Escaping the OCD Turmoil part 1

Ben Bradshaw is a runner but has OCD and has to overcome it to get home to his family

Chapter 1.
Benjamin Bradshaw loved running; as it made him feel on top of the world and invincible. He could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins and certainly the wind beneath his feet. As he put one foot in front of the other regardless of what speed or distance he travelled, he always felt great even if there were hills in the race, or it was just training. The friendly man had started running at school but lost interest when he became a teenager, for it was girls and music he cared more about. Out of the sadness of losing his grandad, Benjamin wanted to do something good in his memory, so one day his daughter brought home a leaflet saying,
“Colwyn Bay 10k.”
He thought to himself,
“ I could do that! I could run 6 miles (ca. 10 km) for cancer research and give back to the doctors and nurses who looked after my grandad by raising lots of money. However, firstly, I need to train, so I’d better put my trainers and shorts on and hit the road.”
So Mr Bradshaw, who had two wonderful children and a beautiful wife who lived in North Wales, told his gorgeous Stephanie of their daughter Tanya’s Leaflet, She had brought it home from school. She was eight and his son Isaac was 18. Benjamin and Stephanie were both 44, and it was 2019.
The race went well, and Mr Bradshaw, an author of children’s books, decided to attend the Porthmadog Dragon running club a few months later. He found the courage to join, despite being shy all his life and not mixing well with people.
The club went running all around Porthmadog, Rhyl, Llandudno, and Prestatyn. There were plenty of races too; from 5K, 10k, 5 miles (ca. 8 km), 10 miles (ca. 16 km), cross-country and relay.
Benjamin loved these distances, but he wanted something more, something he could get his teeth into, but he didn’t know if he was ready. Could he? Should he? Was he able to do the unthinkable and the author completed 13.1 miles (ca. 21 km), his first half-marathon?
It was a tall order, and he didn’t know whether his body could manage it. It would mean lots of training, three days a week running! Could his schedule give him that time off to do the thing that he loved in his life, besides his family and music, or was it too much of an ask? All these years, all he’s ever done is his best and if that’s not good enough, well, at least he’s tried! That's the best philosophy anybody can live by, so Ben searched the Internet for the next half-marathon, being a novice he didn’t know all the races yet around the area.
After an extensive inquiry, he found the Rhyl half Marathon on 20th May. He was asked to find his pace in a long-distance race, but this was all Gobbledygook that he didn’t understand. All he could do was put 1 foot in front of the other, for he didn’t understand times, distances, heart rates, all that sort of thing. One great friend said,
“You must stick with it mate, and you will crack running eventually!”
Benjamin found that his body and mind could get into a rhythm and one with nature and the Earth, where he could run forever.
One day, after 10 miles (ca. 16 km) the Welshman felt sensational and there was no apprehension about signing up for the seaside half, so he got his phone out and clicked on the Rhyl Half Marathon website and without thinking signed himself up.
Days, weeks, and months later, Benjamin trained well with his club at his races, plus running on his own, around the fields at the back of his house.
The Dragon Running Club member and children’s story writer was now ready, and his body felt strong and able to run around the famous Welsh town. This was located just 14 miles (ca. 23 km) from his home in Lamberis and would take place the following weekend.
So Ben went to the local running shop and kitted out with brand-new shorts, a T-shirt, socks, water bottles, Energy bars and some magnificent trainers. He would look the part, even if he came last, but he had faith in his ability to sustain his stamina and complete the race.
It was the eve of his first half-marathon and butterflies had begun to set in. Still, the great friends he'd made in the two years of running had certainly made Ben feel indestructible and unstoppable to do any distance, and they were all coming to support him along the course.
The day of the race was finally here and his loving family bought him a great big cake. It said.
“Good luck, Dad”, was on the front. There was a T-shirt that said,
“The best runner in the universe ever, and You can’t run without Daddy Benjamin!”
The man of 6 children's books, put on his running gear, had a quick breakfast, then kissed his family goodbye. He headed for his DeLorean car and drove to Rhyl alone, as it was too busy for his family to stand for a few hours. He was very excited and nervous as he sat behind the wheel of his car, but he kept his cool and concentration for the race.
Benjamin parked and did some stretching and a practice run of a half-mile, now the friendly and happy man who had a great life was ready for his ultimate test of endurance.
On the start line, Ben felt the fear had truly set in and with the distance weighing heavy on his mind, he began to think,
“What the heck am I doing running all this way? It's not physically and mentally possible! Will I ever be strong enough, or will it break me? Oh sod this, it's just another run, I can do anything I put my mind to, and I don't have to be afraid of anything!”
