Prologue

Everywhere I look, I am surrounded by white walls. I have a feeling that the walls are closing in on me, somehow. This place is filled with the sounds of shouting, screaming, moaning, crying, and screeching. I can practically hear the sounds of fingernails scratching against the wall. This place smells of disease, odor, and urine. They don't even give you a toilet! All they provide you with is a pot to pee and poop in. Many of the prisoners don't even use the pot. They use the corner as a bathroom. The people imprisonered here rarely take showers or baths. This hell of a place is the place I must call home. As much as I hate to say this, I'm probably going to live here for the rest of my life, even though it gives me a sense of insanity.

All of a sudden, I heard the sound of footsteps. As the seconds ticked by, the footsteps got louder. I tried to peek out of the window above the door handle, and I saw a pair of black boots. As the image got closer, I recognized the plump lady dressed in white. It was the grouchy, old nurse. She was holding a tray with lots of bowls on it. "Lunch time! Lunch time!" the old lady announced. As Nurse Bertha passed my room, she opened up my window and handed me a bowl. Inside the bowl, was a glob of gray, in which we call 'lunch'.

"Aaaaaaaagh!" I screamed. If I stay here any longer, I would go insane!

"Shut up!" barked the nurse.

Let me tell you the story of how I was brought to this fate. Let me tell you how they had accidentally put me into the insane asylum. It was a really tragic story. It all started when my puppy arrived a year ago. He turned my world upside down.

 

Chapter 1

The Puppy

It was a typical day in November. I was walking home from school by myself. I didn't want to walk by myself, but I didn't have a choice. The only person that lived on my block was Tim, and he had basketball practice today. Everyone else at school lived a mile away. The people who lived on my block were mostly senior citizens. My parents were having financial problems, so they couldn't buy me a car. That's why I had to walk home alone.

As I opened the wooden gate to my house, a little, black puppy with brown legs rushed towards me. I was too surprised to move, so I just watched as the puppy pounced on me. Without considering the fact that the dog could bite me, I bent down to pet it. The puppy was overjoyed and was wagging its tail like crazy.

"Do you like him? He's yours," said my dad.

"Really?" I questioned hopefully.

"Yes. You like him, don't you?" he replied.

"Of course I like him. Thanks dad," I said.

"He seems to like you, or maybe he just likes the attention and affection you are giving him," my dad observed.

I rushed over to my dad and gave him a big hug. I was so happy to own a puppy. I have been begging for one for a very long time. Now my dream finally came true.

"Hey, watch it kiddo. I don't want to get dog hair all over my new sweater!" my dad exclaimed.

We both burst out laughing.

 

1