On Friday September 11th, 1992 I was working the night shift at the new asylum in Gravelbourg. Everything was going well until patient 13 started acting up. She was hitting her head against the wall yelling something about belonging. After about an hour, I found her passed out in a pool of her own blood. Her head was cracked open and needed immediate attention. She was back at the asylum about a week later good as new. We had to set her up in the padded room so an accident like this wouldn't happen again. After being in the room for a few days she began to settle in and relax. However on September 25th, everything changed.

As I was doing my daily rounds, I noticed that patient 13’s room window was splattered with a red substance. My heart started to race and my legs began to quiver like jelly as I entered patient 13's room... I was horrified to find blood everywhere; on the floor, the walls, the windows and even dripping from the roof. I stepped forward as my knees gave out and I fell to the ground. There was blood but no body. Questions started to pile into my head. Where is she? What happened? I couldn’t move. I could hear and sense people entering the room but I couldn't see them. Everything felt so unreal. I was finally sucked back into reality when the head doctor entered the room. As I turned to face him I noticed a small grin forming on his face, but it quickly disappeared as the police force entered the room. As I walked past Dr. Ross I stared at him in disbelief. As I stared, I wondered what was going on with him. Why would he be smiling at the sight of this horrible tragedy?

I awoke the next morning in a fright. My body was covered with sweat; my clothes were clinging to my body as if they had become a part of my skin. I gave out a long heavy breath but my lungs felt like they were collapsing. Every time I closed my eyes, a burst of blood filled the vague darkness where the colors of the world once were moments ago. I had no idea how I was going to face the day ahead. I was dreading the asylum, but most of all I was dreading seeing Dr. Ross.

I arrived at the asylum about a half an hour late for my shift. I rushed to sign in but was stopped on my way by Dr. Ross. He asked me to step into his office so he could ask me a few questions about yesterday. I entered his office with great caution. After answering every question 100% honestly he still looked unsatisfied. I began asking him a question. “Where were you when this whole ordeal occurred?”

He looked at me in awe. He could hardly believe I had the courage to ask such a prestigious doctor like himself such a question. He replied calmly, "I was in the basement most of the day." My jaw dropped as the words poured out.

"No you weren’t. You were on the fourth level about 10 minutes before I checked patient 13's room. What are you hiding doctor?” He went silent; in fact the whole room went silent. I was just about to excuse myself when Dr. McGavin entered the room. He asked me to leave because he had some serious business to discuss with Mr. Ross, but he asked me to find him later that day. As I left the room Dr. McGavin winked at me. I could feel my face become rosy red.

As I walked down the hall I didn’t know how to feel or what to think. Am I going to get fired? Why did he lie? How does this leave me and Dr. Ross?
From there, the day started to pass by fairly quickly. Around five o’clock I went on a search to find Dr. McGavin. I found him right outside my working station. He told me to come with him as he led me to the basement and into the DOCTORS ONLY room. From there we had a discussion about patient 13, what I saw, heard and how I felt. He was much calmer and sweeter than Dr. Ross. Suddenly his tone changed. He became eager to find out what Dr. Ross and I were discussing this morning before he interrupted.

I didn’t really know what to say so I just said, “The same stuff we’re discussing.” I didn’t want to tell him about the grin or the lie. I then asked him a question “What about you sir? What important business did you have to discuss with Dr. Ross?”
He gave me the same look Dr. Ross did. I wanted to know if he heard anything more about patient 13. From there, the conversation derailed off topic. By the time the conversation ended, we had already made plans for that evening.

I was putting the finishing touches on my makeup when the doorbell rang. I opened the door and there he was, all dolled up in his fancy black tuxedo. He looked amazing. He looked at me with his ravishing eyes and told me I looked breathtaking. I could feel my heart melting. I grabbed my purse and shut the door as he walked me to the passenger seat of his impeccably shiny car. We had dinner at an outrageously fancy restaurant, and then went dancing for hours. When I got home I was light headed from all the excitement. My heart felt full of magic.

I didn’t have to work the next day, so I slept in and basked in the glory of the night before. Dr. McGavin, or should I say Henry, came over later that day and made me dinner. We talked half the night. After we said our goodbyes, I couldn’t sleep. All I could think about was how perfect he was.
When I got to work the next day everything and everyone seemed different. As I walked down the room aisle I noticed the missing patient’s room door was open. I entered slowly, trying not to blink. I took a few steps forwards before grabbing my keys preparing to lock the door when suddenly it closed behind me! All of my air was sucked out of me as I turned to grab the handle, but it was locked. The window was still covered in blood so I couldn’t get a look at the culprit. The pain that was inside of me was unimaginable. My body began to shake as if I was having a seizure. I didn’t want to close my eyes because I knew all I would see was blood. The piercing scream that was coming out of me had to get someone’s attention! As I looked up at the wall above me I noticed writing in the blood. It read,
“STOP LOOKING, AND BEWARE. COURAGE MAY BE WITH YOU NOW BUT DEATH WILL END THAT FOR SURE. STOP MAKING THIS A MYSTERY. GET PAST THIS TRAGEDY.”
An unbelievable chill went through my body as I fell to the ground watching the room turn black around me.