Benjamin pinned on his number and headed for the right pacemaker, the author reckoned about 2 hours and 30 minutes to finish, so the author stood by the gentleman with a large black flag, and before he could shout,
“Something Inside me says I am strong enough now to run 13.1 miles (ca. 21 km) for my grandad and children!”
The organizer of the race had given a brief talk and fired a gun to start, now they were off, running along roads, fields, pavements, and the seafront. Before Mr. Bradshaw knew if he’d run a 10k- 6 miles (ca. 10 km) already. It was halfway when he began to feel fabulous, even better, as he had passed the pacemaker and was doing better than the father of two could truly have hoped for.
Could Ben maintain this pace and were there any surprises along the next section, like hills, mud or zigzag roads? The famous local didn't have the opportunity to remember the map that came with his number, but took on some water and an energy bar, to keep up his stamina, which he could feel draining already. The great runner figured it was all in his head and if he thought,
“ I can do this! Anything’s possible!”
The crowds and awesome marshals were fabulous in cheering everyone on, and even a little girl shouted,
“Keep going you sensational number 27, it's round the next corner, don't give up because there's so much at stake, just rise and let the crowd carry you to the finish line!”
Ben was pleasantly surprised at her bravado for an eight-year-old, and then bam, the finish was right in front of the loving husband. So he tried to find that extra gear and sprinted as hard as the man could pull out of his tired and achy legs. He zoomed through the masses of crowds waiting to see the finishers.
Benjamin Bradshaw had only gone and done it. He had not only run his first half Marathon but completed it in exactly two hours, a big personal best. He felt buzzed and on top of the world, and pure happiness swirled inside. When they kindly handed him his medal and T-shirt, he was overjoyed, but then all those positive feelings would change, and his life would never be the same again.
Chapter 2
The remarkable man stood in the heart of Rhyl with his close friends and discussed the race. 30 minutes later, Ben was in the Royal Oak public house, he FaceTimed his loving family and shared the extraordinary news.
“My dear, you won't believe it, but I've completed my first half-marathon and I feel electric. Let's call our parents and celebrate! We can head to the Shark Fin Inn for the finest steak in North Wales. Please reserve a table for 3:30 pm, so I have enough time to return home and freshen up.”
Stephanie was thrilled by her husband’s amazing news. He had transformed himself from a couch potato to a fit and healthy man, having lost over two stones in weight. She was excited to congratulate him and hear all about his achievements. She quickly called her parents to invite them for tea, eager for them to see their beloved grandchildren.
Next, she called her in-laws, Ben's parents, who had watched his progress and were eager to learn of his outcome in the race. They were stunned to hear that Ben had completed the challenging run and was still full of energy, especially considering his past dislike for sports back in Manchester. Their excitement was apparent as they agreed to join her at the renowned restaurant to celebrate Benjamin's incredible feat. The Bradshaw's couldn't contain their pride and anticipation to see Ben's well-deserved medal. With plans set, she quickly made her way to freshen up and get ready for the upcoming celebration.

Chapter 3.

Chapter 3
Benjamin and Stephanie, accompanied by Tanya and Isaac, embarked on a thrilling 15-minute drive into the breathtaking town of Llanberis to reunite with their family. The charming black and white building stood proudly at the corner of a small Harbour, surrounded by a vast gravel-filled car park. An array of boats of different shapes and sizes were docked, while seagulls soared high above, filling the air with their characteristic squawks. People basked in the warmth of the summer’s evening, delighting in the charming scenery.
As they arrived, Ben stepped out of the car, proudly wearing his Rhyl half-marathon medal around his neck. It glistened in the sun and looked like the symbol of his incredible achievement. Their family emerged from their vibrant DeLorean saloon car and strolled just 10 meters from the car park to the posh Shark Fin establishment, ascending two small white steps before entering.
The joyous family, captivated by their dad’s and husband's medals, joyously reunited with their parents and grandparents. They settled at a spacious table with striking decor all around them. They sat down and were all eager to share their excitement and stories. Ben’s parents gave their son a warm embrace. As soon as they gazed upon the large, super-shiny medal with a bright orange ribbon, they smiled and gave Ben a much-deserved congratulations. The author went over the race and his fine performance. He ended the chat with,
“Well, I honestly have no idea how people run another 13.1 miles (ca. 21 km) and do a full marathon. They must be either crackers or the Incredible Hulk!" All of Ben's family laughed and then mulled over the menu while Tanya said,
“It doesn’t matter what distance you ran, my epic Dad. You're my superhero, and you're super-fit running for two hours and are just phenomenal! Love you around the Earth and back, my humble and big-hearted dad."
