Marcus Barton rolled over in his cot to escape the blinding sunlight that was coming in through the window and targeting his eyes specifically. He groaned softly, his face screwed up. Although he reasoned that he must have had around twelve hours sleep, he still felt drained. Though that was nothing new to him now.

A time, not too long ago, he was one of the most prominent brains at the university. The steps that he was making in science were second to none. He could run rings around the other physics students with his ideas and his formulas. The inner mechanisms of is mind were a mystery to everyone, even himself most of the time. However, he knew one thing, there was nothing that would stop him from reaching his goal. That goal was to master the field of quantum electronics. He had a grant from the university and had made some fantastic groundwork.

Well, that was until his life took a nose dive. His wife had lost their third child in the space of five years. Their first born, Madeline, died at a month old. In the spring the year after, the couple were blessed with a second daughter, Augusta. She too, however, died. This time at seven months old. Both Marcus and his wife, Elaina, struggled to come to terms with the loss. It was bad enough losing a child at a month old, but having cared for a child for seven months and watching her develop and grow, to have her ripped from life was devastating. The pair argued most of the time, until they found out, by some miracle, that Elaina was pregnant again. The months drifted by slowly, until on a cold December morning she gave birth to a boy, Nathaniel. Nathaniel was born two months earlier than the doctor expected, and he was not predicted to survive the winter. And true to that prediction, seven days later, Nathaniel died.

It was with that, that Elaina was pushed over the edge. A woman's sole purpose is to birth and care for children up until they branch off to have their own families. The fact that Elaina couldn't do what she was duty bound to was soul destroying for her. She packed her bags and told Marcus that she wanted a break from everything and would stay with her sister on the coast for a few months until she felt herself again. Until she felt she could look into Marcus' eyes and not see the faces of her dead children.

Marcus turned to drinking to get him through the days. He felt like everything he loved was slipping away from him, like he was falling into a dark abyss and there was no ledge to hold onto and no hand to grab him and pull him out of the dark. Marcus began missing days at the university, ignoring his duties and his studies, letting his work flounder just as his home life had. People at first were understanding of this, they knew what he had been through. However as the days stretched into weeks and the weeks into months, they became less so. Marcus was no longer drinking, as he was no longer getting paid.

He was unceremoniously fired from his coveted position. In order to ease the pain of his emotional state, he began to give himself physical pain that would make everything seem better. If he was actually hurting, he could pretend that he was fine on the inside.

Marcus' deep seated hatred for himself knew no bounds. He had failed as a husband, a father, a provider and physicist. He could see no end to his suffering, so on the night of April seventh, he decided to end it all.

A friend of the family happened to drop by, however, and she quickly rung the doctor. Marcus was saved from the death that he had planned and so longed for, but the doctor reasoned that he was not mentally well and should not be on his own.

And that was how Marcus ended up here, Langly Mental Institution.

They "helped" him feel normal again. Or what they called normal. Their version of normal was numbness. Marcus hadn't had a bad thought since he came here, nor did he have any good thoughts.

He wasn't alive, he was simply there.

Tessa, at the age of seventeen, was one of the youngest patients at Langly Mental Institution. Which did not make her odds of recovering and living a full, successful life any brighter than any of the others. It just meant that life had dealt her awful cards sooner rather than later. She'd been there a month already, and from the looks of things, she'd be there much longer.

Her parents, Mister and Missus Peter Gardner, had yet to make an appearance since the day Tessa had been admitted. A successful business man and a housewife with five other, normal, healthy and Godly children to care for, Tessa was out of sight and out of mind here. They told her extended relatives that she was at a special boarding school where she couldn't possibly be bothered with letters when she needed to be studying and they told the neighbors and the lovely folk at St. Mary's Catholic Church that she was away visiting relatives. Peter and Susan Gardner could not let the truth out for any reason. To think a child of theirs could be...

Tessa hugged her thin pillow, bit down hard on the edge of it and took several deep and ragged breaths. She hated them, her parents and her sisters and her brother. All of them. She wished they would all die. And that was exactly why she was there. Because she had tried to kill them. The fire had been extinguished by her elder twin sisters, Molly and Gloria, while her mother wept in the corner and her father screamed at her.

