The Birdcage

Sickly Sweet

Doctor Hannah held open the door for Nyx to enter and guided her down into the comfortable chair bedecked with pillows and cosy throws.
She crossed over to her desk, leaning casually on the front and offered Nyx the box of purple sweets. Nyx took one, absently rolling it between her fingers, staining her fingers with sticky violet sugar before putting it in her mouth. Slowly she chewed, using it to draw out the moment before finally swallowing.

"You seem to be making a lot of good friends." Doctor Hannan began with a smile. "Particularly Veronica. You've really brought her out of her shell."

"... Uh... Yeah." Nyx said slowly. "... It's nice. I have difficulty sometimes, finding friends- friends that get me."

Doctor Hannan nodded sympathetically, tapping her long nails rhythmically against the underside of the desk. "You have a sister, don't you?" She asked after a moment of thought.

Nyx pulled a puzzled expression. "Well, yeah, I've got my adoptive sister, Selene-"

"Yes, but you have another sister as well, don't you? An older sister? A half-sister?"

Alysha.

"...Yes..." Nyx said, not sure how she should respond. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, she was here earlier." Hannan said nonchalantly; picking up her pen and pad to scribble down some notes. "She came in trying to see you- wanted to see if she could take you home with her."

Nyx leapt to her feet. "Is she here? Can I talk to her?" She couldn't believe it- rescue! This would be brilliant! Alysha would know exactly what to do.

"Unfortunately, I don't think so, no." The doctor rifled through her notes. "To be honest, she didn't leave the greatest  impression on our staff."

Nyx deflatedly dropped back into the chair.

"But maybe she could come back with someone who could check you out." Doctor Hannan offered. "Someone a bit more responsible. I know you've quite the... large family. A parent, perhaps? What about your father, would he be able to come check you out?"

Nyx immediately stiffened. "Doctor Hannan." She said slowly. "That's not funny."

"Please, dear, call me Jeanie." She looked up with a smile on her face- a smile Nyx found irritating. "What's not funny?"

Nyx spoke slower. "Doctor. Hannan. You have to know how it works. That's. Not. Funny."

Something twinkled in Doctor Hannan's eyes; she crossed her hands innocently over her lap. "Why, whatever do you mean?"

Nyx jumped to her feet again, jabbing an accusing finger at 'Jeanie' Hannan. How dare she? She was wound as tight as a spring; she was so goddamn angry. "You know. That's NOT FUNNY!"

And the next thing she knew, she was waking up in her bed in her room.

It was night. Nyx frowned. What had happened? Where had the day gone?

Immediately scrambling to get out of the bed, she swung her legs over the edge and saw, on her hands, sugary purple dust staining her fingers.