by Kayla Coca
Chapter 6
Day 30
“Jeremy, let her sleep,” I heard Jenny near my bed. She’d shown up yesterday. “Can’t you tell how stressed she is?”
“But Jenny,” he whined, “I want to do something.”
“Jeremy,” She said harshly. “Be quiet. She needs to sleep and you need to let her.”
“It’s not fair. I hate it here and I want to do something!” He said and I heard his foot stomping.
She sighed and I listened to their footsteps, “Jeremy, we have to do this. I know it’s tough, but it’s the right thing to do.”
“But Jenny today is the day we go on a field trip! I think they said we were going to the movies! She has to wake up!” He reminded her.
“Jeremy, the field trip was canceled after Jerry decided he was leaving. He finally feels like he’s ready to go home. We are staying here to celebrate!” She reminded him.
He smiled as I opened my eyes, “Oh yeah! I remember! I like Jerry. He tells great stories and is interesting. I’m gonna miss him.”
I sat up, “I’ll tell him you said that.”
“Morning Syd!” Jenny said smiling. “Sorry if we woke you, but I suppose it is a good thing. Let’s get ready! You’ve slept late, so we only have a few hours to get ready!”
“What time is it? I questioned. She was a little to chipper for me, but I liked her well enough. She was just as beautiful as I’d imagined. Her hair was perfect, and she worked to keep it that way. She was almost always wearing makeup, a habit I’d given up on. Here there was no point, so I’d stopped bothering.
She looked at her watch, “Nine fourteen,” she said. “I got you breakfast.” She handed me a tray of food. There were eggs, bacon, sausage, and grits. I smiled at her and mumbled a thank you before starting to eat.
“Jen, the party is at five,” I said. “That’s over seven hours.”
She rolled her eyes, “I want to make clothes for us all. You need to design them. Plus we need a gift for Jerry! I figured you could make him something. Plus we have to eat lunch.”
“Okay, slow down. One thing at a time,” I said holding up my hands. “Design clothes?”
She nodded, “For you, Jeremy, Kelly, and me.”
“Fine, get me paper and colored pencils,” I said rolling my eyes. She handed them to me and I set to sketching out clothes. Once they were done I passed the papers to Jenny and left to go make a gift for Jerry. He really was a nice guy. He had a tough time, so he’d come here to work things out. I respected him for that, trying to do the right thing even when it was hard. He stayed here for two years trying to figure out the right meds and therapy and such. I was happy he was going home. If anyone of the people I’d met here deserved a normal life it was him.
I finished my painting and wrapped it in like ten layers of butcher paper, since we didn’t exactly have wrapping paper and one layer wasn’t thick enough to hide the present. I decided to go visit Jerry before I went to my room. I brought my plate of food in with me.
“So, today’s the big day?” I asked.
He nodded, “Yeah. Wanna play?” He gestured to the chess board in front of him.
“So are you excited?” I asked.
He nodded, “I am. I missed my daughter and my wife, and I’m going to see them again.”
“How old is she, your little girl?” I asked.
He smiled, “She just turned four.”
“Are you moving back home?” I asked.
He nodded again, “I am. Tommy’s out of physical therapy and mainly back to normal. I’m going to get to see Amanda and Katherine again.”
“I’m happy for you.” I told him honestly, “Although this place won’t be the same.”
“No, but you’ll be fine. You’re a strong girl Sydney.”
I sighed, “I’m gonna miss you. I’m gonna miss spending Sunday afternoons listening to you tell stories.”
“How about this, I’ll write my stories down at home. I’ll type them up all fancy and mail them to you. Then you can read them every day of the week. Or maybe I can record myself reading them so they are even better.”
I rolled my eyes, “What about your antics? You’re the only reason I get through visiting hour these days.”
“You’ll figure something out. I’m sure of it. Plus sometimes I’ll come visit.”
“You just can’t let me say I miss you and have that be the end of the conversation can you?” I moved my queen and smiled, “Oh and check mate.”
He laughed as I stood up to leave, “I’m leaving and you start winning. It’s about time someone else became the chess champion. See you later Sydney.”
“Bye Jerry, see you later!” I said as I left.