He grabbed her by the collar of her night gown and carried her out to the car. "I've had enough of this, Tessa," he snarled as he drove her, "I tried to be fair, I have been good to you. I've been nothing but a gracious father. I gave you all the attention in the world." Tessa's stomach churned as he said this and glared, as if her stare could kill him, at him in the review mirror. His eyes met her's in the mirror but then darted back to the road. "I can't do this anymore, Tessa. I can't. You need help. You're the only one, the only one, who turned out badly. Why can't you be like your sisters? Good and quiet? Why do you have to tell everyone about our special time? It upsets your mother! Your sisters never told anyone. Your sisters are good girls. Why can't you be good, too?"

Tessa liked the hospital because it was the first time that she felt clean. No father to please, no mother to upset by going to her for help that she refused to give, no sisters willing to be obedient and quiet. No brother. She was free here in Langly Mental Institution. But she did hope to be released one day. One day, they would have to release her. And when that day came, Tessa had a better plan. This time, Tessa would not be stopped and they would all die.

There was a knock at Tessa's door and her rolled up onto her elbows as the nurse let herself in. "Good morning, Tessa," said the nurse. "Time to get up. Time for daily bathing."

The door to Marcus' room was opened and one of the head nurses walked in. Marcus believed that her name was Paulina, Paulina Farrow. She was clutching a fresh pair of clothes for Marcus. Awful white linen trousers and a shirt.

"Up you get," she said, an edge to her tone. "I'll be back in five with the water and my cloth."

As she left, Marcus sat up. He hated this rigmarole in the morning. He was perfectly capable of washing himself, rather than have this harlot paw all over him. The woman was very close to the head doctor of the practice, a man that Marcus didn't like much. There was something about him that didn't sit well, something about him that made Marcus uneasy. The nurse, to Marcus, was just the same. A potential threat that should be kept at arms distance.

There was no denying, however, that she was an attractive woman. Marcus was, after all, a man. Although not himself, he could still appreciate a good looking woman when he saw one. She was not much of his usual type, however. Nothing like his Elaina, with dark chestnut curls and hazel eyes. This buxom woman was bright blonde with green eyes that glinted when the light caught them. There was something about her, not just the fact that she had a sneaky side to her personality, but another more raw side to her. One would perhaps refer to it as "magnetism" if they were so inclined to believe such nonsense.

Nurse Farrow returned, clutching the wash bowl, jug and wash cloth.

"Come now," she said impatiently. "You should be undressed already. You have to be cleaned. Just because you're here doesn't mean we let hygiene slip."

Marcus simply stared at her, preparing himself for the daily indignity of this sponge bath. He slowly stripped, keeping as much of him covered as he could.

"Stand up," she ordered.

Fifteen minutes later, and she was done, carrying her gear back out of his room. He was to be dressed and in the dining hall within ten minutes, or she would be back. Marcus shuddered a little as he pulled his clothes on. When he got married, he'd made the vow that no other woman would see him like that, only Elaina. Even though he would never act on his attraction to this woman, the fact that she had touched him so intimately and seen so much of him made him uncomfortable to say the least.

With that being said, however, Elaina had yet to visit him while he was here, even though he sent her a letter telling her what had happened. It was in a very roundabout way though, he wanted her back, not to think he was a madman not suitable to give her children.

He left his room, ready to get back to the same routine that he always had. It was like groundhog day, everything was the same, replaying for an eternity. There was no escape.

Tessa wasn't sure why, but she enjoyed bathing time. Perhaps it was that she was never safe at home when bathing; her father had insisted on joining her most days. Despite how much Tessa had begged and pleaded with her mother when it was time to bathe, her mother wouldn't hear any of it. Here at Langly, though she was still denied privacy, bathing was quick, and there was no touching. The nurse, Rhonda, was a plump, older woman who always clicked her tongue and complained in a motherly way about how thin Tessa was. "You need meat on your bones," she would say, "Come now, dear. You want to be healthier, that's why you're here. And what boy wants to marry a stick-of-a-girl." Tessa didn't want to marry anyone, ever, but she was still touched by Rhonda's worrying.

After daily bathing, it was time for breakfast. She dressed in the stark and sterile white shapeless pants and hospital tunic, and made her way down the hallway towards the dining room. Tessa wrapped her thin arms around herself, hugging herself tight and hunched as she walked... as far as she could remember, she had always walked this way. She had to protect herself from the eyes of those around her. Tessa didn't know for sure what people were thinking, but she couldn't risk that they thought like her father. People were untrustworthy; in some way, it felt as if Tessa had an advantage that others didn't have. She knew, first hand, how evil people really were inside. Of course, it was not as if she considered herself to above everyone else.

