Trapped in The White Room, Makenzie waited, and waited, and waited, and waited, and waited, for Patient #0014 to come back for her. Maybe, just maybe, if she kept smiling, if she smiled good enough, she'd come back for her. Maybe, even, the better she smiled, the faster she would come back. Eventually, finally, the door opened, revealing her salvation. Patient #0014 saw Makenzie's perfect smile, and smiled in turn. 

"Good patient." she cooed, and Makenzie's resistance melted. #0014 snapped her fingers, and the orderlies arrived to drag Makenzie out of her cell. They arrived at a large plain room, empty except for a table, a file folder, and a paper shredder. "It's so nice to see you smiling." #0014 said happily. "Now, take the documents, and put them in the shredder." Makenzie walked over to the table, pulling out the first sheet of paper. When she saw what it was, she froze, her smile faltering as she gazed upon her birth certificate.

"Well?" Patient #0014 asked. "What are you waiting for?" Makenzie swallowed. "Buh-but...th-that's me!" 

"Oh, don't be silly! Your name is Patient #0052. It always has been. Now, put it in the shredder. And DON'T. STOP. SMILING.” Patient #0014 punctuated the last bits with three shocks from the prod. A single tear rolled down Patient #0052's cheek as she placed the birth certificate into the shredder, watching it slowly disappear into its whirring metal maw. "Well done, Patient #0052." #0014 purred. "Continue." With stiff, robotic motions, Patient #0052 withdrew the next document, a social security card, and fed it into the shredder without complaint. Then the next, and the next, and the next. School transcripts, personal photographs, ID cards, all vanished into the shredder. When the folder was empty, Patient #0052 took the folder and fed that into the shredder too. The whole time, Patient #0052 smiled, straight white teeth shining below blank, empty eyes.

When she was finished, Patient #0052 stood still, staring blankly ahead, still smiling. Patient #0014 walked over, observing #0052's blank, smiling face. She pressed the end of the prod against #0052's skin, and pressed the button. No reaction. She didn't even blink. Patient #0014 smiled, and pressed the button again, holding it down even as Patient's #0052's skin began to blister and burn. Only when it became clear the burn would leave a permanent scar did #0014 stop, wrapping #0052 in a tight hug, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead and ruffling her hair.

"Welcome to Sleepy Smiles Special Hospital, Patient #0052." she cooed. "I just *know* you'll enjoy your stay." 

A slow clap echoed through the room. 

"Well done, dear." said Dr. Malphren, standing in the doorway. "*Very* well done. You did wonderfully." Patient #0014 smiled and blushed as Dr. Malphren kissed her first on the forehead, then on the lips. 

"We'll have to install a port for a feeding tube in her stomach...I don't see how we could feed her without breaking those perfect teeth. No need to waste the anesthetic, I think. Perhaps she could assist you with the secretary work, provided we replaced all those big, complicated words with simple, pretty pictures." Patient #0014 nodded eagerly. 

"After that, then what, Dr. Malphren?"

Dr. Malphren smiled, bringing in Patient #0014 in for a passionate kiss. "After that, my dear?" She chuckled, grinning.

"After that...I think it's time to go public. Open up Sleepy Smiles Special Hospital to all patients. Start making house calls. Make some visits to those on our involuntary commitment list." 

"You mean...?"

"Indeed." Dr. Malphren cooed. "It's time. Now...let's go practice medicine~" 

[END]