One of the goals of SPFBO is to give a chance to self-published authors to get more exposure. This year I’m taking part in the competition with my own team. You can keep updated on our progress and all of our content on my SPFBO 5 page!
Tales from the Asylum is a new feature I came up with for SPFBO. I wanted to create a unique opportunity for the authors to show off their story telling skills by taking their characters and putting them in an asylum room to see how they would deal with the situation. A lot can happen in a closed space…
The Author
Drew Montgomery is an author and graduate of Texas A&M. He currently lives in Houston, TX, where he moonlights at a software company. When not writing, you can often find him reading, playing video games, drinking craft beer, and occasionally watching and complaining about the local sports teams.
The Setting
The Scene
God, I could kill for a smoke. Or a drink. I can’t remember how long it’s been since I’ve had either. However long I’ve been in this hellhole.
They say these places are for your own health, your own sanity, your own protection. They said that when they introduced the first Taika registration laws to Congress. Anyone with half a brain knew it was bullshit, but no one had the balls to say it aloud. Instead they argued like it made sense to compromise on putting a lens on our kind.
They did finally let me out of the straight jacket, so I have that at least. Guess they figured I was no longer a danger to myself. All it did was give me a way to amuse myself. It’s such a little trick, one anyone can learn with enough practice, but it’s always amused me for some reason. A snap to make the flame appear, dancing over my touching fingers, and a release to make it vanish, gone just as quickly. It was how I always used to light my smokes. Sometimes, I feel like it helps with the cravings. Sometimes I think it makes them worse.
I ask the orderly when I’m getting out every time he brings me my lunch. He’s a hulking man, definitely not the model of a good bedside manner. Best I get is a grunt, or if he’s in a bad mood, an overturned tray. I threw it at him once when he was walking away, hit him in the back of the head. He still didn’t say anything, but he did give me a solid kick to the gut. I still say I won that exchange; he sported a large welt for a week, and I only pissed blood for a day. Yeah, definitely a win.
A psychiatrist came by after that, asked me some questions. I answered him as best I could, but he seemed a bit put off by my tone. Wouldn’t be the first, but if he’s my ticket out of here, I suppose I should dial it back a bit. He wouldn’t say why I’m here either. I’m starting to think there isn’t a real reason, but the analytical side of my mind tells me someone wants me out of the way. Can’t be for something I’ve done or know, but maybe for something I’m going to do. You never know with the Anika, the way they use time. Maybe the Deets were right to track them, at least.
For now, there’s nothing to do but wait. Escape is out of the question, but they can’t keep me here forever. And once I’m out on the streets, then it seems I’ll have a case of my own, one where I’m my own client. There’s something happening, something to get to the bottom of. I may be washed up, but I haven’t lost all my skills. I still know how to solve a case, and I’ll be damned if I let this one go.
Just gotta get out of here.
And maybe have a smoke first. And a drink.
If you’d like to get in touch, you can find Drew Montgomery on social media:
Drew Montgomery entered Taika Town into SPFBO.
You can keep updated on our progress and all of our content on my SPFBO 5 page!
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