"Spring Fever - the feeling of restlessness or excitement experienced during the changing of the seasons"
The hallways were too white.
Not too white as in they hurt my eyes, but they were white in an unnatural way, like great care was taken to keep them from yellowing.
My footsteps tapped out a rhythm on the hard floor as I walked down these white hallways, sounding ominous and out of place. I tried to walk more quietly, but I was distracted by checking the numbers on the doorways I passed.
34...
36...
38.
I stopped in front of it, gathering myself. The door looked as white as the walls surrounding it. The lack of natural lighting and the pure alabaster colour reminded me less of a hospital and more of an asylum.
Bracing myself, I opened the door.
A stark contrast to the white outside, the whole room was painted a depressing grey colour, with no pictures or paintings to cheer it up. A single bed sat in the middle of the room, a lithe body strapped down to it. I swallowed and gathered my courage before walking over to my best friend's side.
I grabbed her hand and she opened her eyes, startling me. "Hi, Tish!" she exclaimed loudly.
I tried to recall what the nurses said, answering her in a low monotone voice. "Hey Vicki. How are you feeling?"
"Great!" She practically screamed, "I feel fine! I feel like I want to dance! Let's go dancing!" She struggled meakly against her bonds, but to no avail.
"Vicki, stop." It was so difficult to keep my concern from my voice, but the nurses were very specific about how I needed to talk.
"No, I'm fine! Never better! What's it like outside, Tish? Can we go see? Are the flowers growing yet?"
I shook my head as if berating a child. "Vicki, you know I can't tell you about that."
"You used to be so much fun. What happened to you? Don't you want to get out and enjoy life? Enjoy the nice weather?"
I bit my lip to bite back a retort. Closing my eyes, I forced myself to take a deep breath.
Vicki struggled vainly against the straps that held her down. "Come on, just one peek outside?"
I knew how bad of an idea that was.
"You can't-"
Vicki screamed, a blood-curdling scream that sent chills down my spine. The drab walls of her prison seemed to shake from the sound. I hunched over and covered my ears in fear.
"I WANT TO GO OUTSIDE!" she wailed, and I was surprised her lungs didn't burst.
Two nurses rushed in, clothed in plain grey scrubs with masks covering their nose and mouths. One went to calm her, while the other politely but quickly ushered me out of the room.
The door slammed shut behind me, but I could still hear her screams. Screams of madness and excitement.
The screams of spring fever.
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