I awoke to my heart racing a million miles an hour. It took me a minute to realize I was in the asylum’s emergency facility. I turned to my left to see Henry entering the room carrying a divine bouquet of flowers. I then turned to my right to see the man I think did this to me. My body started to shake like before as I yelled out, “Dr. Ross!” He starred at me intently as I screamed at him from across the room. “You did this, you killed patient 13 and now you’re coming after me! I got your courage message… just know that’s not going to stop me! I will prove to everyone you did this!”

He looked at me blank faced and ready to explode. He dropped his clipboard, straightened his tie and began to walk out of the room. After realizing what I had done I sunk into my bed feeling absolutely mortified. From there I fell into a deep sleep.
I woke up hours later. It was pitch black and impossible to see. I quickly scurried to turn on the lamp beside me. Soon the room was infused with light. I noticed Henry’s flowers were missing and in their place was a tiny doll wearing a strait jacket. It had a hand written 13 on its arm, and its head looked to be disconnected from the body. I reached out to grab it when suddenly the doll came to life. Its head turned and it started whispering to me. The eternal oppression I felt was uncanny, as the doll delivered its bone chilling message.
I told you to forget about it. End the hunt of solving this mystery or your life will have to end instead.
The lights turned off…

I felt a chill go through my body. I felt as if I was being watched. Throughout the thick darkness I saw movement. Every breath I took felt like a car crash. I was trying to be as quiet as possible but at that moment it was impossible. I wanted to scream or just disappear. I was afraid of what was going to happen next. I put my first foot on the ground when suddenly, I was attacked. I was pushed back and forth and finally to the ground. I tried to crawl to civilization, or at least to the light in the hallway, but it was too late; I could feel my legs being gripped. My nails screeched on the ground as I was being pulled into the direction of the nurse’s closet across the room. The only thought in my mind was, “Is this how patient 13’s murder started” Suddenly I felt a boost of adrenalin enter my body. I pushed away as fast, and as hard as I could. I jumped to my feet and lunged at my attacker. I tried to grab onto hair, clothing; anything that would give me a lead. You could hear screams of terror coming from both parties but neither of us were backing down. Finally I managed to scratch the unidentified assaulter and he sprinted towards the exit. My moment of adrenalin was over and I was left on the floor weak and exhausted.
The next morning I was bruised and rattled. I tried to call for nurses and doctors but none of them would even stop to consider answering me. As they walked by I called for them but they all looked at me like I was deranged! Finally a nurse approached me asked what I needed. I told her I needed ice and pain medication because I was attacked last night. She looked at me and said, “Patient 13…” I stopped her there

“Nurse, what are talking about? Patient 13 is missing! I’m a nurse here,” I said confused. She looked at me, like I was the craziest person she had ever seen. She began to leave. Every step she took towards the exit felt like a kick in the gut. “Dr. Ross did this! Nurse, comes back.” I started freaking out. I ran to the door and down the hall. I was being chased by a swarm of doctors and nurses, but I didn’t stop, not until I reached Henrys’ office. I ran to him and jumped into his arms. He looked at me and smiled.

“Hello patient 13,” he said in a whispering voice... “Dr. Ross is my best friend… I wouldn’t let him kill a patient without me. Its lucky you were there to take her place,” he said intensely.

My heart sank. I felt the room go blurry as my eyes filled with tears. “WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!” The doctors and nurses entered the room.

Henry backed away from me and yelled, “Get this patient away from me, Go lock her in her room.”
As they dragged me away I was motionless. What’s the point of fighting I thought? Dr. Ross and Henry ruled this place. What they say goes. They had every doctor and nurse convinced patient 13 magically came back from the dead. People know me here though; these nurses who are dragging me away are my friends. How could they just let Dr. Ross and Henry turn me into their personal replacement for the girl they killed!

As I said Henry’s name, my heart sank… I trusted him, I confided in him… I was falling for him. He lied to me and pretended to be somebody he’s not! My sadness turned to anger and then into depression. I was thrown into my cell. I felt like there was hope, until I heard the door lock tightly.
That night as I laid huddling in the corner I saw writing on the wall… my eyes widened as I read it…
I do not belong in here
I was forced here
I am not Patient 13
I am Nurse 15.
After reading that, I realized patient 13 wasn’t really patient 13! I wonder how many nurses have been involved in the doctor’s sick games? I wonder how many replacements they’ve had throughout the years? I shut my eyes…. realizing it was the last time I would ever have to. I grabbed a small stick that was sitting in the corner and I jammed it into my neck artery… as the blood started to seep out of me, faster and faster I made a wish… I wished that no nurse would look into my death… I wished that no human being would be put through this pain or brought into this wicked game.

…I wished that patient 13 would end with me….