Dr. Evergloam was a tall man. At approximately six and a half feet in height he could stare down his nose at most. If one added in the fact that he enjoyed a daily jog and some moderate weight training most would consider the dusky Irish immigrant to be quite intimidating.
Yet, whenever Evergloam pulled up to Smith’s Grove Sanitarium he could feel some of the blood drain away from his face. It was a malevolent place. The ghosts of past research and ‘guests’ clung to every inch of the building, made worse in the evening when the shadows of the poplar trees stretched across the parking lot. Fortunately, it was half past noon and it would be several hours before the sun sank below the hills.
He closed his eyes, counted to ten and took a deep breath before grabbing his files and exiting his car. Evergloam exhaled as he crossed the parking lot and up the stairs to the front doors, resigning himself to his job. “Evie,” he said to the receptionist upon entering, “Where’s my orderly?”
She paged Jacob a slight red headed twenty something who chatted more than the doctor cared for. “Hey Dr. Evergloam,” piped up Jacob, “Haven’t seen you in two weeks. So, who are we digging out today?”
“Joshua Flynn,” replied Evergloam as they began to walk down the long hallway.
“Flynn? That nut who broke Ralphie’s nose and….”
“The same.”
“You think the state will let him out,” asked Jacob as he attempted to catch up, “I mean after what he did in….”
“I doubt it Jacob. Of course my job is to ensure a proper diagnosis and listen to whatever it is he has to say about whatever it is he has to say.”
“Boy I tell you he didn’t wanna go in there.”
“None do.”
“But it’s weird,” said Jacob as they stopped in front of door 634, “I mean he didn’t ask for anything other than the lights be removed and threw a fit until we did so. I thought he wanted to get out but, well, what do you think doc?”
“I think you’re going to open the door.”
Jacob sighed and did as he was told. As the door creaked open the figure of a rather average looking man with flaxen hair sat on the ground of the padded cell. As the light spilled onto him he looked up from where he sat. His sparse facial stubble was evident as were his deeply set green eyes. From Evergloam’s perspective he looked as if he hadn’t slept in a day or two. “Mr. Flynn,” began the doctor, “I’m Dr. Evergloam here on behalf of the state psychiatric board. How are you feeling?”
“Evergloam,” replied Josh, “That’s an awful shady name.”
“So I hear,” replied the doctor, “I’m here to determine if you’re fit to leave this place or at the very least moved to a minimum security area. Would either of those options sound good to you?”
“I don’t know doctor. I mean, I’ve kind of got this place the way I like it.” Josh stood and stretched as he spoke. He turned away from Evergloam and looked up at the small window high above his head, “Tell me, has the world gone mad yet or is it strangely quiet these days? I can’t really tell from here.”
“Same as it ever was.”
Josh snorted and turned back to the doctor. “So then you’re just here to listen to the story of the madman?”
“That’s still to be determined,” replied Evergloam.
Josh sighed, “Well, I guess we’re not getting any younger. Bring a couple chairs in, no electronics though, I won’t allow that.”
“Very well.”
Josh stretched again and yawned seemingly bored with the arrangement already before sitting in the chair offered to him. “Well then doctor let’s begin.”