The whole family decided upon their meals with the waiter and some non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. Then they waited for the starters to arrive and discussed what Ben's future dreams of running were. The resilient and courageous runner smiled at his warm and attentive family and said,
“Thank you all for your kind remarks on my achievement and for coming out on short notice. I’d like to make a toast to you all for sponsoring me and encouraging me to get off the sofa and run, run, run. Regarding future races, I heard in England that the Lichfield half is a pleasant and scenic route. I know what I said about marathons, but every runner dreams of a place in London, even though it would be like climbing Everest or getting to the moon. Running around the grand Tintagel Castle would be a magical experience too.”
Chapter 4
Steph’s mum was talking about Ben’s next children’s short story and did the charity helper have any new ideas? The well-known author smiled at his mother-in-law and as he told her some things he’d written, suddenly he thought he heard a man behind him vindictively squawk,
“What the hell has it got to do with that ugly witch anyway? You must grab your sharp steak knife and slit the annoying cow's throat before she squeals her oral shite some more, you useless piece of grotesque scum! “
Ben got up and turned around in absolute anger and disgust at the insulting and violent man, but when he glanced over his shoulder Ben discovered nobody was there, he gasped in shock and horror and then slowly sat down to the horrified faces of his wonderful family.
Ben’s dad looked at his son and said,
“You alright, my epic runner? We were quite concerned for you just then, what’s going on in that bright and creative head of yours?”
Ben took a good mouthful of his beer, closed his eyes and then said,
“I just heard a man behind me say some truly wicked things to me and when I turned around nobody was there, what the bloody heck’s going on? Am I losing my mind?”
Isaac's girlfriend, who was a counsellor in Llangollen; Fay Bishop, a 17-year-old Australian, who loves ballet dancing. The sweet girl said,
“I wouldn't be too concerned Benjamin for you’ve just exerted yourself in the two-hour race and haven’t had a chance to relax and recuperate yet, so your mind is just hearing things, nothing to worry about. It was just your brain playing tricks on you, and as your dad says, let’s eat and be merry!”
The whole family erupted in laughter and Ben felt so much better and tucked into his steak and triple cooked home-made chips, onion rings, mushy peas and mushrooms, and carling to wash it down with.
Samuel Orange; Stephanie’s dad said,
“Your mind was probably just catching up with the rest of your body, Ben? And you know you’ve got a special creative one, so as Fay said, I wouldn’t worry too much. Go home and rest on the sofa for the rest of the day, matey. I am sure the Running Time Travel children’s story will be another successful book, but I’d just rest and watch the track and field competition in the 2019 European indoor games and forget about it, or search the web for your next race. We should make a toast; to you, Mr. Benjamin Bradshaw, to a man of pure heart in raising over £1000 for great causes and having the stamina to complete 13.1 tough miles. Well done me, lad, you blooming did it, we all had faith in your ability for you are made of strong stuff!.”
Ben smiled at his wife's friendly and kind dad, as he tucked into his favourite dessert, coconut, and marzipan ice cream. While his family had coffee and cake, Tanya went to play in the park outside for half an hour. Then the whole family gave each other a big hug, said their goodbyes, and congratulated Ben once again. They then got into their vehicles and drove home.

Chapter 5.

A week after the half-marathon and the incident with Ben hearing someone who wasn't there had got worse. But he’d begun to feel fighting fit and raring to take on his next race. The family got in their car and drove to Amber and Samuel Orange’s house for their weekly visit, which was in Carnarvon, which was located just five miles from Llanberis. Stephane drove her orange Ford Cortana through the picturesque countryside and along the seafront, into Carnarvon. Then it happened again, for Benjamin experienced the wretched voice that said,
“Are you letting that slapper wife of yours take you to that boring old farts yet again, are you? Grab the wheel and flip this junk of a lump of metal over three times onto its roof and watch your pathetic family burn to a crisp, you stupid ugly gormless mental case! Do it now, Now, Now, NOW!!!”
Ben gasped in absolute horror and sat on his hands, for he was so sure that whatever was controlling his mind was controlling his body. Next, he then looked at his gorgeous wife and asked her nicely to stop the car in the next safest place. Ms Bradshaw looked at her fine handsome husband and said,
“What's wrong, my lovely man? You seem as if you have seen a ghost.”
