At this point you're probably shaking your head in disapproval, maybe yelling at my idiocy. Well joke's on you. I can't hear you. You're yelling at my story right now. And yes, I am being idiotic. But when has that never not been true? Into the insane asylum we go...

Kayley lead me through clean white hallways. Windowless doors lined both walls. I heard some unintelligible muttering from one, and giggling from another, but none of the shrieks and groans that horror movies had led me to expect.

"So how long has your brother worked here?" I asked as we rounded another corner in silence. "Like... what's his job?"

Kayley looked at me in confusion. 

"My brother doesn't work here."

"But you said-"

I stopped in mid-sentence, finally realizing what she meant. 

"Oh," I said quietly, deciding to shut up. 

"We'll visit him last," Kayley said matter of factly. She stopped and pulled open a pair of heavy double doors. 

Bright yellow lights cheerfully illuminated a large carpeted room. It looked like an oversized playroom with bookshelves along one wall, pillows and cushions spread over the floor, and boxes of toys and games scattered around. 

4 patients, marked by their loose gray outfits, occupied themselves. One stood staring out the window, eyes moving furiously in every direction. Another was methodically ripping a stack of paper into thinner and thinner strips. The last two were digging through a toy box together. A couple of supervisors relaxed against the far wall. They greeted Kayley with friendly waves then continued their conversation. 

"Wait here," Kayley instructed, heading toward the 2 at the toybox. 

I gladly obeyed. I wasn't sure I liked this place, despite the friendly appearance. After a moment Kayley beckoned me over. I sat down next to her, finally getting a good look at my future partners. 

One was a teenage girl, probably a little younger than me. She had dark messy hair and large glasses that made her blue eyes look way to big for her face. She stared right back at me, a kind of innocent intensity on her face. 

Partly to break the stare, I looked at the other patient. This one was a young man. His tousled hair was a bright gold color. It was long enough that it almost hung into his dark eyes. He was didn't even look at me, but his eyes unnerved me anyway. They were black and sparkling. He looked like an insane comedian who was always laughing at a joke that only he understood. 

"Guys, this is Aaron," Kayley said, elbowing me. I stuck out my hand awkwardly and shook hands. 

"This is Simon, and this is Pearl." 

Pearl scooted closer to me and whispered, "Can you really make things come to life?"

I looked uncertainly at Kayley. She gave a small nod.

"Yeah," I admitted. 

"Can I see?" Pearl begged, eyes huge. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the yarn I'd brought. With a quick glance to make sure the orderlies couldn't see us, I made it wriggle up Pearl's arm. She gasped, a delighted smile breaking across her face. 

Simon smiled too, dark eyes glittering. 

"Okay guys, we're going to have to move faster than I thought," Kayley said after I had tucked it back into my pocket. "Are you okay with that?"

"What else do you think I'm going to be doing?" Simon smiled. "I can't wait to get back to my lab. I've gotten some very interesting ideas from the medications they've been giving me here."

Pearl giggled, clapping her hands. 

Kayley turned to smile at me. 

"Well I guess that's settled."

She cast a covert glance around and then slipped something out of her pocket and passed it to Simon. I caught a glimpse of metal. 

"You both know the plan?" she asked. 

They nodded. 

"Meet you tomorrow at the rendevous then," Kayley said, standing up. Then in a loud, slow voice she said,

"And you two be good. These nice people are here to help you,"

She took my arm again and steered me out of the bright playroom. I could feel them watching me as the door closed. 

"That's it?" I asked incredulously as we started back down the hall. 

"Yep. They like you. That was the biggest hurdle to cross. We've had an escape planned for months, and it should be no sweat," she said, as nonchalant as could be. "Just one more thing before we go,"

She sounded as calm as ever, but I noticed her eyes tighten just a little bit as we stopped at a door. 

"It... might be best if you wait out here," she said. "I never know what's going to set him off. But could I please have that candy you brought?"

I handed it over and leaned against the wall as she slipped inside the room. Muffled voices drifted through the thick door. One of them kept going and going like a broken record, while Kayley's interjected here and there. 

I slid down the wall and listened to the voices of Kayley and her mad brother. It was hard to tell but for the first time I thought Kayley sounded... sad.