shadowed by a light blue powder. Her corset was also blue, her arms were bare, and around her waist is a short black skirt. Her wonderful legs were covered with fishnet stockings and she wore black shoes with silver buckles. Sarah strutted across the stage before twirling into my arms. She gave me a soft kiss before stepping on the platform that led her up to the magical box that was next to me. Sarah gave a wink to the audience before lying down in the box. Sarah stuck her head out of the box and her legs popped out of the other side of it. I produced a saw. The audience gasped. Sarah smirked. She had nothing to fear because she wasn’t going to be cut. There was enough room for Sarah to bend her legs back so the saw would slip right by her and leave her without a scratch.
I took the saw and began to “cut” through the box. Sarah winced in mock pain and she screamed for me to hurry, something that we had discussed earlier backstage. The audience was petrified. I repressed a smile because that would give us away. The wood must have been thicker than usual because I had to put much more work into cutting it. Finally I had finished but then I noticed that the box was leaking something. The strange liquid was spilling on the stage and the pool was growing larger. I brought my white gloved hand to it and touched it. The white had been stained red. I turned to Sarah to see that her eyes were shut and her head was limp. I jumped up and threw open the locks to see that I had sawed fiancé in half.
The audience screamed and then next thing I knew an officer had me tackled to the ground and my wrists were locked into manacles. I stared at Sarah’s lifeless face, her mouth gapped open. Blood still trickled to the floor. A raspy voice called out to me. I looked up to see Sarah’s rotted, maggot infested corpse screaming at me.
“MURDERER!”
I woke up screaming. This caused more screaming to come from every direction. Soon orderlies began yelling at all of us to shut up. One actually struck me to ensure my silence. I shuddered in my cold corner of Hell. The shadow from the bars of my cell casted strange twisted shapes on the walls. It felt like that those people were still there. Watching me. Whispering. Calling me a killer. I brought my head to my knees and sobbed silently.
“Oh sweetie-baby, please don’t cry.” I heard him say.
I had only been at the Bastille Asylum for almost three months and ever since my first night here he has visited me.
“Leave me be.” I whispered.
“Sorry, didn’t catch that.”
“Leave me be!” I cried.
“SILENCE!” A titian of a man stood outside my cell. “If I hear you start up anything else I’ll have you thrown in Solitary. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal, sir.” I whispered. One man left me but the other didn’t leave me alone. I felt a hand on my head. It slowly stroked my hair.
“Bad dreams?” He asked. “No, that’s not it. One dream. One horrible nightmare that has plagued you since you came into this place.”
“Xander, please.” I whimpered trying to keep my gaze adverted.
“Why are you being so formal, Jay?” I felt his hand on my chin and then my eyes were at his level. “Please call me Naughty.”
Naughty could have been my twin. Same green eyes, same short brown hair, same scar under his brow, everything was the same. Well, almost the same. Naughty had one thing that I didn’t have. There were three red diamonds that were under his left eye.
“Why are you tormenting me?” I asked. Before he would only appear in reflective surfaces such as water, glass, or polished spoons. But as time went on Naughty was able to become tangible and materialize whenever he wanted and only I could see or feel him.
“What makes you think that I’m tormenting you?” There was some edge in his voice.
“You speak of things that I wish to forget.” I answered. “You…you take control and you hurt people.”
“What can I say?” Naughty grinned. “I like being on top.”
“But I’m the one that is being punished.” I hissed. “I keep getting punished for your crimes and it’s not fair. I wouldn’t be locked up in this…this...this mad house if it wasn’t for you.” Naughty’s hand gripped my hair and he threw my face against the wall.
“Don’t you dare talk to me like that again, Jason.” Naughty grabbed my arm and twisted. I whimpered. “If we’re going to play the blame game why don’t you look at yourself for once, huh?” He added another twist.
“What are you talking about?” I winced as he threw me to the ground. “How am I to blame for this?” Next thing I knew Naughty was on top of me.
“If you weren’t so spineless you wouldn’t have needed me.” His hand grabbed my throat. “You think I like being here? I hate it just as much as you do. But you couldn’t stomach some of the things you had to do, so I had to.”
“I don’t know what—”
“Stop lying!” Naughty shook me. “You were there when it happened!” He saw the confusion in my eyes.