Then Ben heard the voice again,
“Stupid bitch is as clued-up as a rotten turd!”
This made Ben furious and ripped off his seatbelt, and got out of the car. He lost all control of his senses and actions and ran around the car that was parked in a lay-by, about ten times before calming to a degree of being able to explain himself,
“Steph! Steph! Oh, my! What, what, what's happened to me? I've had that nasty voice twice, and it's been a week since the race. I feel like I could do another half-marathon, so I can't be tired still. Please help me.”
The pretty mother of two had become increasingly distressed with anxiety, but being the calming and brave woman she portrayed, she managed to regain her husband's senses to a minimum. She told the great author,
“Please take some deep breaths my darling Ben and sit quietly, while I phone for a doctor. Try not to worry, for I'm sure everything will be fine my lovely, and you're just stressed from worrying about the run and getting your latest book published. We will fix this Ben my darling, I know it is extremely harrowing for you, but try to keep calm and put your favorite CD on and relax to Oasis.”
Benjamin stumbled back toward the car and shook as he tried to search for the Oasis CD, but as he grabbed at the silver metal disc, the invisible voice piped up again,
“As if some Manchester band like pathetic Oasis is going to save you from the hellish beast coming for your worthless sinful soul.”
Ben screamed at the top of his voice as he pressed play on the CD player,
“What? Eh? Who’s saying this utter rubbish? Get out of my head you utter vile person” His beloved Stephanie cried as she spoke on her iPhone to a Dr. Zimmermann, and he asked her,
“Mrs Bradshaw, could you drive your husband to the emergency room at Llangollen Hospital to be checked over?”
Stephanie said to the psychiatrist,
“Of course, I'll have him over to see you in 30 minutes.”

Chapter 6.

Steph reassured her kind and gentle man in a calm tone by saying,
“Please hang in there my darling Ben, for the doctor wishes to see you at the accident and emergency department right away, so try to stay as calm as you possibly can, and I will get all the help you require, no matter how long it might take.”
She drove them down the carriageway at the national speed limit of 60mph (ca. 97 km/h), but in her mind, she was flying faster than Concord to get the help the poor man desperately needed. All the time panic now raced through her head and constantly thought,
“What's going on with my kind, strong, brave and super handsome man? Please don't let him lose his mind lord, let it be me that's ill, not my perfect man.”
One hour Thirty-seven minutes later Stephanie had driven Benjamin to the accident and emergency for an assessment.

Chapter 7.

It was now 10:45 pm by the time the Welsh couple arrived at the hospital after the weather had drastically begun to snow heavily, and it made the roads severely treacherous. The traffic had backed up for miles and Ben and Steph’s car had turned into a sauna after the stunning woman had put the heating on. This made the author feel even worse as he hated getting overheated and all the poor guy wanted to do was open the window, but it was extremely freezing conditions.
His frightening enigma had condensed yet again, except this time the voice was critical, leaving the epic runner’s emotions in total desperation.
The invisible speech attached to the poor guy’s subconscious makes his brain ready to explode like a supervolcano. The nasty rantings ripped through his mind and stopped him from thinking clearly. Its demands were impossible, just like a horror or snuff movie inside the man’s head that never had an ending. The wretched tormentor got louder and louder, as Stephanie tried to navigate her way through the frozen wet streets in the pitch black of Llandudno to the infirmary.
As the photographer parked her 1981 Ford Cortana outside the Mercer Imperial Hospital, Ben pulled himself from the classic car and collapsed to the floor, wailing in agony and his hands gripping his battered head. Stephanie ran towards her beloved and held him in her petite arms as she desperately tried comforting the man of her dreams.
She spoke softly but with assertion to make Ben feel like everything was going to be okay. She gazed into her husband’s eyes and said,
“Try not to fight it, my love, whatever it might be? I will always protect you from the horror you face!
Please stay in the car and I will locate Dr. Zimmermann.”
Mrs Bradshaw ran into the medical center on a quiet evening at 11:23pm and felt her heart beating out of her chest, as she maneuvered her way up some marble steps, but as she reached some large glass doors, several men and women burst through the doors. They almost knocked poor Mrs Bradshaw down and nearly fell into her yellow, expensive car.
Benjamin saw the thug fast approach and tried to jump back into his wife’s vehicle, but his body and mind were being pulled apart and felt they were in a state of flux.
