Michael did bring me a meal. He put the two cokes onto the floor and held up one of the bags.

"You like ketchup?"

I nodded.

"Good, I brought you some." I reached out for the bag but he pulled it back.

"Before I give you this can I ask you a question?"

"You just did." I pointed.

He laughed. Yeah guess I did! He gave me the bag. I hungrily pulled the chips out and started eating. Michael pulled his meal out of the other bag. A MacChicken Sandwich. I took a bite out of my BigMac. I could taste the meat. I hadnt had food like this in a long time. They stopped giving us proper food after I tried to choke myself on it, the first time Dr. Wolf had asked about Timothy.

Now they only had creamed food.

I noticed Michael looking at my arms, studying the scars on my wrists and forearms.

"What?" I asked.

"Hmm? Oh I was just wondering why such a pretty girl would want to kill herself." He answered.

"Oh ok then." I wasnt going to play along and answer his questions, I was too tired.

He leaned in and whispered. "This is the part when you tell me why." He smiled one of those smiles that would win an Academy Award.

"I dont have to tell you anything!" I spat.

"Your right, you dont. But if someone brought me a meal the least I would do is answer their question." He got up and left.

I sipped my coke. Playing on my guilt was he? Well it was working. But I didnt have to tell him straight. I could make this a game to entertain myself.

<><><><><><>

When Michael came in the next morning I decided to make him think he was gaining my trust. I was lying on my bed with my back against the wall.

"Hello Alison." He smiled.

"I cut myself because of what happened." I said blankly.

"Im sorry, what? "

"I cut myself because of what happened."

"Ah, so you decided to answer my question, good, thank you." He sat in the chair.

"Care to tell me what happened? You dont have to."

I closed my eyes. I could still see the red though. The blood, covering my hands, soaking the floor. My breathing increase and I found myself crying. Michael put his arms around me. I hugged him. Dr. Wolf had never hugged me. Hed never brought me a meal.

I noticed that Michael was whispering things to me. Just the usual things, Itll be ok, you dont have to worry. I never noticed how comforting those things were.

I lost count of the time as I cried in his arms. He didnt pressure me to tell him. He didnt pressure anything.

I pulled out of his arms after the tears faded.

"L-leave please." I stuttered.

"Alison, you dont have to face this on your own I-"

"Leave!" He turned and left me.

I curled into a ball.

It hadnt even been Timothys fault. I whispered to myself.

***

"Alison."

I woke up when Penny called me. I couldnt remember what I had been dreaming and I dont think I wanted to. It was often dreams of Timothy that haunted me.

"Do you want your hair brushed?" Penny asked waving the brush.

I shook my head, no.

"Ah, tis ok, Ill come back later eh?" She left my breakfast on the chair.

I moved out of bed onto the floor. It was cold under me and made me shiver. I picked up the little plastic spoon and looked at my breakfast. Warm porridge. I ate it with tasting it. When I used to have porridge I preferred it with sugar, without sugar it seems kind of tasteless. I finished my breakfast as Cathie came to take me to the bathroom. I moved silently down the corridor. I could hear Mary muttering something from her room. She was dangerous. They kept her on special drugs that kept her quiet most of the time. I thought they might have put me on those drugs after I attack Dr. Wolf but they didnt Dr. Thompson kept me well away from drugs if he could help it.

Cathie unlocked the door and watched me strip down. I used the toilet then climbed into the shower. Towels were already waiting today. I closed my eyes as the water heated up and dripped slowly down my body. I blocked everything out except the water tricking around me.

When I had finished Cathie took me back to my room. Doctors wandered around from cell to cell checking how the patients had come out after the night.

Cathie spoke up from behind me.

"Not talkative today Alison?"

So she started calling me by my first name?

"You didnt even bother Mary,"

So what? She complains about me doing it and then not doing it.

"Cat got your tongue?"

"I turned around and stopped right in front of my door." She looked at me, panicked.

I leant in right close to her face and whispered.

"Boo!" Before going back into my cell.

Michael was sitting on my chair. He looked at me as I came in. The door slammed behind me.

"Thats not nice you know, she looks after you." He said.

I shrugged, "Shes a bitch."

He nodded and I sat down.

"I noticed you painting that tree on your wall,"

The tree had gone now; I looked at where it had been.

"I was thinking, would you like to go outside?"

Outside?

"Outside?" I could go outside?

"Well?"

"Yes, can I go outside?"

He smiled and nodded.

"Ill arrange something."