“When that bitch violated our love, our trust, I was born. And I enjoyed killing her and that bastard.” Suddenly an image came to my mind. It was blurry at first. Two pale figures swaying. Finally the picture came into view. It was Sarah. My Sarah…and Ronald, my late manager, together. More than that. They were sleeping together.
“They were fucking.” Naughty corrected me. And he was right. Sarah was having an affair with another man.
“So…it wasn’t an accident…was it?” I said. “You tightened the straps in the box so she couldn’t escape and you let me kill her.” How could she have done this to me? When did everything go so wrong? And why? Why kill her?
“I thought it would make us whole again.” Naughty said as he sat himself up. “I missed being together and when that didn’t work I thought killing Mr. Manager would work. They were the ones that deserved to be punished. And instead of peace we got locked up.”
Images flashed before my eyes. Roland screaming, an axe in my hand, and my, or rather Naughty’s, bloody satisfaction paid in full. I smiled. “It isn’t all bad. At least the world is short two more lovers.”
Naughty turned around. “What? You aren’t upset?”
“I’m furious.” I chuckled. “But I have someone looking out for me. The brother I always wanted.” I placed my hand on his shoulder. “And I will find a way for us to be together again, I swear. Until then…why don’t we have some fun while we wait?”
Naughty smiled. “I’d like that.” He stood up and walked to the bars on my cell. He giggled as his hands glided across them. “I’d like that a lot. Mmm…so many, many innocents to corrupt. Are you fine with that?”
“Last time I checked I was single.” This made Naughty laugh louder.
“Look at you, Jay, playing with the big boys now.” Naughty turned his gaze to the darkness outside our cage. “Who should we play with first?”
“Whoever catches our fancy. May I ask you something?” He nodded. “The dancing was all you…wasn’t it?”
“We have the same body, Jay.” Naughty said. “You just lacked the practice. But now we have all the time in the world. We’ll be the best by then.”
“Sounds like a plan.” There was a sharp bang against the metal bars.
“I thought I told you to be quiet.” The giant bellowed. Naughty and I smirked. “What’s so funny?”
“He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with does he?” Naughty asked placing his hand on mine.
“I daresay he doesn’t.” I glanced over at the guard.
“Who are you talking to?” He questioned.
“Not to bright either.” I chuckled. “I wonder if he’s the biggest idiot here.” The orderly’s face went red. We both smirked to each other when he swung the door open. “Care to dance with the gentleman first?”
Naughty bowed his head. “Thank you, sir, I would be delighted.”
And for the first time I didn’t black out. Instead I watched and participated in bloodying up the ogre that dared to threaten us. And I smiled even when I was thrown into Solitary because I wasn’t alone. And I never would be again.
Sincerely trying to corrupt you,
Jay Scarlet
&
Naughty Scarlet
Asylum Letter II from Mr. Jay Scarlet & Naughty at the Bastille Asylum for Misfits and Miscreants
Making Friends
I had the dream again. I was on the stage, spotlight blinding my eyes from the audience. I know they are there though, I still can hear their “oh”s and “ah”s. I turned to stage left and there she was, my love, the other half of my soul, Sarah. Her long silk raven hair was braided, her eyes had been shadowed by a light blue powder. Her corset was also blue, her arms were bare, and around her waist is a short black skirt. Her wonderful legs were covered with fishnet stockings and she wore black shoes with silver buckles. Sarah strutted across the stage before twirling into my arms. She gave me a soft kiss before stepping on the platform that led her up to the magical box that was next to me. Sarah gave a wink to the audience before lying down in the box. Sarah stuck her head out of the box and her legs popped out of the other side of it. I produced a saw. The audience gasped. Sarah smirked. She had nothing to fear because she wasn’t going to be cut. There was enough room for Sarah to bend her legs back so the saw would slip right by her and leave her without a scratch.
I took the saw and began to “cut” through the box. Sarah winced in mock pain and she screamed for me to hurry, something that we had discussed earlier backstage. The audience was petrified. I repressed a smile because that would give us away. The wood must have been thicker than usual because I had to put much more work into cutting it. Finally I had finished but then I noticed that the box was leaking something. The strange liquid was spilling on the stage and the pool was growing larger. I brought my white gloved hand to it and touched it. The white had been stained red. I turned to Sarah to see that her eyes were shut and her head was limp. I jumped up and threw open the locks to see that I had sawed fiancé in half.