The hospital staff manhandled poor unfortunate Mr. Bradshaw and forced him into a maroon Mercedes and when he’d been securely fastened into the posh car, five minutes later the driver ran his window down and said,
“Please excuse the rough handling Mrs. Bradshaw, but your husband’s health is of high risk and the doctor wanted us to securely place Mr. Bradshaw into the Alice mental health hospital where the staff will take good care of him, we promise.”
Stephenie was out of her mind with fear and worry, but she felt paralyzed to do anything about it like she was stuck on the spot. Ben was her everything and after 20 years, their love for each other was still vibrant and strong, so she had to save the most important person in her life, except for her beloved children. All she could do was watch as they took her soulmate away to the one place Ben had feared his whole life, and now he was being dragged away like some animal.
The five-foot-tall brunette woman felt sheer anger and bitterness for these heavy-handed brutes. Now she was determined to rescue her half-marathon runner from the living hell crisis. With every breath, she had in her body, if indeed it was the last thing she’d ever do?
Regaining the ability to move she stormed into the hospital at 5000 miles per hour (ca. 8,047 km/h), like a derailed freight train, demanding to speak with the office staff, the mother of 2 wonderful children banged her hand down on the desk in anger.
A young nurse appeared shaken and full of anxiety, her name was: Miss Tallulah Ambrose, and she was a 19-year-old med pupil holding the desk while college used
the bathroom
The young lady spoke with a jittery disposition while being shouted at a million decibels,
“Forgive me madam, but I do not know the information you seek. I am just a student nurse, but the secretary will be here in just a minute, so please bear with us.”
As Stephanie waited for answers, Ben was on a high-octane race through the Llandudno streets at 80 mph (ca. 129 km/h) and all the time his brain screamed incredibly monstrous profanities at the author's frontal lobe,
“Hey, you sack of puke you let them take you like some little girl! Grab your seatbelt and strangle the pathetic menaces to death and go kick the poop out of that dr Zimmermann, the useless idiot now!! Do it now or else the staff at the hospital where your ugly pathetic bitch will dismember her piece by piece and post them to your worthless self! You will listen to our threats, you sack of shite or else you'll be sorry.”
Ben screamed at his invisible foe telling it,
“Go get lost you monstrous beast!”
As the stylish automobile pulled up at the mental health facility other men and women came out from the scary-looking building and dragged him off into the despicable hellhole. Then they entered the cramped, airless penitentiary and straight into Dr. Zimmermann's office. The bleak infirmary was with patients who were either asleep, reading or watching TV. Ben tried to navigate his eyes around the ward as he was led to the man in charge’s devilish sanctum.
The four foot two inches tall, balled sixty-year-old Liverpudlian sat behind his desk at 12:17pm and the fierce-looking white man spoke to Mr. Bradshaw, but the whole time he was trapped inside his head, shaking with utter trepidation of what lay ahead for the children's author. The Dr. said,
“ Welcome to St. Alice’s Mental Health Hospital! My staff and I hope your stay here is a pleasant one. You must abide by our rules of conduct otherwise things will get ugly for you, do we understand one another Ben? I apologize for the unpleasantness in getting you here, but my staff at the Mercer Hospital were deeply distressed over your mental state, and I called my team to escort you here. I am sorry if we frightened you and your wife, but we were unsure of how dangerous you might be to my staff the public, and yourself. So I felt it necessary to get you here as fast as possible for monitoring and treatment. Please take this pack of information to read and any questions or concerns, please come to me any time night or day! Now go with Nurse Tinsley for your observations and medication. I am positive we shall work together to solve your illness and can go home to your wife and children very soon! Keep thinking about them and you're running, and that will help you get through the time here with us more smoothly. Good evening, Benjamin, breakfast is at 8 am and I will start your journey back to wellness at 10:30 am, once I've seen the other patients.”
Mr Tinsley pulled the chair from under Ben, and he quickly stood so as not to fall and marched off to the infirmary room before going to bed. The nurse checked his heart, pulse, lungs and height, plus weight. He then provided the runner with a plastic cup of four tablets and a tiny cup of water. Ben swallowed the multicoloured unknown meds, and then he was allowed to go to his new room. A tall and lean security guard entered the room and in a gruff voice bellowed,
“Come with me now!”
As Benjamin Bradshaw followed the Irish 30-year-old man down the corridor and into the lounge, he pointed to Ben's new accommodation and said,
“That's your room, don't expect to get any sleep! Expect to die.”
With that outrageous statement, The six-minute-mile runner darted off to his new room and didn't look back in fear for his life.

