Revisiting Insanity

I've had to listen to some of the craziest people in this country. Some truly believe what they're saying. Others are just deeply disturbed. For over forty years, I've saved hundreds and hundreds of case files and medical records. Some I couldn't part with, others I just wanted erased from my memory. But no matter how peculiar or downright creepy they were, I held on to their records. I retired from the profession five years ago and handed Longline Hill Institution over to an experienced British doctor. However, I kept a large amount of files. I knew if I didn't take them, I'd regret it and they would simply gather dust when under new care. I've took the liberty of setting aside, what I believe, were the three most memorable or strange cases I ever worked on.
What will follow is summary's and important points from my five most memorable cases. The information and facts in these cases were acquired through interviews, surveillance, personal theories or my own scribblings.
'Kip'
In 1975, a man known only by the name of 'Kip' was commited to my institution after being charged with kidnapping and attempted murder. At first glance of his records, I believed he was a simple madman who had tried to kidnap an eight-year-old boy and murder him, however, on closer examination of this patient, it became clear it wasn't as simple.
The following is an extract from my second interview session with 'Kip'.
Patient: They're comin' Doc'. They're gonna be here soon to take me.
Doctor: Who do you believe is coming for you, Kip?
P: The men from the sky.
D: Kip, do you believe in extra-terrestrials?
P: Extra what?
D: Aliens. Beings from other planets.
P: Don't know. I don't know where they'rre from. All I know is they come from the sky.
D: What do they do to you? Do they talk to you?

At this point in the session, Kip began to convulse and collapsed on the floor. From a doctors point of view, it appeared to be some sort of effect due to epilepsy. However, Kip's medical record showed no mention of epilepsy or any previous episodes. He died later on that day.

At this point, I did not think much more about Kip or his claims. He appeared to me to be delusional and suffered from sort type of epilepsy, despite no record. Two weeks later, a patient by the name of Linda Atkins disappeared from her cell. All cells are locked from the outside and very few have windows. Linda's did not and her cell door showed no signs of an attempt to escape. Three nights after her disappearance, another patient vanished. Despite numerous searches of the institution and nearby parts, the two patients were never found. Various patients, not to mention, orderlies all spoke of a bright light coming from inside Linda's cell and a loud drone noise coming from above the building. One orderly claimed to have seen an aircraft of sorts hovering near the institution before disappearing.

Identical claims were made on the night of the other patient's disappearance. Both missing patients disappeared while sleeping in the cell that was originally intended to be Kip's. This is a case that has stayed with me and had me question if there was any truth to Kip's tales of 'The Men from the Sky'.

'Saviour'

1981. I will remember this year for the rest of my days. All because of a man who patients, visitors and even two orderlies referred to as 'Saviour'.

'Saviour''s real name was Matthew Phelps. He was commited to my institution because of claims a former 'follower' of his made to authorities. The former follower claimed that Phelps and his group were planning to go on a mass killing spree in order to collect nine human hearts. When authorities tracked Phelps down, he was found participating in, what is referred to as a Black Mass. Phelps and his followers believed he was Satan's incarnate.

Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to interview him. It appeared my office was uncomfortable for him. On first attempt of conducting a session, he began to scream when entering my office. I have came to the conclusion that the reason for his behaviour was due to a crucifix I had hanging on my wall. I viewed his behaviour as a result of acting and that his claims were nothing but delusions. Phelps, however, did appear to have the ability of convince people easily.

On the night of October 30th, Phelps convinced an orderly to let him out of his cell along with four other patients. To my knowledge and from what an orderly told me, Phelps planned to meet with his followers and burn a church with people inside. Luckily, another doctor and myself were able to place the patients back into their cells before they escaped. The orderly who let them out claims to not remember a thing.

Matthew 'Saviour' Phelps commited suicide a month later.

'Mr. Ward'

Mr. Ward was transferred from another out of state institution. In his file, his first name was not listed and simply wanted to be referred to as 'Mr. Ward.' He had originally been committed in 1992 after he was found naked in his home lying next to a woman's skeleton. The skeleton was Susan Daniels, Mr. Ward's ex-fiance. Mr. Ward told authorities that he "found her like this", however, in the days that followed, Mr. Ward fell ill and had to have his stomach pumped. Huge amounts of flesh, blood and organs were found. He was labelled a cannibal.

He was transferred to me after being suspected of killing and eating another patient when bones were found in his cell. Although Mr. Ward admits killing and eating his wife, he maintains his innocence that he never harmed anyone at his former institution.

The following is an excerpt from one of my interview sessions with Mr. Ward.

Doctor: Mr. Ward, why did you kill your fiance?
Patient: Why am I on medication?
D: Various reasons, mainly due to the fact that your a danger to others.
P: She wanted it?
D: She wanted you to eat her?
P: She wanted to die, I wanted to eat.
D: Have you done that sort of thing in the past?
P: Yes.
D: Why?

Mr. Ward fell silent at this point in the interview and did not speak to me for almost a month. When he eventually did talk to me again, he asked for raw meat. I obliged, realising there was no point in denying it. It did no harm and according to him, it was simply his favourite food. Around once a fortnight, the patients would have meat to eat. I specifically asked that Mr. Ward get his raw and uncooked. This pattern lasted for almost three months before he began acting violently and attacking other patients. On Boxing Day, 1993, I was working late and suddenly heard piercing screams from one of the wards. What myself and other doctors and orderlies discovered, I was not ready to see. Mr. Ward snapped the neck of a female patient and had began sucking the blood from her head. He proceeded to chew through her arm and eat the flesh rather quickly. After being subdued by a fellow doctor, I asked the orderlies to clean up the body and its parts. Unknown to my fellow employees, I allowed Mr. Ward to keep the arm he had began to eat. This was the only incident Mr. Ward caused. He stayed at the institution for a further four years before being transferred again.

What I have just told you is without a doubt, cases that will stay with me until my grave. 'Kip' is one of my only patients who I wish I had the chance to interview more. His stories and beliefs of what I presumed were extraterrestrials intruiged me and were in desperate need of further investigation. Matthew 'Saviour' Phelps has a strong desire to, in a way, brainwash people. He turned good people into followers of Satan. When he committed suicide, I felt relieved. His bizarre theories involving himself as Satan incarnate and his peculiar followers have stayed in the back of my mind for years.
Mr. Ward was transferred from Longline Hill to Shelter Glen Institution where he stayed for two years before dying from a tumour. He apparently caused numerous disturbances at Shelter Glen and tried to bite numerous patients. I believe this behaviour was due to his main doctor ignoring my insistence that he be given raw meat every few weeks.

Although Longline Hill Institution held some of the craziest patients imaginable, I'll miss it until the end of my days.

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