The audience screamed and then next thing I knew an officer had me tackled to the ground and my wrists were locked into manacles. I stared at Sarah’s lifeless face, her mouth gapped open. Blood still trickled to the floor. A raspy voice called out to me. I looked up to see Sarah’s rotted, maggot infested corpse screaming at me.
“MURDERER!”
*****
I woke up screaming. This caused more screaming to come from every direction. Soon orderlies began yelling at all of us to shut up. One actually struck me to ensure my silence. I shuddered in my cold corner of Hell. The shadow from the bars of my cell casted strange twisted shapes on the walls. It felt like that those people were still there. Watching me. Whispering. Calling me a killer. I brought my head to my knees and sobbed silently.
“Oh sweetie-baby, please don’t cry.” I heard him say.
I had only been at the Bastille Asylum for almost three months and ever since my first night here he has visited me.
“Leave me be.” I whispered.
“Sorry, didn’t catch that.”
“Leave me be!” I cried.
“SILENCE!” A titian of a man stood outside my cell. “If I hear you start up anything else I’ll have you thrown in Solitary. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal, sir.” I whispered. One man left me but the other didn’t leave me alone. I felt a hand on my head. It slowly stroked my hair.
“Bad dreams?” He asked. “No, that’s not it. One dream. One horrible nightmare that has plagued you since you came into this place.”
“Xander, please.” I whimpered trying to keep my gaze adverted.
“Why are you being so formal, Jay?” I felt his hand on my chin and then my eyes were at his level. “Please call me Naughty.”
Naughty could have been my twin. Same green eyes, same short brown hair, same scar under his brow, everything was the same. Well, almost the same. Naughty had one thing that I didn’t have. There were three red diamonds that were under his left eye.
“Why are you tormenting me?” I asked. Before he would only appear in reflective surfaces such as water, glass, or polished spoons. But as time went on Naughty was able to become tangible and materialize whenever he wanted and only I could see or feel him.
“What makes you think that I’m tormenting you?” There was some edge in his voice.
“You speak of things that I wish to forget.” I answered. “You…you take control and you hurt people.”
“What can I say?” Naughty grinned. “I like being on top.”
“But I’m the one that is being punished.” I hissed. “I keep getting punished for your crimes and it’s not fair. I wouldn’t be locked up in this…this...this mad house if it wasn’t for you.” Naughty’s hand gripped my hair and he threw my face against the wall.
“Don’t you dare talk to me like that again, Jason.” Naughty grabbed my arm and twisted. I whimpered. “If we’re going to play the blame game why don’t you look at yourself for once, huh?” He added another twist.
“What are you talking about?” I winced as he threw me to the ground. “How am I to blame for this?” Next thing I knew Naughty was on top of me.
“If you weren’t so spineless you wouldn’t have needed me.” His hand grabbed my throat. “You think I like being here? I hate it just as much as you do. But you couldn’t stomach some of the things you had to do, so I had to.”
“I don’t know what—”
“Stop lying!” Naughty shook me. “You were there when it happened!” He saw the confusion in my eyes.
“When that bitch violated our love, our trust, I was born. And I enjoyed killing her and that bastard.” Suddenly an image came to my mind. It was blurry at first. Two pale figures swaying. Finally the picture came into view. It was Sarah. My Sarah…and Ronald, my late manager, together. More than that. They were sleeping together.
“They were fucking.” Naughty corrected me. And he was right. Sarah was having an affair with another man.
“So…it wasn’t an accident…was it?” I said. “You tightened the straps in the box so she couldn’t escape and you let me kill her.” How could she have done this to me? When did everything go so wrong? And why? Why kill her?
“I thought it would make us whole again.” Naughty said as he sat himself up. “I missed being together and when that didn’t work I thought killing Mr. Manager would work. They were the ones that deserved to be punished. And instead of peace we got locked up.”
Images flashed before my eyes. Roland screaming, an axe in my hand, and my, or rather Naughty’s, bloody satisfaction paid in full. I smiled. “It isn’t all bad. At least the world is short two more lovers.”
Naughty turned around. “What? You aren’t upset?”