Chapter 8
Ben sat on the edge of his bed and put his head into his hands in complete desperation for he just couldn't come to terms with this deadly location the Welsh man found himself in. Ben shouted out loud,
“I'm a fighter not weak like they want me to believe, and I'm never giving up because I will see my wife and children again.”
Suddenly unexpectedly a hatch on the door opened, and the security guard flashed his torch into Ben’s room the muscular man bellowed,
“Get some sleep because you will need all your strength to fight the perils of this foreboding place bozo!”
Ben jumped right out of his skin and back under the covers of his bed, at the presence of the gruelling guard and quickly got under the duvet and shouted,
“So sorry”
And then Ben put his head on the tiny thin pillow and closed his eyes to try to sleep. But his inner demon sparked up in a sinister tone,
“And I thought you said you're a fearless warrior? Ha! Ha ha! More like a little girl who's lost her dolly. Get used to this shite laddie for you are precisely where you've always desired to be, you utter pathetic nobody. Sit back and enjoy the ride for it's time to show you who I am, and I'm going to make you suffer so utterly and by the time I'm through, you'll be begging Dr. Joker to release you.
Ben just gripped the thin sheets in the tiny room and hoped to hide there until morning or until he could go back to the safety of his wife. The thought of facing those other guests was abominable which sent his heart rate into next week. But that's tomorrow, it was tonight he had to worry about and if he'd get through it unscathed or at all. The children’s writer’s subconscious suddenly had thousands of images a second pumping into his weary mind,
“What if there's a fire? How do I get out? What if there's a flood, will I drown? What if someone comes in to beat me up or rape me? How can I protect myself when I am utterly alone in this godforsaken hellhole? I have got to get out of here now!
Then the Manchester-born strong runner had a monstrous thought,
“Oh, my good grief is that door even locked? From the very depths of his core, the brown-haired, seven-foot-tall and tattooed man jumped out of bed and sprinted over to the big heavy metal door, Ben tried the handle and very slowly opened it. To his horror, the door was unlocked,
“WW What in the bloody heck? How can I possibly go to sleep now knowing that in any minute an inmate could walk in and manhandle me or worse?”
Benjamin pushed the door firmly shut, darted back over to his bed and grabbed his flimsy sheet. The renowned author dived under the hard metal bed and shoved the sickly looking blanket over the top of himself. And then it all transpired as his mind proceeded in twisting the fabric of reality into not only hearing things but now seeing things that weren't there, and untrue facts. He looked up at the mattress and was convinced he could see a piece of paper that had an intricate drawing of the layout of the mental health facility. He pulled the picture off the ugly hard bed and studied it well. Within two seconds Ben recognized the artwork, it was his sister who lives in Denmark and is a painter. He turned the paper over and got the shock of his life, for there was a message from Poppy. It read,
“Dear big bro, I hate to see the greatest author and runner in such a hellish and deprived place, so I managed to get one of the patients to smuggle the map into your room. The person has left a key behind the picture on the wall. I trust all this will help you get back to your lovely Stephanie when you make your escape. “
Ben put the piece of paper in his jeans pocket, got up, sat back on the rigid bed and looked if the guard was walking past, then took out the beautifully detailed map and sorted out the easy exit. It was the guards who would be the problem, but they would not be able to catch the fast-paced runner. He remembered the key, so Mr. Bradshaw ran over to the picture frame without being spotted and peered at the back of the picture of a beautiful palm tree. There he discovered a key Sellotaped to the back of the picture. It was a service elevator key which meant he could go to the basement of the hospital and escape through the back door. Ben thought long and hard about how he'd get past those hard-working guards. He would pretend he was going for a walk and if they tried stopping him he would then say,
“I need a shower”
and wait until they are gone and sprint to the service elevator to freedom.
Ben put the map back into his pocket and walked to the door, gently pulled it ajar and got the shock of his 44 years when he materialized on the starship enterprise and his room had vanished. Captain James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock were standing in front of the children’s author and pointing phaser guns at him. Mr. Bradshaw shouted at the two most famous star fleet officers in science fiction history,
“Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock what am I doing on the Enterprise, and why are you pointing lethal weapons at me? I was an inmate at a mental health facility, and I was only going to the restroom. Please don't shoot me. But Kirk was faster and said,
“Admiral Khan, you know we can't speak bloody Klingon, you get back in your holding cell, and we shall discover how you got on board our grand starship.”
Mr. Spock began a heated debate with his captain saying,
“Let me meld with our arch nemesis to uncover the truth of the actions of this monster”.
