Gomorrah

1. At the Gates of Hell

The police car drove down the gravel road through rural Pennsylvania to a place people called Gomorrah or Hell. The chill and the gray sky set the tone along with the dead leaves that were kicked up by the police car. Inside were three state troopers and a new arrival. The three cops were visibly nervous of having to drop this poor sap off at Gomorrah or as it was officially known as St. Christina the Astonishing Hospital For The Mentally Ill and Criminal Insane. The new patient was trembling as he only heard stories. He tried to wipe his brow but instead smacked himself with the hand cuffs. A state trooper wiped his brow with his handkerchief. An act of kindness? Penitence for letting a soul be destroyed? Who could say other than the angels that watch over us all. 

The car turned a corner and stopped at the front gates. "The Gates of Hell" a trooper whispered rather loudly. A state trooper came out of a guard house and opened the gate, they had entered Gomorrah. They pulled up to the administration building, ignoring the screams from the residential and medical wings. The new guy shivered and said in hushed Russian "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. Have mercy on me a sinner".  The cop next to him said "Ok Levi, this is the place. Please cooperate with us to make it easier on us". He sounded like he wanted him to be good so as to have a clean conscience, free of sin. The police officers were large German Shepherds as is common among the force. They pulled Levi, a mixed timber wolf and huskie, from the car to the administration building. He saw no use in struggling against his fate. In the bright and strangely cheery room he was met by another German Shepherd in a sergeant uniform and a black cat in a doctor's coat. The doctor smiled and shook his hand "Hello there, you must be Mr. Levi Kahanovitch. I'm Dr. Angela, the head of the psychiatric unit and this is Sergeant John from security. Oh come on you meat headed fools take the cuffs off him" she snapped at the police officers who promptly obeyed. Levi rubbed his sore wrists "Thank you for that. Well I guess you know why I was shipped over here in the first place". The cop and Angela nodded. "We will try to make you a functioning member of society. As the name goes, we are quite astonishing huh?". Levi chuckled at her joke to which she smiled. "I mean it's named after a saint who did miracles. Maybe this place will work a miracle for me". Dr. Angela and Sgt.John laughed at that.

Levi was placed in a holding cell at the end of the room as the state police handed  signed transfer papers, making the hospital his guardian. After a few minutes two hospital officers and an orderly came over to him. "Strip" they commanded and he did. "Are you hiding any contraband in your mouth, clothes or in your crevices?" an officer asked him. "No" Levi replied. They ordered him to squat then bend over so they could make sure he had nothing hidden. An orderly muttered under his breath "Nice ass pup", no one heard. Levi was issued hospital clothes and was cuffed and leg shackled. Sgt. John started speaking to him in an official tone "Levi Kahanovitch, you have been placed in the care of St. Christina the Astonishing Hospital for the Mentally Ill and Criminal Insane. You have been searched for contraband and came up clean. You will first be taken to an initial psychiatric  assessment followed by a physical assessment then you will be placed in your room. You will then be given a meal and allowed to sleep. You will not be issued any medications today. Please do not hit, bite or spit on staff or residents. Failure to do so will result in punishment including physical restraints, chemical restraints or solitary confinement. Do you have any questions?". Levi shook his head and he was escorted to Angela's office where he was asked questions about his mental state and his life up to now. Dr. Angela seemed to be very kind to him, eerily calm almost. After that he was given a physical checkup and finally he was escorted to the resident wing. 

The security guards unlocked a door with a sign posted saying "Wing A: Male Ward. Medium to Low Risk". When the door was opened the first thing that hit Levi was the sounds. Shouting, crying and mumbling from the cells. All from disturbed individuals like him pleading to be let out, fighting and taunting him. The smell then hit him. The air was heavy with unwashed bodies and urine. 

He was taken to a cell at the end of the hallway, 5460. An orderly screamed in "Evan Thomas against the wall". A voice inside replied "Yes sir, I won't roast you today". They uncuffed and unshackled Levi. Before they locked him in an orderly said "Welcome to St. Christina's. Welcome to Gomorrah". They slammed the door and left him in dim cell. The only light was from a barred window and a sky light(as the residents call it, The Eye of God). He turned around and saw this Evan Thomas. Mr. Thomas was a large seven to eight feet Copperhead snake. The snake turned around and looked at him, smiled and said "Well hello there. Name's Evan. You?". "M..My name is Levi..Levi Khanovitch". Evan replied "Like the jeans?" to which Levi nodded. "Well I'm in for delusions or whatever they think I have. They say I'm a snake but I'm really a dragon. What are you here for?". Levi replied "Umm for many things. They say I'm a threat to myself..depression, character disorder, psychosis and neurosis". Evan whistled "Psychosis? Damn and they placed you in Medium risk?" Levi replied "I..I swear I'm not dangerous. I won't hurt you. I..I just want to be better again". Evan sighed "Let me tell you something. They make your sickness out like you have the Plague. You don't, we just think weird because we're not them. I've been in this shit hole for about a year now. My advice is don't crack even more than you are. As the saying goes 'If you cry you will fucking die'. Harsh but true".   

A tray of food was pushed through the slot,  two bowls of clam chowder and bread. Levi slurped the soup down as he did not eat in over a day. Evan had half of his and decided he was not hungry anymore, he gave the rest to Levi saying that he looked sickly hungry. After they ate they just sat in silence for a bit, listening to the screaming from their neighbors. A few minutes later an orderly threw Levi's meager possessions in the room: a Bible and a necklace. The necklace was an Orthodox cross that had the crucified Christ on one side. On the other side Levi had carved a Star of David and the words in Hebrew and Russian "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. Have mercy on me a sinner". He put the necklace on and stashed his Bible in a drawer. "Orthodox huh? That's nice. I'm a Mennonite Christian. That's a nice necklace you have". Levi smiled "Why thank you. I'm an Old Believer Orthodox but my father is Jewish. I was raised in both faiths. Like we celebrate Christmas, Easter and Passover. Well I did until...never mind. You can use my Bible if you wish".