“I’m furious.” I chuckled. “But I have someone looking out for me. The brother I always wanted.” I placed my hand on his shoulder. “And I will find a way for us to be together again, I swear. Until then…why don’t we have some fun while we wait?”
Naughty smiled. “I’d like that.” He stood up and walked to the bars on my cell. He giggled as his hands glided across them. “I’d like that a lot. Mmm…so many, many innocents to corrupt. Are you fine with that?”
“Last time I checked I was single.” This made Naughty laugh louder.
“Look at you, Jay, playing with the big boys now.” Naughty turned his gaze to the darkness outside our cage. “Who should we play with first?”
“Whoever catches our fancy. May I ask you something?” He nodded. “The dancing was all you…wasn’t it?”
“We have the same body, Jay.” Naughty said. “You just lacked the practice. But now we have all the time in the world. We’ll be the best by then.”
“Sounds like a plan.” There was a sharp bang against the metal bars.
“I thought I told you to be quiet.” The giant bellowed. Naughty and I smirked. “What’s so funny?”
“He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with does he?” Naughty asked placing his hand on mine.
“I daresay he doesn’t.” I glanced over at the guard.
“Who are you talking to?” He questioned.
“Not to bright either.” I chuckled. “I wonder if he’s the biggest idiot here.” The orderly’s face went red. We both smirked to each other when he swung the door open. “Care to dance with the gentleman first?”
Naughty bowed his head. “Thank you, sir, I would be delighted.”
And for the first time I didn’t black out. Instead I watched and participated in bloodying up the ogre that dared to threaten us. And I smiled even when I was thrown into Solitary because I wasn’t alone. And I never would be again.
Sincerely trying to corrupt you,
Jay Scarlet
&
Naughty Scarlet
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Photo Shoot
Many apologies, sprinkles. We've been a bit busy here at the C.C. Lair, so we decided to do something productive and do another photo shoot. This one being called Casanova Cupcake's Tea Time Adventure. Hope you enjoy them. Feel free to comment. Regulary weekly post will continue next week.
Jay Scarlet
The shoot was a bit rushed due to the rain and the hot lamps that were used in the shoot, not to mention May May's fire sticks. Still we believe that the shoot went very well. We hope you all enjoy the photos. We had a wonderful time taking them.
Sincerely,
C.C.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Asylum Letter I
Here is my first letter from the institution...before the (smirk)...new management. It is very lengthy but well worth the read. I hope you enjoy it my tasty sprinkles.
Asylum Letter I from Mr. Jay Scarlet at the Bastille Asylum for Miscreants and Misfits.
The First Arrival
I had been taken out of a carriage and into this strange place. The Bastille Asylum for Miscreants and Misfits, it seemed a little blunt but oddly appropriate. I was deemed a miscreant by most people and I was most certainly a misfit. The entire building was completely grey and wrought iron gates surrounded the place. Hundreds of windows, and even some doors, were barred. When the carriage stopped I was taken up a small set of stairs before passing through one of the many gates at the asylum. Several locks and bolts twisted and turned as we passed. The two men who were escorting me wore matching black uniforms. I was told they were guards of some kind but to what they were to be guarding I was not informed. I was wearing my black slacks with matching socks and shoes. I wore my white dress shirt under my grey vest and my white fingerless gloves took care of my hands. My crimson coat was buttoned almost top. The only thing missing was my top hat.
I gazed up at one of the many spires about the asylum. Everything seemed to radiate gray and I was the only thing in color. But something unnerved me. More than the lack of color in this sad place, it was the odd familiarity I sensed from the building. I knew it. I had been inside and travelled down the dank corridors and passed my fingers down the cold iron bars.
I had dreamed of this place…and that terrified me.
I cocked my head in the direction of a middle-aged man who was at least in his forties. He had sleek black-like hair that glowed as the gray poured. He wore golden framed spectacles and a white shirt with a black vest. He stroked his beard as he thumbed through a thick red book. I noticed several papers on the mahogany desk that he sat behind. Most of it I couldn’t understand. There were many strange words that I did not know the meaning of. He shuffled through the pages and stacked them up neatly.
“Jason?” He asked again.
“Jay.” I corrected him.
“Beg pardon?” The doctor shifted in his seat.
