Miriam - Breaking Free

Miriam is in a Sanitarium because she hears loud angry voices.

Some say she is cursed. Some say she is possessed. Some say she is haunted by the ghosts of her parents who died in a car wreck that Miriam survived. Regardless of their source, they are so overwhelming that she cannot function in normal society. Her aunt dumped her in the Sanitarium and left her, unable to deal.

Miriam is resigned to her fate, and has even made a few friends.

But there is more to Miriam and her troubles than meets the eye. When armed gunmen show up at the Sanitarium looking for her, she begins a journey that may free her or kill her.

Excerpt:

Miriam realized she had stayed later than she intended when Jerry arrived and went into the office to clock in.

She got up to put up her tray and use the bathroom before returning to her room. She shouted something to Chad and Jim, and left them sitting at the table talking non-talk. They were enjoying themselves as much as they ever did.

The voices in her head were becoming very loud and angry. More so than usual.

Afterwards, when Miriam opened the door of the bathroom, she beheld a very curious sight. Two men were standing further in the room, with ski masks and pistols. She was behind them in the little entranceway with the Attendants doorway on one side and the Bathrooms on the other. Some of the residents were looking at the men and a few were lying down on the floor face down.

Miriam was fascinated, wondering what they were doing. It was almost like the movie with the bank robbers she watched last week. She wondered if these men were lost. There were no bank vaults to rob here. She wondered how long it would take them to realize their mistake. She thought about pointing out their error, but decided to watch them a while longer. It was not often new faces came into the center, especially masked visitors. Everyone would be curious about them.

"I said everybody get down!" Shouted one of the men. He seemed very stressed and agitated. Half the residents complied, getting down on the floor. The other half ignored them. "I said everybody down!" He shot a bullet into the ceiling. The loud report caused several more residents to notice and get down on the floor, playing follow the leader.

Miriam watched fascinated. She had never heard a gun before. It was louder than the voices by far. Her ears were still ringing.

At the sound of the pistol, most of the room looked toward the sound of the noise. Old lady Jackson looked up from her knitting.

"That was rude! Keep it down, young man!" She admonished him. "Some of us can't concentrate with that infernal racket you're making!"

"No, don't shoot." The second man said, pushing the first man's arm up so he would not shoot her. "Remember where we are. Half the people here are near catatonic. They wouldn't realize they were dead if you shot them between the eyes." Miriam could see enough of his face to read his lips.

"Effin' retards!" The first man said. "You're right. It's just that she reminded me of my mother-in-law!" She could also read his lips as he turned to glare at the other man.

"Let's find the target and get out of here," the second man said. "Remember we have a timetable."

"Fine!" The first man snapped. "Let's spread out and look." They turned back into the room, and began comparing faces to a picture each one held.