She slumped into a metal chair and leaned against the table, her short bob-cut dark curls falling down into her face. Through the tendrils of her hair, she watched her fellow patients, slow and slug-like, file into the room.

Marcus, even though he felt far from himself, still liked to try and carry himself with a certain air of dignity. The majority of other residents tended to walk slowly or erratically, some hunched over, some looking all over the place. Marcus walked with his back straight, slow and purposeful, keeping his eyes on the destination. A man who walked with his head held high was a man that demanded respect. Although he knew the respect was not to be found her for people who were not staff. The majority of nurses and doctors looked upon the residents as scum, not understanding why they acted in the way that the did.

Marcus was as intelligent as he ever was, but people chose to ignore that. People assumed that he had suddenly become slow, that he could not comprehend even the simplest social situation. That seemed off to him. If they were really wanting to try and rehabilitate everyone back into society, surely they would do their best to mimic the outside world in here? Alas, they did not. The tedium that was faced in here was unlike any other that Marcus had every experienced, something that he could not even fully begin to describe, words failed him. It was the first time that had ever happened before.

Marcus entered the dining hall, realising that he was later than most of the others. One of the only empty seats was directly in front of him. The table was already taken by a small woman with curly black hair. She seemed to be in the typical state of everyone else here, nervous and twitchy.

"Marcus," Paulina said, coming in just behind him. "Sit yourself down. Look, there. Nest to Tessa."

Marcus was steered straight towards the girl and shoved, somewhat harshly, into the seat opposite her. Marcus watched her for a moment. However, that was when he realised that he was staring at her in the exact same way the nurses were staring at him. Like she was some sort of parasite. A bug that must be squashed. That she was a sick and vile human. Marcus quickly snapped himself out of it. Trying to be objective about her. Perhaps, she was like him? Not ill, simply a victim of situation.

"Hello," Marcus said softly. "I'm Marcus, who might you be?"

A bell rang out through the dining hall before the girl was given a chance to answer. It signified the beginning of the meal time. Nurses were doling out bowls of porridge to the residents. There was also an optional round of toast that patients could have. Marcus always accepted the toast, as it was what he used to eat for breakfast. No matter what, it was never as nice as his wife's.

Tessa looked up at him slowly, startled that this man had spoken to her. This man carried himself like he was proud, like he was strong; he walked steady and slow, sure of himself. She envied him, but with her knowledge of people, especially men and patients in Langly, Tessa knew that he was just like her and her father: evil. Her gray eyes met his, trying to burrow deep into his mind to see what secrets he hid inside his sick head. All she saw, though, was a handsome man with sad eyes. She scowled, about to tell him in a way that would make a nun cross herself, when the nurses called breakfast and began passing out bowls of porridge and toast.

Eating here was better, too, than at home. Tessa had suspected that her mother poisoned her food for a while to get rid of her. Her mother hated having an disobedient daughter. At least here in Langly, Tessa was free to enjoy eating, and eat she could. Before things were bad at home, Tessa ate all the time and never worried about gaining a pound. That was a time when her mother and father were good, loving people; when Dolores, Dorothy, Molly and Gloria were nice some of the time.

She took a big spoonful of porridge, closed her eyes and slowly ate. Mmm. It was so warm and surprisingly sweet. Tessa swallowed, savoring the taste and took another bite. After a moment, she opened her eyes and studied Marcus. Between bites, Tessa nodded to him. "I'm Tessa..." she said, testing the waters of civilized talk; she added before coming off as too rude, "pleased to meet you, Marcus."

Marcus ate his breakfast slowly, resigned to the fact that the girl by him was not a social one, and the meal was likely to be spent sitting in silence. His mind wandered to the life he had known outside of these walls. The life he had shared with the people he loved. The life he spent working like a dog to provide for people and to offer some advances to better lives in the future. The life, that was all too distant a memory.

Marcus looked up, somewhat shocked, when the girl spoke. Her name was Tessa. She was looking at him, such anger in her eyes that seemed to burn into him. He couldn't help but wonder what made her so cold and hate filled. However, she was polite enough in conversation. Marcus decided it would be best to keep an eye on her, just in case she turned on him.

He nodded his head at her.

"I'm pleased to meet you too, Tessa," he said softly. "How long have you been here?"