“No one has called me Jason since my dear parents’ death. I would prefer that you would address me as Jay or Mr. Scarlet.” I gave him a small smile.
“Very well then.” He said nodding. “So then, Mr. Scarlet, do you know why you are here?”I shook my head. “Do you remember what happened the other night?” Again I shook my head. I had been having strange spells the past few months. One minute I would be in my home or with some acquaintances and in the next I would be somewhere else. Before it was just a few times but then slowly it began to worsen. Minutes would become hours and from there days then weeks. I had no idea what was happening to me. I went to a doctor earlier this year but he had no idea what was wrong with me. And this morning I was taken to Doctor. Smyth in hopes of figuring out what was wrong.
“What is the last thing you remember?”The doctor asked me. I thought for a moment.
“I had just come back from a performance....” I began.
“Performance? What is that you perform?” He asked.
“I used to be a stage magician.”I told him. “I wasn’t very good at my job...” Which was a complete understatement, I was horrible at my job. Because of my carelessness I lost my fiancé in a horrible accident. “I…I haven’t done illusions for some time now.”
“Then what is it you perform, Mr. Scarlet?” The doctor asked again.
“I dance.” I said simply. The doctor stared at me, perplexed. He gestured to me to explain. “I was very close to losing my home. I was approached by an old friend of mine, a manager. He told me that I could be on the stage again and I had missed the spotlight so very much. He owned a local theatre and he had several performers there. He asked me if I could contribute anything to his show and I told him I could dance.”
“What kind of dancing do you do, Mr. Scarlet?” Dr. Smyth asked as he wrote something down on one of the pieces of paper. I cleared my throat.
“Burlesque dancing.” The doctor stopped writing and looked up at me. I blushed slightly. After the incident I was in great need of a job. I was nearly thrown out into the streets when my former manager told me he was converting the theatre into a dance hall. He asked me if I wanted to be an usher or a body guard to the girls, but something inside me wanted to be on that stage again. I gave him an offer and within a few weeks I was a well practice fan dancer. I became fast friends with the girls and the money was very good. I was back on stage and I found the old happiness that I had missed so much.
“Forgive me, but…you are a man.” Very perceptive isn’t he? A voice in the back of my head said to me. I smile sheepishly.
“It helped with the payments.” I shrugged. “And I happen to have the talent for it.” The doctor removed his spectacles. “Forgive me but why does any of this matter? I was told that you had the answers to my sickness?”
The room became very quiet for a moment. “Do you know why you are here, Mr. Scarlet?”
“I’m here so you can help me.” I answered.
“You are somewhat correct.” The doctor said. “You’re here to receive help, but if I fail to cure you then you will hang—”
My eyes grew wide. “P-p-pardon?!” My heart began to beat wildly.
“—or you will spend the rest of your life in an insane asylum.”
“What…what is the meaning of this?” Both the guards set their hands on my shoulders.
“Mr. Scarlet…you killed a man last night.” My heart stopped for the briefest of moments. I could feel my entire body becoming limp. Words failed me. Nothing would escape my lips. This was a mistake. I was being confused for someone else. And then another thought came to my mind. Who had died? As if reading my thoughts, Dr. Smyth answered.“The deceased was one Ronald Crest. He owned a local theatre. If I am not mistaken it was the one where you are employed?” I could barely move but I was able to nod. “He was decapitated and his body was savagely mutilated.” I held back the bile that tried to force its way up my throat. “You were taken into police custody and imprisoned for three days before being brought here. Do you remember any of this?”
I shook my head. I barely remembered the carriage ride. What was going on? Finally I found my voice.
“Please, sir, you must believe me. I…I would never do something so horrid. Especially not a person I considered my friend.”
“I believe you, Jason.” Doctor Smyth said. “You are sick, my friend. Very sick.” He stood up and walked around his desk and stood before me. “You have, what we medical professionals call, multiple personality disorder.”
“Forgive me, Doctor. I am a learned man but I only know how to read and write. I do not understand this…disorder. Nor do I see what it has to do with me and…murder.” I shuddered at the word.
“I’ll explain.” The doctor went to a cupboard that was on the side of his desk. “You have another personality. Much like another person living inside your body.”
“Am I possessed?” I asked confused.
