So, what to do, what to do? It gets to the point of boredom making you want to bounce off the walls just for something to do. There�s a common room but it's filled with the other 'loonies' and the TV in there shows programs even a five year old wouldn't watch because they're so pitiful. Brad has been sitting on the edge of his bunk, fiddling with the sleeves of his tunic for ages now and it's starting to get to me. I daresay the noise of my pen on paper will annoy him soon too.

"Pack it in" he says suddenly. Although I know what, I reply sweetly with

"Pack what in"

"You know what" he replies sharply, and I wisely decide not to push things any further. As it is I don't get the chance to, since one of the nurses (with a fake smile the size of Nebraska glued to her damn face) walks in.

"Hello there Mr. Delson, Mr. Shinoda" she says, respectfully. It's probably wise not to upset someone in a lunatic asylum. �Aren't you going to join the others in the common room"

"No thanks," Brad grates out at her and I wince.

"Well, very well," she replies, then continues, "I just thought you'd like to know you're scheduled to be getting four new room mates, and you're being moved into a larger dormitory tonight."

If it were possible my ears would have pricked right up at that. "Moved, why"

"They want you to room with these new four people, I don't know why," and here she was being sincere, I could tell, "And this poky little room isn't big enough, so moved you get."

"Bigger, meaning it's got four more bunks in an equal space," Brad muttered. I glared at him but thankfully the nurse didn't seem to notice.

"Well, chop chop!" she said, a little too overenthusiastically. I'll write later when we're in the new room, but I wonder already what these new people will be like.

"I bet they're total headcases," Brad said.

I sighed. "If they aren't already you'll make "em that way, Delson."

"Quit it," he replied sharply but he doesn't mean it.

We're now in the new room, which has three sets of bunk beds and, as Brad said, an equal area to our old room " although it feels like this room has less due to the extra bed " our old room had two single beds so we only consider one set of bunk beds as an extra. Our few belongings are in small bags by our feet.

"So, which bunk d'ya want" Brad asked, dryly. I laughed.

"Why don't we take two of the top ones? At least then if the others are losers we'll always come out on top, right"

It was a dreadful joke, but Brad smiled and threw his bag onto the far top bunk. I went for the nearest one. This left a bunk bed between us.

"I wonder what the new guys will be like," Brad mused, but it wasn't really a question.

"Maybe they'll be axe-murderers or something equally sick," I replied.

"Mike, that's not funny. What I wouldn't give for a nice nutcase like me."

"Doubt that's happening," I replied absently as I stuffed my tunics into the nearby chest of drawers, taking up only the top drawer. There were two chests of drawers, each with three drawers. Talk about minimum space.

My eyes fell on the small mirror on top of the chest of drawers I was stuffing my clothes into. Without saying a word I picked up the dark piece of cloth I always had and put it over the mirror neatly, covering its reflective surface and concealing the image it held, an almost mocking reversal of the room we were in. You see, very weird little things tend to hide in mirrors and scare the living daylights out of you first thing in the morning.

"Well, are they coming or did they ship out to the graveyard instead" Brad asked after a moment of silence, and the sudden sound made me jump a clean foot in the air.

"Man, don't do that," I told him. "Give them time, they'll be here."

A slight cough came from the doorway and a voice said softly "Uhm, hello"

This time both Brad and me jumped. Brad fell right off his bunk and landed in a heap on the floor. I know it was cruel, but the sight was so comical that I had to laugh. After a few moments, Brad got up and dusted himself off, and then we looked at the new arrival.

Nothing like freshmeat in this place, you never know what you'll get. This guy looked relatively normal though " even if he was built like a brick house. I recognised his build and features as being Korean. The guy had black hair and glasses, and under his arm was a small duffel bag, no doubt his clothes for his stay in this place. He was wearing the short-sleeved version of Brad and my tunics.

"Hey," I managed at last. "I'm Mike. Mike Shinoda."

"Are� are you Japanese" he asked softly.

"Half Japanese, but don't worry about it. The guy who fell off the bed when you came in is my partner in crime, Brad Delson."

"A pleasure," replied Brad from where he was sitting, nursing his bruises.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," the guy said, then as if suddenly remembering, added "Oh, I'm Joe. Joe Hahn."

"Well Joe, welcome to the "Bin, as we fondly call it. It's a living rubbish dump, and we're the rubbish." I said wryly. Joe laughed softly.

"I think I'll get on well with you guys," he said. "Which of the beds are taken"

"The nearest and farthest top bunk," I replied. "The one in the middle's free, if you want to take it. You seem nice enough."

"Gee thanks," he replied, and walked over to the chest of drawers on the far side of the room. Opening the bottom drawer, he began to tuck his clothing neatly into the miniscule space.

Brad and me stood, in an awkward silence, for a few moments. It was an unspoken rule that in this place, you didn't ask other people what they were in for. Some people didn't take it kindly. Joe didn't seem like the kind to try and slit your throat with his fingernails " but then again, neither did most madmen. I silently vaulted back onto my bed, and Brad did the same. Joe pushed the drawer shut then climbed onto the top bunk in the middle. I could hear crickets chirp. Oh, how annoying, especially since the bloody things can do what they want without being locked up like us.

It was getting dark, so I reached for the light switch. "Bedtime, people. Brad, you OK"

Brad glared at me. "Turn. The. Damn. Light. Off," he grated through gritted teeth.

Joe either didn't notice or ignored it. I smacked the switch to the "off" position and ducked under my sheets. I couldn't help but wonder what the next day would bring in terms of our roommates. Yes, this was going to be an interesting time.

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