A Study In Insanity

Chapter 3- The game is on -

Enjoy reading chapter 3 :)

Chapter 3- The game is on -

Jerome Valeska lay on his cot and stared at the ceiling. Through the grilled ventilating shaft somewhere above his sleeping place he could hear one of his fellow inmates, halfwitted Arnold Dobkins, talking to himself in a slurred voice. Jerome sneered. As far as he knew, doctor Harris would meet the imbecile tomorrow some time during the morning. Doctor Moira Harris. He snorted. The good doctor would leave like all the other psychiatrists had before her. He would make sure of that. Filling the people, who were presumptuous enough to believe that he needed to receive medical treatment based on whatever misdiagnosis they made, with fear was his idea of a pleasant leisure-time activity.

To be honest, being forced to stay at this godforsaken asylum came with a prize in the shape of utter boredom. He pretty much felt underchallenged which was why breaking his psychiatrists was so much fun. He loved playing with them, loved seeing them doubting themselves and their abilities. And oh, what a rush it was whenever he made his final move. The moment he knew he'd checkmated them with their own dark and twisted thoughts always left him dizzy with unbridled, intoxicating fun.

His lips split into a huge, mischievous grin as he pictured breaking poor doctor Harris. There was no need for wondering how long she would try and put up a fight for he truly doubted that she would prove to be a real challenge. She was young, petite, quite a beautiful girl he had to give her that, but she didn't look like a fighter. Which was a pity since it meant that he would have to find a way to prolong the game before it was over way to soon for his taste. You see, having to wait weeks or even worse, months for the next psychiatrist to get hired wasn't exactly his cup of tea. Hell, waiting in general was irksome!

His thoughts were disturbed by Dobkins who chose this very moment to sing a terribly flat rendition of Can you feel the love tonight?.

Jerome closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose while letting out an annoyed grunt.

Then he raised his hands in an effort to shield his ears from Arnold's shrieking.

God, one day he'd happily become mad just to bear living with idiots like Dobkins.

*

"Dad wants to bring along his new girlfriend this Christmas."

Moira rolled her eyes and cursed under her breath.

Could her father be any more insensitive?

"Does mom know?", she asked her brother over the phone.

Jared snorted.

"Of course not. I'm trying to talk him out of it. Until then it's better if she stays clueless concerning his selfish plan. You know how she gets when she is jealous. We would have one hell of a nasty Christmas. That's as sure as eggs is eggs!"

Moira nodded then remembered that Jared couldn't exactly see her and said: "Yeah, let's hope that he'll see reason. Speaking of Christmas: Any idea on what to buy for mom and granny? Dad will be happy about the concert tickets we booked. I don't think we need to buy more gifts for him."

She heard her brother grunt and stifled a snort. So Jared was as bereft of ideas as she herself was.

"I don't know. It's always been difficult to find something nice for the two of them since they pretty much buy whatever they want on their own. Remember when I wanted to get that new camera for mom and just a day later she proudly shows me the very same camera? I saw it and had to buy it, Jared!", her brother parroted their mother.