“No, nothing like that.” He said opening the door and removing a pocket watch from the cupboard. “This person is another part of your mind. A side of yourself that you have secretly wished to become but believe you cannot. So you created this alter ego and he has been taking control of your body.”
“So…he murdered Ronald?” The doctor nodded.“In theory, or perhaps you are just a demented psychopath.” He chuckled slightly
“How do I get rid of him?” I asked worriedly. “Please, Doctor, tell me you can cure me.”
“I can.” The doctor took his seat. “I will join your personas together again. But it will take time. Can you handle that Mr. Scarlet?” I nervously nodded. “Good. Now I am going to bring forth this other personality. I wish to speak with him.”
“How will you do that?” Dr. Smyth held up his silver pocket watch. “Your watch?”
“Focus on it.” I did as I was instructed. He slowly began to swing the watch back and forth. “Now clear you head. Listen to only my voice.” I nodded. “Now relax. Feel every part of your body begin to go limp. Your eyelids are starting to feel heavy are they not?” They were. I nodded as my eyes moved to the left then right then left again. “Now when I snap my fingers you will enter a deep trance. One….Two….Three.” I heard his fingers snap and then everything went dark.
“Mr. Scarlet? Mr. Scarlet can you still hear me?”
“Yes, doctor.” I mumbled.
“Do you see anything?” He asked. I looked in the darkness and I discovered a door.
“A door, sir.”
“I want you to open the door, Jason.” I wished he would stop calling me that. I moved towards the door and reached the knob. Suddenly the door began to shake. It banged and boomed as if someone or something was pounding on it.
“There is something there.” I said, my voice shaking. “I do not wish to open it.”
“You must. Open the door.”
“Please, Doctor, I’m afraid.” The door shook more violently.
“I believe in you. Now….Open the door.” His voice was more commanding now.
“No.”
“Open the bloody door!” He bellowed. Suddenly the door swung open. I was blinded by a bright light. I heard a scream and then….
I woke up on a cold stone floor. I heard the crash of thunder and I tried to move. I could feel shackles around my wrists. I rolled over on my back and saw that I was in a barred cell. The only light was the lightning that flashed every few seconds. Water from the storm splashed on my face. I was finally able to push myself against the stone wall and use it to help stand me up. I scanned the cell. I saw several beds around the area but I was the only person there. I stumbled to the bars. My right leg ached severely.
“Excuse me!” I called out when I reached the bars. “Hello? Please can someone let me out? Hello?” Suddenly cries echoed from every direction. Screams, curses, mocking pleas came at me. Where was I? I noticed that I wasn’t wearing the clothes I had on this morning. My clothes had been removed and I wore blackened grey clothes. A shirt with the sleeves cut midway and loose pants with no shoes. I saw that there was a small pool of rainwater by the window. I quickly moved over to it. I caught my reflection and I gasped. My face slightly bruised, as if someone had struck me. Then I noticed that there were several red specks on my face as well. What was it? And why did it look so familiar?
“Blood.” I heard someone say.
“Who said that?” I looked up and asked the darkness.
“I did.” The voice replied.
“Where are you?”
“Look into the water.” The voice gave a heavy bored sigh. I did. My eyes widen. My reflection smiled at me and waved. But I didn’t smile and I couldn’t wave as my hands were bound. My reflection brought his left hand to his lips and blew me a kiss.
“Hello, handsome.” He grinned.
Sincerely,
Jay Scarlet
Asylum Letter I from Mr. Jay Scarlet at the Bastille Asylum for Miscreants and Misfits.
The First Arrival
I had been taken out of a carriage and into this strange place. The Bastille Asylum for Miscreants and Misfits, it seemed a little blunt but oddly appropriate. I was deemed a miscreant by most people and I was most certainly a misfit. The entire building was completely grey and wrought iron gates surrounded the place. Hundreds of windows, and even some doors, were barred. When the carriage stopped I was taken up a small set of stairs before passing through one of the many gates at the asylum. Several locks and bolts twisted and turned as we passed. The two men who were escorting me wore matching black uniforms. I was told they were guards of some kind but to what they were to be guarding I was not informed. I was wearing my black slacks with matching socks and shoes. I wore my white dress shirt under my grey vest and my white fingerless gloves took care of my hands. My crimson coat was buttoned almost top. The only thing missing was my top hat.
