Page 1 of Insane Obsession

1

FINN

December 16, 2022

“It was on December 16, 1952, between eight and eight thirty p.m. That’s when they say it happened. Laura DiSanti had given birth in the small hospital of the asylum. It was a brutal delivery. They say it shook up the entire goddamned asylum. Screaming could be heard everywhere.”

“Ugh, that's gross.”

“And you know what? No one came to see her. Not even a single family member.”

“Newspapers mentioned a snowstorm that night,” I say. “They wouldn’t have been able to make it with roads being closed off. And the forest…” We all look around at the trees that surround us.

“Don't say it like that,” Jess mutters. “I'm already freaking out.”

“No Santa for the sick bitches.” Levi tilts back his head and howls at the rapidly darkening sky.

“Stop it, you idiot,” Jess hisses, jabbing his side. “You’ll wake up the dead spirits who linger here.”

“Yeah, no Santa,” Lea agrees softly. “And no one else to come and claim the baby. Or defend Laura when she was thrown into isolation right after she had given birth.”

“That's because she'd been a bad girl.” David chirps. “Thank you DiSanti, because you are exactly what we need to graduate from college. You’ll turn us into successful psychologists. You and your crazy.” When he catches me chuckling, David narrows his gaze. “What are you laughing at, loser? Get me another drink.”

“Oh, stop treating him like that,” Jess spouts as I hand her boyfriend his coke.

“Like what?” David snorts. “He is a loser. Right, Doc?”

“Doc.” Levi chuckles. “Dude, you're such an asshole.”

“Oh, he knows me.” David watches me intently. Pursing my lips, I give him a slight nod. “That’s what I thought. Now go get my girl a drink as well,Finn.”

Embarrassment coils in my stomach as I grab her a soda. I want to throw the damn can, but as if hearing my thoughts, David clicks his tongue.

“Not like that, loser. Get your lazy ass up and hand it to her.”

Everyone's gone quiet watching me get up and do as he says. But before Jess can get the can, David grabs my wrist and squeezes, plucking the drink out of my grip. “Now, remember that you're nothing. You will always be a loser. The only reason why you're here is because of that authorization letter in your pocket. Got it?”

“Yes,” I mutter as I stare at my feet.

I should never have told Lea about my fascination with the DiSanti Massacre or let them tag along.

Lea pinches my side. “Just ignore David and focus on tonight. On the house of horror we're about to go in.”

It’s neverjustwith David, but she doesn’t have to know that. He’s been making my life hell ever since…

“I still can’t believe we were given permission to access the building,” Levi mutters.

“Same,” Lea agrees.

“House of Horror,” Jess says between David’s kisses. “I can't wait.”

Lea ignores her. She’s looking at me instead. “How could they have kept her in isolation for six months right after she'd given birth?” She whispers. “What on earth did she do to deserve that? ”

“The newspaper articles of that time didn’t mention it. They don’t mention anything about Laura, just about the killings.”

“So what now, Doc?” David’s words are muffled against Jess’s skin. “She still in there?”

“This has become a rescue mission.” Levi sings, and once more, they both burst out laughing.

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