Zircon Boarding School

A Little Off

"So first things first." He began, placing a hand on his chest gesturing to himself. "My name is Dr. Ries. But you can just call me by my first name, Romain." He smiled. 

"Ries... Rhymes with dies. One letter off from it as well. Damn, what screwed up my head- my thoughts are everywhere."

I shook my head, "I'd rather just call you Dr. Ries." I found it a bit strange calling a doctor by his first name. 

He nodded. "That's just fine as well."

He seemed to always be wearing a smile when he spoke, it's not that it freaked me out, but it was just strange seeing someone so happy and friendly all the time. 

"So I'll let you get to the asking, and I'll answer all the questions as well as I possibly can." 

"Alright," I started, "First the obvious question that I've been wanting to know ever since I woke up; what put me in a coma to start with?"

He seemed a bit disappointed. "Let's start with another question, then get back to that one."

I gave an exagerating, slow nod. "Fine. Then tell me where I am exactly." I asked, not adding in my question wondering why I had my own room as well, just in case that it was a stupid question to him.

"Corton Hospital. Traverse City, Michigan." He spoke, seeming well prepared; straight and to the point as well.

Michigan... "And do I live here?" I asked.

He nodded, "Born and raised."

"And you know that because?" I spoke without heistance which made me a bit nervous.

"Background checks are required, that way I can answer questions such as these." The friendly, white smile returned.

 Idiot, of course he'd have to know this stuff. I thought, kicking myself mentally for blurting out the first thing that popped into my head.

He seemed to notice my conflict, "Don't worry about how you're acting now, you've just woken up not too long ago and you won't return back to your usual self for the next few hours or so."

I seemed somewhat relieved knowing that I wasn't usually this...lacking of filter. 

"Or maybe not." he added with a grin.

I shot him a look telling him that I wasn't amused. 

He laughed, "Shoot me the next question."

I was silent for a while, in a bit of a protest due to his attempt to humor me, but then I realized that I was the one wanting the answers; he wasn't the one looking for questions in the same way. I sat there a few more moments; my brain seem to go completely blank and I couldn't think.

"Shall I give you a hint?" he asked me, his dark eyes flittering with amusement. "Two nights ago-" he cut himself off waiting for a thought to spark inside my head.

"Right!" I said with a little more enthusiasum than necessary and I bit my cheek to hold back my sudden burst of thoughts. "Where was I two nights ago?"

He threw his hands out, "Excellent question!"

I shook my head but found myself smiling.

"You were inside your own house; house number 32, Aelview to be exact-"

"He seems to enjoy listing all the facts he can... "

"Both of your parents were out that night, date night~" he said with a tune in his deep voice. 

I rolled my eyes, I figured he was just trying to keep the mood up there while we got to the important and gritty facts; such as who were those two dead men in my house and did I really kill them. The image flashed by me, two men fallen on the floor with a pool of blood beneath them. It sent a frightening chill down my neck and through my spine. 

"Please don't let it have been me who killed them." I thought even though I distinctly remember the blood on my hands that couldn't have been from me for I felt no cuts or wounds.

I heard Dr. Ries clear his throat beside me. I slowly turned to look at him, my thoughts fading behind.

"Did I kill them?" I spoke quietly, afraid to ask. Half of me didn't want to know the truth, while the other half wanted some type of relief.

His face became more serious, and he straightened himself up a bit on the chair.

He let out an exasperated sigh, "Well yes, but!" he was quick to add, "Listen, you aren't a killer."

It felt like my stomach had dropped inside of me. I was a killer, and there was no way to change that. What would I do with my life now; knowing that I had killed two innocent men. Were they even innocent? What were they doing inside my house anyway? The questions kept coming now, non stop but I didn't know where to start. 

My eyes met his, and his expression changed showing great concern. I could tell that he could see the pain in my face caused by the mass of thoughts and worries racing through my mind. 

"How am I not a killer." my voice was pitiful. 

He gave another exasperated breath, swaying in his chair slightly with it, "Okay bare with me here; this is where it gets really trippy and may sound crazy-" he had his finger out gesturing to me to be patient and just hold on.

I just sunk down into the white sheets of the bed, my eyes closed, giving off a sigh that showed how I was stressed. 

"You, as in you, yourself, did not kill anyone. It was your fear that killed them."