Blazz had grown up and lived in the Mordem institution since she was a young girl, hardly out of age six, and now she was 23. She was a long, challenging case to treat, and even then, there was no perfect treatment. But, one day, she was told by Don, while sitting in her cell.
“You’re going to be released.”
“..I am?”
“Yes. Next week, Saturday.”
“..I… I’m leaving?”
“You are. Mordem’s decided your treatment is over. You’re going to be prescribed medication, but aside from that, you’re going to be free of this place.”
Blazz stared directly forward at her cell in silence. Somewhat shocked. She didn’t know what to say.
“..What about you?”
“Well, I’m getting pretty old. I’ve been your ward for almost seventeen years, you know. And you aren’t even my longest patient. I think I’m going to retire, after this.”
“Can I visit you again?”
“Of course you can. I’d be pleased to have you as a guest some time in the future. Just, heh, don’t burn anything down.”
They smiled at each other, and Blazz glanced over at the lighter Don had given her. As promised, it never left the fireproofed cell.
“..I’ll be sure to take as pristine care of this as I can.”
“It’s just a lighter, Blazz.”
She held it close to her chest and glanced back at him.
“It’s not. It’s so much more than that.”
“I know. It’s fire. Fire is your soul.”
“And it’s your fire. That’s something sacred. That means so much more than just being any fire.”
“Well, I appreciate you thinking so much about me.”
“..I’ll be sure to visit. I promise. And everything that I ever burn with this, I’ll remember you for.”
“Heh, well. As long as you aren’t burning down any public buildings or people, that’s fine by me.”
Blazz nodded.
“Consider it a promise.”
—
Blazz walked out of her cell for the last time, taking along with her every belonging she ever collected there. It wasn’t very much. Don’s lighter, some hygiene equipment, some variety of trinkets and gifts she got from her fellow patients. All packed up into a nice, small suitcase. She changed out of her patient’s outfit for the last time, bringing it along with her as well. She was given new clothes, as those she entered with no longer fit her. For many people, memories of this facility were not ones they wanted to remember. For Blazz, it was quite the opposite. As she stepped out the doors of the facility, fully aware she would never be returning as a patient, she took a parting glance back at the giant complex with a long sigh. She sucked in the fresh air of the Taliskar frontier before her, and as her eyes took in their final view of the complex, she almost felt tears in her eyes.
The front doors opened, and Don, as well as a few of the other doctors Blazz had been treated by, stepped out to see her. Blazz smiled, and set her luggage down. She jogged over to them and stopped.
“..Well, thanks, guys. Never really thought I’d see the day.”
“We did, Blazz. This is our goal for all of our patients.”
“Yeah, but.. y’know. I’ve been here for basically my whole life. I grew up here.”
“It was a long and hard process, but it’s finished. You’re ready to go.”
“..What if I have to come back?”
“If you have to come back, goddess forbid, we’ll be ready to take you in again. But, our goal is to treat you. Let us pray we succeeded.”
“Alright, then. I.. guess that’s it, then.”
“It certainly is. Please, be safe out there.”
“I will. Thanks for everything, Don.”
Blazz jumped forward and hugged her former caretaker, who simply chuckled and returned the embrace. Almost two decades of treatment in the asylum, and Don had been there for all of it.
“I’ll visit you soon, okay?”
“I look forward to it. Take care.”
She finally let go, and stepped back over to her luggage. A taxi had been called for her, and she made her way towards it. As she set her luggage in the back of the cab, she glanced back at the facility. Don and the doctors waved to her, and she returned the wave. For the last time, she glanced over the outer walls of the facility. Then, finally content, she hopped in the cab and shut the door. The taxi driver glanced back at her.
“Where to, miss?
“You’re going to be released.”
“..I am?”
“Yes. Next week, Saturday.”
“..I… I’m leaving?”
“You are. Mordem’s decided your treatment is over. You’re going to be prescribed medication, but aside from that, you’re going to be free of this place.”
Blazz stared directly forward at her cell in silence. Somewhat shocked. She didn’t know what to say.
“..What about you?”
“Well, I’m getting pretty old. I’ve been your ward for almost seventeen years, you know. And you aren’t even my longest patient. I think I’m going to retire, after this.”
“Can I visit you again?”
“Of course you can. I’d be pleased to have you as a guest some time in the future. Just, heh, don’t burn anything down.”
They smiled at each other, and Blazz glanced over at the lighter Don had given her. As promised, it never left the fireproofed cell.
“..I’ll be sure to take as pristine care of this as I can.”
“It’s just a lighter, Blazz.”
She held it close to her chest and glanced back at him.
“It’s not. It’s so much more than that.”
“I know. It’s fire. Fire is your soul.”
“And it’s your fire. That’s something sacred. That means so much more than just being any fire.”
“Well, I appreciate you thinking so much about me.”
“..I’ll be sure to visit. I promise. And everything that I ever burn with this, I’ll remember you for.”
“Heh, well. As long as you aren’t burning down any public buildings or people, that’s fine by me.”
Blazz nodded.
“Consider it a promise.”
—
Blazz walked out of her cell for the last time, taking along with her every belonging she ever collected there. It wasn’t very much. Don’s lighter, some hygiene equipment, some variety of trinkets and gifts she got from her fellow patients. All packed up into a nice, small suitcase. She changed out of her patient’s outfit for the last time, bringing it along with her as well. She was given new clothes, as those she entered with no longer fit her. For many people, memories of this facility were not ones they wanted to remember. For Blazz, it was quite the opposite. As she stepped out the doors of the facility, fully aware she would never be returning as a patient, she took a parting glance back at the giant complex with a long sigh. She sucked in the fresh air of the Taliskar frontier before her, and as her eyes took in their final view of the complex, she almost felt tears in her eyes.
The front doors opened, and Don, as well as a few of the other doctors Blazz had been treated by, stepped out to see her. Blazz smiled, and set her luggage down. She jogged over to them and stopped.
“..Well, thanks, guys. Never really thought I’d see the day.”
“We did, Blazz. This is our goal for all of our patients.”
“Yeah, but.. y’know. I’ve been here for basically my whole life. I grew up here.”
“It was a long and hard process, but it’s finished. You’re ready to go.”
“..What if I have to come back?”
“If you have to come back, goddess forbid, we’ll be ready to take you in again. But, our goal is to treat you. Let us pray we succeeded.”
“Alright, then. I.. guess that’s it, then.”
“It certainly is. Please, be safe out there.”
“I will. Thanks for everything, Don.”
Blazz jumped forward and hugged her former caretaker, who simply chuckled and returned the embrace. Almost two decades of treatment in the asylum, and Don had been there for all of it.
“I’ll visit you soon, okay?”
“I look forward to it. Take care.”
She finally let go, and stepped back over to her luggage. A taxi had been called for her, and she made her way towards it. As she set her luggage in the back of the cab, she glanced back at the facility. Don and the doctors waved to her, and she returned the wave. For the last time, she glanced over the outer walls of the facility. Then, finally content, she hopped in the cab and shut the door. The taxi driver glanced back at her.
“Where to, miss?
“Alright, Taxi man. Edelstein. Take me home.”
