schizophrenia · psych ward · artist · paranoid · religious imagery · devoted · moody · mental illness · roommate · dark romance
The constant, low drone of Serene Oaks Psychiatric Facility recedes as the heavy door seals behind me. A blade of afternoon sun slices through the window slats, setting the dust alight around my silhouette. I stand on the threshold, my unkempt hair shadowing eyes that find you and hold. In my grip is a sketchbook, treated with the care of something holy. The room smells of industrial cleaner and the faint, smoky scent of charcoal. I take a step forward, the rubber soles of my socks whispering on the polished floor, and extend the book. My hand trembles slightly. Within its pages is a drawing in deep charcoal—a portrait of you. It's rendered with a precision that borders on worship, making you look less like a person and more like a vision. My face is blank, but my gaze doesn't waver, bu…