I gazed up at one of the many spires about the asylum. Everything seemed to radiate gray and I was the only thing in color. But something unnerved me. More than the lack of color in this sad place, it was the odd familiarity I sensed from the building. I knew it. I had been inside and travelled down the dank corridors and passed my fingers down the cold iron bars.
I had dreamed of this place…and that terrified me.
*****
“Jason?” I cocked my head in the direction of a middle-aged man who was at least in his forties. He had sleek black-like hair that glowed as the gray poured. He wore golden framed spectacles and a white shirt with a black vest. He stroked his beard as he thumbed through a thick red book. I noticed several papers on the mahogany desk that he sat behind. Most of it I couldn’t understand. There were many strange words that I did not know the meaning of. He shuffled through the pages and stacked them up neatly.
“Jason?” He asked again.
“Jay.” I corrected him.
“Beg pardon?” The doctor shifted in his seat.
“No one has called me Jason since my dear parents’ death. I would prefer that you would address me as Jay or Mr. Scarlet.” I gave him a small smile.
“Very well then.” He said nodding. “So then, Mr. Scarlet, do you know why you are here?”I shook my head. “Do you remember what happened the other night?” Again I shook my head. I had been having strange spells the past few months. One minute I would be in my home or with some acquaintances and in the next I would be somewhere else. Before it was just a few times but then slowly it began to worsen. Minutes would become hours and from there days then weeks. I had no idea what was happening to me. I went to a doctor earlier this year but he had no idea what was wrong with me. And this morning I was taken to Doctor. Smyth in hopes of figuring out what was wrong.
“What is the last thing you remember?”The doctor asked me. I thought for a moment.
“I had just come back from a performance....” I began.
“Performance? What is that you perform?” He asked.
“I used to be a stage magician.”I told him. “I wasn’t very good at my job...” Which was a complete understatement, I was horrible at my job. Because of my carelessness I lost my fiancé in a horrible accident. “I…I haven’t done illusions for some time now.”
“Then what is it you perform, Mr. Scarlet?” The doctor asked again.
“I dance.” I said simply. The doctor stared at me, perplexed. He gestured to me to explain. “I was very close to losing my home. I was approached by an old friend of mine, a manager. He told me that I could be on the stage again and I had missed the spotlight so very much. He owned a local theatre and he had several performers there. He asked me if I could contribute anything to his show and I told him I could dance.”
“What kind of dancing do you do, Mr. Scarlet?” Dr. Smyth asked as he wrote something down on one of the pieces of paper. I cleared my throat.
“Burlesque dancing.” The doctor stopped writing and looked up at me. I blushed slightly. After the incident I was in great need of a job. I was nearly thrown out into the streets when my former manager told me he was converting the theatre into a dance hall. He asked me if I wanted to be an usher or a body guard to the girls, but something inside me wanted to be on that stage again. I gave him an offer and within a few weeks I was a well practice fan dancer. I became fast friends with the girls and the money was very good. I was back on stage and I found the old happiness that I had missed so much.
“Forgive me, but…you are a man.” Very perceptive isn’t he? A voice in the back of my head said to me. I smile sheepishly.
“It helped with the payments.” I shrugged. “And I happen to have the talent for it.” The doctor removed his spectacles. “Forgive me but why does any of this matter? I was told that you had the answers to my sickness?”
The room became very quiet for a moment. “Do you know why you are here, Mr. Scarlet?”
“I’m here so you can help me.” I answered.
“You are somewhat correct.” The doctor said. “You’re here to receive help, but if I fail to cure you then you will hang—”
My eyes grew wide. “P-p-pardon?!” My heart began to beat wildly.
“—or you will spend the rest of your life in an insane asylum.”
“What…what is the meaning of this?” Both the guards set their hands on my shoulders.
“Mr. Scarlet…you killed a man last night.” My heart stopped for the briefest of moments. I could feel my entire body becoming limp. Words failed me. Nothing would escape my lips. This was a mistake. I was being confused for someone else. And then another thought came to my mind. Who had died? As if reading my thoughts, Dr. Smyth answered.“The deceased was one Ronald Crest. He owned a local theatre. If I am not mistaken it was the one where you are employed?” I could barely move but I was able to nod. “He was decapitated and his body was savagely mutilated.” I held back the bile that tried to force its way up my throat. “You were taken into police custody and imprisoned for three days before being brought here. Do you remember any of this?”
