Macabre | Dowoo

t h r e e

The next time Jungwoo was in the cafeteria was at five in the evening, as it had been told to him before by the stupid lady in the uniform he was glad he hadn't seen since the morning.

He already knew where to go, but his legs still made sure to follow the rest of the people in patient uniform around him for good measure. Like just seven hours ago, he walked into the cafeteria and stood in line for him food.

With metal in his hands he took a seat at the same table that had been occupied by him before, looking down again at the food given to him. Before he left definitely for the asylum he was lucky enough to have one last breakfast of good food that filled him up for most of the day, but he was feeling hungrier right now.

A dry ham sandwich was laying on the bare silver metal, and there was an unopened milk carton on the other side of the tray. Between them was a few baby carrots, seven when Jungwoo took the time to count them all.

Jungwoo took the sandwich into his hand and took a big bite, scrunching his face at the lacking texture of the bread and flavorless ham but still swallowing. He set it back down on the tray and decided to stick to watery carrots.

"Jungwoo~~ I missed you!" A loud voice called out, and Jungwoo knew exactly who it was despite having just met the boy today. Donghyuck wasn't exactly a forgettable person.

As Jungwoo looked up, swallowing the carrot he was chewing, he saw Donghyuck and Mark walking towards him with lunch trays identical to his in their hands. When they sat down in the same way as yesterday he greeted them with a little nod.

"Food's not really that appetizing, is it?" Donghyuck commented, propping his elbows up on the table as he gestured to the abandoned sandwich on Jungwoo's plate.

With a quiet chuckled Jungwoo shook his head, "Certainly not what my mother makes. I doubt she'd ever make it for me now, though."

Donghyuck laughed, "My mother always said I talked too much during meals. Then I stopped getting meals in general, and then I was sent here."

"What are you guys here for, anyway?" Jungwoo questioned, looking between Donghyuck and Mark, who was picking at the opening of the milk carton on his tray. He looked up when Jungwoo had said that, though. "If it's not too much to ask?" he added.

For the start of an answer he got Donghyuck waving his hands in the air, signalling that it was not a big deal to them.

"I have something wrong with my brain, I think," Donghyuck said. "Markie, what's the name?"

"Histrionic personality disorder," Mark said slowly, looking at Donghyuck and back at Jungwoo.

Donghyuck quickly spoke after him, "It means I'm apparently really loud and extra, or something. I don't really like to know details about things, they make my head hurt. I just know that apparently the adults think its enough to place me in a stupid place like this, but at least I have Mark! And now you, Jungwoo!"

"And how about you Mark?" Jungwoo asked, changing over the focus to the other boy sitting at their table. Mark froze up, his eyes darting between the two people he was talking to and multiple other places in the room.

"O-" He started and then quickly started to say the word over again, "Opioids."

Donghyuck seemed bothered by the small bit of time he wasn't being looked at. "He's been here for almost two weeks now," he smiled, relaxing when all eyes were on him again, "It's hard for him but I help him out. You're doing good, aren't you, sweets?"

At this Mark quickly widened his eyes, looking away with rosily decorated cheeks. Jungwoo could tell that he started to bounce one of his legs up and down from the way he slightly shook from it. "Mhm," he muttered, trying to ignore the smirking boy next to him that was staring a hole through his skull.

"How long have you been in here, Donghyuck?" Jungwoo asked, recognizing when a fellow trooper needed saving from an uncomfortable situation.

"Six months now!" Donghyuck giggled, clapping his hands together in sudden excitement. "I've been doing most of the things my therapist tells me, but some of the other stuff is plain bullshit. Everyone still thinks I'm crazy, but this place is fun!"

Jungwoo slowly nodded, opening his milk carton and taking a sip. It tasted like milk made with the powder, and even then there was a bigger ratio of water to milk powder. Figures.

Mark looked up at a space high up on the wall, not making eye contact. "He's shagged almost all of the guys here during shower hour," he chuckled to himself, half of his words slurred.

A big gasp was heard from the eccentric lad beside them, who placed a hand on his chest to show he was offended before quickly turning over to just laughing. "Kidding! He's only speaking facts."

"Lunch time is over! Dumps your trays and return to your rooms!" The guards at the door yelled into the cafeteria. Some of the patients groaned, others started to shovel the remaining food they still had on their plate into their mouths.

"I guess this is it for today's socialization, besties," Donghyuck grinned as the three of them stood up and walked over to clank their metal trays on top of everyone else's on a table in near the lunch counter.

"Besties already?" Jungwoo asked, putting his hands in his pockets as they walked out the big double metal doors.

Donghyuck sent him a look as if he had said something crazy. "Uh, yeah. Duh." He grabbed onto Mark's wrist and started to walk away. "See ya tomorrow, Woo!"

Jungwoo just nodded and smiled, walking off to his own dorm. Somehow, he couldn't believe he'd made friends already.

a/n

Histrionic personality disorder is a mental condition that affects a person in their day-to-day life. People with this disorder are characterized by attention-seeking, over-exaggerated and seductive behavior.

They sometimes have shifting moods and shallow emotions, and relationships appear closer to them then they actually are. They value physical appearance and are easily influenced by others.

Opioids are highly addictive chemicals that can alter many aspects of a person's body and mind. An addict will be highly dependent on the drug once they develop the addiction and behavior-wise they can exhibit drowsiness, confusion, fatigue, hallucinations, reduced concentration, convulsions and mood swings.

The withdrawal period is very intense. About 2 weeks after the last dose of an opioid, about the time that Mark has gone without them at this point in the story, and addict will experience depression, anxiety, irritability, restlessness and trouble sleeping. Later on there will be more significant depression and cravings for the drugs.

I don't actually know what any of the conditions and illnesses that will be addressed and represented in this book are like in real life, but I have done a lot of research and gathered information so I could replicate them in my characters as closely as I could.

If any information or behaviors of my characters are incorrect, please don't hesitate to tell me so I could edit and correct my mistakes, especially if you feel offended.

Sorry for the fact dump but I love researching anything to do with mental state and how that affects the human body. This book is so interesting to write for me!

I hope y'all are all enjoying the story so far love u <3