Ben cried out to be heard on Mars,
“Captain Kirk, please listen to me. I am and never have been a Klingon, I am human like you and a children's author, and I am afraid you and your crew are works of fiction.”
“Get back in your holding cell and don't think you're taking over the Enterprise this time Khan, we have you and the Federation of Planets fleet is surrounding your vindictive war bird and flying us back to Star fleet on Earth for trial against the killing of multiple species through the galaxy.
As Kirk and Spock threatened their worst enemy, Ben heard another Invisible voice and pleaded with the runner saying,
“I am God and you must battle against these demonic forces trying to kill me and Jesus and the Gods and queen of the multiverse. Do not let these evil beings corrupt your sophisticated mind, you have the power to send them back to Hell from which they came. I hate all forms of violence but use that key in your pocket on the captain and use your running abilities to get to the engine room and eject the warp core, thus rendering the ship inoperable. Do this before they put the force field back up against your door. Otherwise, the fate of everything you know, and love will be in the balance and gone forever.”
The quietly spoken Ben was losing his mind fast, but the music fan suddenly turned around and saw his room that had rematerialized, so he again hid under the bed. 10 minutes later Ben heard people entering his room, and they discovered the poor man hiding and pulled him out with such force that he felt like his arms were ripped off. Out of nowhere the Doctor that he saw when he first came into the hospital stood over him with the most gigantic needle he’d ever seen. Dr. Zimmerman shot the drugs into his abdomen with such force, and then they left and made Ben’s world spin
His head spun at 11,000,000 miles (ca. 17,702,784 km) per second, and he quickly became unconscious. This was not before that invisible foe kicked the poor guy when he was at his lowest. It gripped his mind and made his heart feel as if it were being ripped out of his chest. The benevolent sarcastic old entity said,
“You miserable piece of scum haha it was I all along manipulating your subconscious into thinking you’re on the starship enterprise ha ha ha ha!
I’m going to have lots of fun with you in this place, shite for brains.”
Then all the lights in his mind proceeded to switch off and Ben was out for the count until 9:44 am the next morning.

Chapter 9.

As Ben slowly opened his eyes, the distant sound of people bustling about outside his door filled the air. His heart pounded in his chest, and the adrenaline surged through his veins. He hesitated to confront the other residents of the mental facility just yet, so the anxious, fit, and slender Welshman remained lying in the rigid bed that the hospital had provided for him.
The man was feeling such desperation to throw the bed out the window and escape, but the guard burst in and wailed in such a manner that Benjamin almost lost control of his bladder and weed his pjs, the rotten man in a position of authority screamed,
“Oui, you lazy good for nothing get your sorry ass to Dr. Zimmermann. He’s been waiting for your pathetic self for over twenty-five minutes. Scumbag!”
Ben splashed water onto his unshaven face and went with the monster to the doctor's office. With each step, he took, he felt eyes embedded into the back of his skull. He went past the common room where all the staff and residents were congregating. Ben's head looked down at the floor as he made the twenty steps to the doctor's office.
The frightened 44-year-old Welsh lad quickly gazed at the intimidating people and saw they were no longer human beings but aliens with 3 multicolored heads and talking gibberish, heading towards him with what looked like rectal probes. So Ben made it to the doctor's office and banged the door behind him. The heavy metal fan screamed at Andy Zimmermann,
“For goodness’s sake what's wrong with me? Last night I was on board the starship Enterprise and now everyone, except you, are aliens, please help me.”
The Irish 60-year-old baseball fan gave Ben a reassuring smile, putting his hand on the author's shoulder and said,
“Good morning Mr. Bradshaw I feel for your torment, suffering and confusion, but fear not for we are monitoring your situation and working out your mental health condition. Please trust in our treatment and the staff's ability to take care of you. The medication will be taking effect, and you will shortly be feeling more yourself. My advice is to mix well with the residents and staff, and your stay with us will be significantly more pleasant. There are plenty of activities to occupy your mind and plenty of food to keep you nourished. There is a garden to get some fresh air and stretch your legs. So relax, Benjamin, and let us professionals get to work on helping you.”
Ben felt a bit more reassured, and his anxiety had decreased for the first time since hearing the terrifying voice. He thanked the doctor and went to the common room, where all the people were human again. The rocking running was introduced to an 18-year-old girl who constantly talked at 100 miles per hour (ca. 161 km/h), a friendly guy who kept playing snooker called Mark and a Brazilian man called Ray who continued to go outside to vape. There was Becky, a 25-year-old Londoner who ate everything and Leroy, who was covered in tats and played guitar from France. Another resident who was scary and hardly spoke was called William, who sat close to everyone all the time. He tried to group all the ladies, unsuccessfully.
