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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