I headed into the room to see Jenny primping. She had makeup coating the counter and the curling iron out. The one things I’d learned here is that parties are always an excuse to dress up. At Christy’s eleventh birthday we’d all worn dresses and suits, just because we never could. Jenny turned and smiled.
“Please, please, please let me do your hair and makeup!” She begged. I rolled my eyes and nodded. She sat me down and got to work.
Then she finished I looked in the mirror and felt my jaw drop. The girl looking back at me wasn’t anything like me. My usually bland hair was in curls that hung loosely framing my face. She hadn’t gone crazy with the makeup, but what she did made my eyes and lips pop perfectly. I was impressed to say the least. She handed me the dress and I realized how talented she was. Not only did it fit perfectly, but it looked amazing. It was bright green with a big black bow. The top was tight, but below the bow it flowed away from my body.
She had me help her a little with getting her ready, but she looked just as fabulous. Her dress was bright red and it looked stunning. She thickened her eye makeup which made her eyes pop even more than usual. Her hair was still straight, but she’d put it in an elegant looking semi bun thing that I wasn’t sure what to call.
After we were ready she slicked Jeremy’s hair back and picked up Kelly. We went out and headed into the dining hall. It was all decorated and beautiful. I put my painting with the other gifts from the staff and walked over.
“Hey Jerry,” I said smiling. He smiled back and hugged me.
“Hey Syd, how are you?”
“Great. We’re all gonna mess you around here, but I’m so glad you finally get to go home.”
His face lit up, “I’m so excited. Thanks Sydney, that means a lot.”
“No problem. Promise you’ll write?”
“Of course. And when you get out I’ll be here to congratulate you!”
I sighed, “I have at least eleven more months. I feel like I’ll never get out.”
“Hasn’t anyone told you?” He asked. “If they really believe your better you can go into an outpatient program for the rest for your time.”
I smiled, “I’d forgotten about that. At least I have something to look forward to.”
“Well I’m gonna go talk to everyone, but we’ll talk more later.”
Everyone had a spectacular time that night. We danced and everyone made speeches about how much Jerry meant to them. He opened the gifts and he cried a lot.
My painting was of him playing chess with the little girl from the pictures, his daughter Amanda sitting on his lap and his wife sitting across from them. I knew it was what he wanted more than anything, to be home with them. Hugs and kisses went around and we were all sent to our rooms as he drove away.
I was tired enough that I almost fell asleep before the whispers started, but I didn’t. I’m still here. You’ll never be free from me. I am more powerful than you. This place can’t save you. I’ll get your friend too. He’ll be back.
I jumped up and slid into my closet and stared at the map. I’d devised a plan to get out, but it could only be done at the exact right time and I wasn’t ready yet.
So I went to the doctor who was on call. “You have to help me!”
“What’s wrong Sydney?” He seemed alarmed.
“The voice, it won’t stop and it’s talking about Jerry and I’m so tired!”
“The voice is what?” He asked.
“It won’t shut up!” I groaned plopping down on his couch and lying down. I looked over at him.
He pulled out that bottle of pills again, “How about you take these? I promise they’ll help you Sydney.”
“No thank you,” I said. “How about you help me without medicating me?”
“How about you talk to your regular therapist in the morning?”
I groaned, “I need to sleep now! You are the least helpful doctor in the universe!”
He sighed. I closed my eyes and listened to him. “Sydney, I know this is tough, but the voice isn’t real. These pills would help you, but you won’t take them. I need you to realize there is no voice.”
Eventually I fell asleep listening to the buzz of his voice.
I walked down the white hallway into the big white room at the end. I saw them all on the floor coated in blood. Amanda and Katherine were dead and pale. Jerry was coated in their blood and he came towards me screaming at me for letting the voice get to him. As he got closer I could see the blood dripping from the knife and I screamed as he stabbed me too.
I woke up screaming and the doctor was next to me repeating himself. “You’re safe. You’re in the hospital. You’re in my office. Listen to me, your okay.”
You’ll never be okay. The voice said. I’ll get him. You’ll see. Humans are all the same. Frail, weak, and easy to break.
I tuned the voice out and listened to the man talk as I dozed off. His voice was low and easy to listen to. It sounded mildly hypnotic and it was nice to listen to. I slowed my breathing down and just listened. I fell into the most restful sleep I’d had in weeks.