There was a pool table in one corner and a large sofa in the middle of the room, with a TV stuck to the wall. A massive glass door to the garden was on the back wall, and a corridor to the men's and then the women’s rooms. There was a door to the front of the building with a washing machine to the left and then an office for all the staff. There was also a kitchen just off to the left of the common room and a room for family visits and to see the doctor once a week.
Becky came up to Ben and introduced herself. She explained to him the kitchen was open for breakfast between 8-30-10-and and 30 am, and they had cereal, toast fruit and an array of drinks available, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, orange cordial and fresh. She also told the seven-foot tall haired slim man, who wore spectacles. That there would be a lunch trolley in the common room with sandwiches, drinks, and cakes. This would be from 12 pm until 130pm and tea was from 5 pm to 630pm with hot meals and hot and cold pudding too.
But all Ben could hear was his dictating offensive internal voice bellowing,
“Shut this fruit loop annoying little whore up by getting a knife from the kitchen and cutting out her tongue and shoving it up her bottom. “
Ben looked horrified because he was 100% sure she could hear the beast in his mind and would think it was him, but that’s further from the truth! He thanked her with a smile, made his excuse and went to get the first nourishment of his incarceration. The 44-year-old author walked in his dressing gown to the kitchen area and made some hot toast and a refreshing cup of tea, Along with some fresh orange juice. He carried this to an empty table in the main room.
William’s voice came from behind him as he was turning around to open the door and the 55-year-old man said,
“ Imposter, you are not the good person you think you are a bitch!”
Benjamin almost dropped his tray with his breakfast on and gave the man an abstract look as if to say
“What the heck mate?”
He maneuvered around the scary man and walked back into the common room, where he sat on his own in the center of the tables laid out for breakfast. Mark hands worth walked over to Ben and said,
“ Welcome to Alice's mental Health facility, ignore William’s Behavior, he likes to ignite a bad reaction. My name is Mark, but everyone calls me Mr. snooker as I’m always playing, would you like a game later? I see you're into heavy metal with all your tattoos. Who are your favorite bands? I like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden mate. By the way, sorry, what's your name? “
Ben put his tray down on the nearby table shook Mark's hand and gave a warm and friendly smile, he thought,
“Another metalhead I could be friends with and chat about music to!”
The Welshman said to his new compare in music,
“Morning Mark I am Benjamin Bradshaw, but you can call me Ben, and I’m petrified about being in here but knowing that there’s someone in here with my taste in music is the first step to making a recovery. Can you please show me around that big garden after I’ve had breakfast and got dressed please, I love open spaces? My favorite bands are the ones you mentioned, but I like Shine down too. I’ve seen many bands live and met all of Iron Maiden a few years ago. I am the author of 6 children’s books and on the verge of completing my first novel on running, which I also love to do, but I got ill and can’t focus on my writing. What are the other residents and staff like?”
Mark sat opposite while Ben ate his toast with butter and strawberry jam on them, but the wickedness piped its profanity once again saying,
“Oh! Pathetic for brains, give that stupid gormless voice a rest, grab that snooker cue and wack it around this utterly boring fool's head! Now, now, now, now!!! Don’t get any ideas of this will be an easy ride Mr. pathetic for me and my demons are coming for you and going to make your stay beyond hellish you ugly freak! “
Poor Ben almost choked on his First meal in Ethan’s psych ward, and in his mind, the brave man wailed at this manifestation to
“Shut up now!”
Ben made excuses to leave after the half-marathon runner gobbled down his toast and swigged his drink. The Father of two walked briskly back to his room and got undressed. Stepping in the shower with his cleaning equipment, the dreaded infuriating voice piped up,
“You had better keep hold of that soap freak otherwise, that new friend will be making you bend over and shove it right up your rectum ha ha ha ha.”
Now Ben was extremely infuriated with this invisible foe, he couldn’t kick the shit out of it, but he could scream at the annoying invisible foe,
“Get lost bully go back to hell, it’s all your fault I’m in here and not with my family at my lovely home. I’m taking no shit from you, so stop talking in my head.”
Ben got dressed in a new t-shirt and shorts and in a positive frame of mind, he thought he'd stood his final ground with the evil demonic voice, but he hadn't seen the last of the violation and all his mental health conditions would soon be thrown at the poor man from Lamberis.