The room was a pale color.
It was like a dream.
There were soft blue flowers sitting in the windowsill, the sun reflecting through its glass. The light was warm and comforting, though, Alex didn’t feel comfortable. Adrenaline still rushed through his veins and the urged to get up and run was too great. He just wanted to run and run and run. Run into oblivion and escape this world he came to hate.
But why did he have to hate it? He never truly did it seemed. After every painful experience, after every great day, even when his Aunt yelled at him, he believed that it was worth it.
It was like a dream.
When that man came in, and told him how they let him go from his job because of his dangerous actions. When that man told him he had good news, and how he was allowed to live with him from now on. When that man, from the café where he would always meet his friends at, came to tell him that he had a home. When that man, Shen, came in and told him that he had adopted him.
It was like a dream.
Yet he was fully aware of it all. Now he was alone again, lying in a hospital bed, fully conscious, yet, drifting into a sleep he didn’t want. Time went by slowly yet it all went by so fast. Alex finally drifted into the dream realm. It was a memory of his past.
“Don’t worry honey, I’ll be right back. I just need to fill out some paper work” A woman left her daughter, who sat in from to Alex. The girl was quiet. She seemed to have been crying before she got there. She stared down at her hands and then started to laugh after she glanced up.
“A-are you okay?” He forced something out. He had to walk here by himself and he was still very nervous about meeting the therapist.
“Your face is funny!” The girl gave him a toothy grin, her first two teeth were missing and the others where crooked beside the large gap. If you gave her pigtails, she would have seemed like a stereotypical five-year-old.
“My face?” Alex couldn’t quite respond to what was happening. He never had much practice talking to anyone his age, only adults he had to serve during one of his Aunt’s parties.
“Uh huh! What’s your name? I’m Calista!” She swung her feet back and forth.
“Alex.” He sighed, staring at the families in the room. He was the only kid who was truly alone.
“Can I call you Alexy?” Calista came over and sat next to him.
“N-no…”
“Can I call you Alexy?” she asked again, this time stressing the I. She seemed very different. Her expression changed, as did her voice, which sounded a tiny bit hoarse.
“I just said no!” Alex was slightly losing his nerve from his frustration.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know if you meant that for just Her or the both of us.”
“Her?”
“Yeah, there’s two of me. That’s why I’m here. What about you?” She forced a small smile.
“My parents are gone but no one will tell me when they will come back. A bunch of men in suits left me with my mean Aunt Jennifer and told me to go here every Friday after noon.”
“That’s sad, but everything gets better. I should know.” She frowned. She was called up and finally she left the back rooms, Alex was still waiting his turn. “See you next Friday!” She called out right before she left the room.
The dream shifted to yet again, another memory. This time is was in the hospital lobby.
“Can I call you Alexy?” Calista called. This time, both of them were ten years old. What are you doing here? I was on my way to the therapist when I saw you and-“ She paused. “What happened to your arm?”
“Nothing much. I accidentally scratched it up.” Alex replied. Calista raised her eyebrows in suspicion then walked way. She raised her hand, still turned away from him, signaling goodbye. “See you tomorrow.”
Yet again, the dream shifted to last year. There was no sound. It was all a blur, running in fast motion. Alex was in his kitchen, holding a knife to his throat. His arms were bloodied and cut open, his hands were stained. The door flung open before Alex could slice through his skin all the way. Calista was scared. She was out of breath by the time she yanked his arm away. She was screaming at him, her eyes wide with fear. The words came by fast and strong that Alex started to yell back but it was worthless to even try. He dropped the knife to the floor instead and held her. Calista let him. She was panicking, knowing that her friend almost took his own life. Her only friend.
The dream ended.
Alex woke up to see the one person he couldn’t stop thinking about.
“Can I call you Alexy?” Calista smiled at him, sunlight streamed around her hair.
“Yes.” He smiled. “Remember how everyone always tells you that most traumatic events can turn good kids bad? Or something like that… well I screwed up big time. I made everyone’s life better but mine.” He laughed a little then frowned. “I’m really sorry, Calista.”
“It should be me who should be apologizing. I shouldn’t have freaked out when you said that you were going to be sent away. Even I forgot about how life isn’t that bad.” She looked down at her hands and smiled.
“Things did get better didn’t they?” Alex gave a soft grin. “I’m alive. And I don’t have to leave!”
“Shen told me about that in the lobby. Haha, that’s great. Now I don’t have to lose you.” She folded her hands in her lap and stared down at them and grimaced. “We’ve had way too many close calls.”
“Yeah… I’m really sorry. I don’t know what comes over me.”
“Too much. By the way… you knew that you didn’t have a great chance of dying if you chose that bridge to jump off of… why didn’t you choose another one, you know… one that gave a better chance at taking your life… It’s almost as if you didn’t truly want to die… If you did die… I feel like I just would have blamed myself for the rest of my life.” She seemed to be shaking a little.
“I guess I didn’t. I don’t know. I never really thought it over completely. I could have went somewhere else but instinct told me to go there. I don’t want you to be worried anymore or blame yourself. You know what I want don’t you? I want your happiness. I want you. I love you. I always have and always will. I love all of you. No matter which side you show or who you become.”
“Wait what?! Are you serious?!” Calista was madly blushing.
“So how’s your cat, Uri?” Alex smiled, his face full red, realizing what he said.
“Don’t try to change the subject!” She pushed him back slightly.
“Did you hear about the runaway prince from Altea? They said they found him in Thorliskali!”
“Really?! This deep in Saltney? Wait a minute…” She laughed. “You’re just trying to avoid my answer!” His eyes darted around as he turned his head away smiling, then he glanced back over.
“No I’m not!” He said.
“Uh, yes. You are!”
“Nu uh…”
“Yeah huh!”
“Nope!”
“Yes you are.”
“I don’t believe I am…”
“Fine then.”
“Fine what?”
“I love you alright!”
“Wait you mean…”
“Yes! I love you too!”
“This is awesome! I never thought being trapped in a hospital could be so fun!”
“Neither have I.” A voice came from the doorway. There stood Jacklyn, videotaping the whole event. “Now I know you both don’t want this whole moment to be all over school so I suggest you follow what I say from now on.”
“I hate you Jacklyn.” Calista growled. Two boys came into view from behind Jacklyn and laughed. “I won’t forget out either of you two.”
“Dwayne and Gordon haven’t done anything to you now have they?”
“What do you want” Alex sighed. Jacklyn already knew, Alex just didn’t know when she would strike.
“What else? You should know what I want already. Calista can go with Dwayne and Gordon into the other room and discuss what it is they want from her. Right, Calista?” Calista didn’t move. She seemed to be zombie like. Dead almost.
“This isn’t good…” Alex said, staring at her. There was one thing that made it important to keep ‘Her’ inside… Let’s just say Alex wasn’t the only one going to be hospitalized…