Marcus hadn't been here long, he knew that. However, it felt as though he was here for over a hundred years. He knew the ins and outs of the place so much that it was as if he had lived her all his life. At most, he was only here for a month. In theory, not much on the outside world would have changed. Inwardly, however, Marcus realised that if he did get out, he would find it hard to settle back in.

That thought made Marcus feel somewhat sick. He pushed his bowl away from him for fear of disgracing himself.

With a delicate hand, Tessa covered her mouth and spoke, her words garbled by the porridge, "I've been here a month... I'm not sure how much longer I'll be here. My family-- " for a moment, Tessa halted. Why should she tell this man anything? Why was he asking? What business was it to him? Yet, something compelled her to keep talking. To have some sort of interaction with someone. "--I haven't really got a family anymore. How long have you been here? Can't be staying here too long, a man like you. Have you anyone... on the outside?"

Tessa eyed his bowl as he pushed it away. Pointing her spoon at it, she asked, "If you're not going to eat it, can I have it?"

Marcus nodded silently, pushing the bowl towards Tessa.

"Sure," he replied. "Knock yourself out. Sorry to hear about your family...what happened? I think we've been here around the same amount of time. I've been here a month, maybe a week or so less. I lose track. Life became too much for me on the outside. I guess that's about the best explanation I can give. I tried to commit suicide, and I ended up here."

Marcus stayed silent for a few more minutes. Unsure whether or not to divulge any more information. To be perfectly honest, that was the first time Marcus had ever put into words what he had tried to do when he injured himself. He didn't say it to the nurses, in his letters to Elaina, not even to himself.

"I have a wife," Marcus added. "Elaina. Things between us are not amicable at the moment, however. Things happened beyond both of our control which caused her to leave for a while. I expect that she'll come back soon, though."

Marcus hoped that she would anyway. The thought of seeing her again was the only thing that kept him going. The thought of seeing her soft and warm smile, hearing her voice telling him how everything would be okay and they could try again. Telling him that she didn't hold him responsible for the children's deaths. He knew in his heart of hearts that they were simply acts of God. However, he was unsure Elaina saw it that way.

Tessa listened, chewing even slower. It was odd that someone would be so open about wanting to kill himself. She didn't realize people actually did that... wasn't it a sin to do that?! Then again, she had planned to kill her own family. That was definitely a sin. She sighed, trying to ease the hotness in her stomach. Something about the way Marcus had been so open made Tessa feel uncomfortably obligated to tell him more about her. "I still have a family... sort of. My parents, sisters and brother are alive... but they hate me. It's okay, though, because I hate them, too. I tried to kill them, and my father brought me here. I haven't seen them since... which is good for them." She shrugged and smiled.

Marcus listened to what Tessa was saying, a deep sadness filling him. How could one be so comfortable with the fact that their family didn't want anything to do with them? Brush it off as just one of those things that happened. Family is the most important thing in life, without your family, where would you be?

"That is incredibly sad," Marcus said. He didn't mean it to sound pitying, but that was how it came out. He wasn't even sure how he could re-word it without digging himself even deeper into a hole. "You only get one family, you should love and cherish them for when they're gone, they're gone. Then you're left on your own, with no-one to speak to and no-one to hold. A life without love is an incredibly lonely one."

Marcus fell silent, his mind wandering. Apart from Elaina, he had no family left. There wasn't anyone that he would rather spend his time with than his wife, but he wasn't sure he liked how things had changed.

"A life alone is not a life worth living..."

She sat up taller, tipping her chin back as if to make herself stand above him in some sort of way. "Listen, life goes on with or without people, and in my experiences with people, I've learned that life is much easier without others. And more peaceful." Tessa took the last bite of her porridge and stood up before swallowing and returned the used bowls to the food cart, then left the dining hall without another word.

Marcus sat there, stunned by what had happened. How could a person be so happy to be alone? The fact that Marcus was alone was what drove him to despair. It was what left him floundering in a great big sea, drowning with no life belt. Maybe some people were just more social than others, maybe some people just needed constant interaction to validate their existence, and maybe some people truly were just better off alone.

Marcus got up slowly from the table, giving Tessa five minutes to leave so she wouldn't think that he was following her. He wanted nothing more than to go to his room and sleep. Alas, he had to go to a group therapy session in the main "relax" room. His group session was led by Paulina. He shuddered as he walked in, taking his usual seat next to a quiet man named Michael.