Chapter 1
Darkness falls over the quiet and sleepy town, the mental institution has been closed for decades, closed for reasons that no one can quite explain. Lights in rooms coming on at odd hours, voices in the halls, and slamming doors. The recent history of the place was a good one, helpful to all who entered its doors, the early history is spotty as best. No real documentation of the facility just ramblings from those who supposedly worked there and went for treatment, but no accounts from any living soul of the history of the institution.
October, 1971
“Come on it will be fun, one night to prove yourself a man, I’ve done it before nothing has ever happened man don’t be chicken.” one boy states from behind the other, holding his shoulders so he can’t run away, challenging him to the dare they all agreed to spend the night in the old mental institution.
“Dude, I-I don’t think this is a good idea it's closed for a reason, you know the stories.” voice trembling as he looks to the side with his other friend, looking pale. The three boys walk through the gate, ducking the chain and ignoring the NO TRESPASSING sign hung along the rusting bars. Walking down the stretch of the driveway they look around seeing the graffiti anything from tags to messages, one stops them in their tracks, to proceed would be a shame a waste of life indeed, if you wish just know you may never leave. Looking from one to another they all share a scared glance, but to prove themselves they walk farther down the drive, all three standing tall to accomplish the task at hand.
Present day
“Guys, we should do this, it will make us the most popular guys in the school, no the town we have to do this.”
“Do you seriously hear yourself we can’t do this it's a suicide mission, the stories of people going in there and who don’t come back out.”
“No we are doing this, tonight we will meet at my house and head over around 9 pm bring food and flashlights.” the demanding voice secured the bravery of the others to make this plan work and go through with the idea of staying in the mental institution. The lunch bell rings moving through the halls each disappears into their own class, making it through the rest of the day they meet up, going through the plan one more time.
The night wears on all three gather together backpacks packed with food and extra flashlights, all available maps on the facility to ensure they don’t get lost. Walking down the road, they follow the sidewalk to the front gate, the daunting task lay before them with a brave and encouraging nod they carefully duck under the chain loosely locking the gates together. Creaking and rusting with age they push them open to walk through, and down the drive, the three boys move further and further into the overgrown driveway, stones uprooted and grass covering the curbs up onto the sidewalks.