I shook my head. I barely remembered the carriage ride. What was going on? Finally I found my voice.
“Please, sir, you must believe me. I…I would never do something so horrid. Especially not a person I considered my friend.”
“I believe you, Jason.” Doctor Smyth said. “You are sick, my friend. Very sick.” He stood up and walked around his desk and stood before me. “You have, what we medical professionals call, multiple personality disorder.”
“Forgive me, Doctor. I am a learned man but I only know how to read and write. I do not understand this…disorder. Nor do I see what it has to do with me and…murder.” I shuddered at the word.
“I’ll explain.” The doctor went to a cupboard that was on the side of his desk. “You have another personality. Much like another person living inside your body.”
“Am I possessed?” I asked confused.
“No, nothing like that.” He said opening the door and removing a pocket watch from the cupboard. “This person is another part of your mind. A side of yourself that you have secretly wished to become but believe you cannot. So you created this alter ego and he has been taking control of your body.”
“So…he murdered Ronald?” The doctor nodded.“In theory, or perhaps you are just a demented psychopath.” He chuckled slightly
“How do I get rid of him?” I asked worriedly. “Please, Doctor, tell me you can cure me.”
“I can.” The doctor took his seat. “I will join your personas together again. But it will take time. Can you handle that Mr. Scarlet?” I nervously nodded. “Good. Now I am going to bring forth this other personality. I wish to speak with him.”
“How will you do that?” Dr. Smyth held up his silver pocket watch. “Your watch?”
“Focus on it.” I did as I was instructed. He slowly began to swing the watch back and forth. “Now clear you head. Listen to only my voice.” I nodded. “Now relax. Feel every part of your body begin to go limp. Your eyelids are starting to feel heavy are they not?” They were. I nodded as my eyes moved to the left then right then left again. “Now when I snap my fingers you will enter a deep trance. One….Two….Three.” I heard his fingers snap and then everything went dark.
“Mr. Scarlet? Mr. Scarlet can you still hear me?”
“Yes, doctor.” I mumbled.
“Do you see anything?” He asked. I looked in the darkness and I discovered a door.
“A door, sir.”
“I want you to open the door, Jason.” I wished he would stop calling me that. I moved towards the door and reached the knob. Suddenly the door began to shake. It banged and boomed as if someone or something was pounding on it.
“There is something there.” I said, my voice shaking. “I do not wish to open it.”
“You must. Open the door.”
“Please, Doctor, I’m afraid.” The door shook more violently.
“I believe in you. Now….Open the door.” His voice was more commanding now.
“No.”
“Open the bloody door!” He bellowed. Suddenly the door swung open. I was blinded by a bright light. I heard a scream and then….
****
I woke up on a cold stone floor. I heard the crash of thunder and I tried to move. I could feel shackles around my wrists. I rolled over on my back and saw that I was in a barred cell. The only light was the lightning that flashed every few seconds. Water from the storm splashed on my face. I was finally able to push myself against the stone wall and use it to help stand me up. I scanned the cell. I saw several beds around the area but I was the only person there. I stumbled to the bars. My right leg ached severely.
“Excuse me!” I called out when I reached the bars. “Hello? Please can someone let me out? Hello?” Suddenly cries echoed from every direction. Screams, curses, mocking pleas came at me. Where was I? I noticed that I wasn’t wearing the clothes I had on this morning. My clothes had been removed and I wore blackened grey clothes. A shirt with the sleeves cut midway and loose pants with no shoes. I saw that there was a small pool of rainwater by the window. I quickly moved over to it. I caught my reflection and I gasped. My face slightly bruised, as if someone had struck me. Then I noticed that there were several red specks on my face as well. What was it? And why did it look so familiar?
“Blood.” I heard someone say.
“Who said that?” I looked up and asked the darkness.
“I did.” The voice replied.
“Where are you?”
“Look into the water.” The voice gave a heavy bored sigh. I did. My eyes widen. My reflection smiled at me and waved. But I didn’t smile and I couldn’t wave as my hands were bound. My reflection brought his left hand to his lips and blew me a kiss.
“Hello, handsome.” He grinned.
Sincerely,
Jay Scarlet
&
Naughty Scarlet
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