The Ghost of Our Past (ON HOLD)

You Wish

Kiera felt her mouth widen into a grin, her stomach giddy with the possibility of someone like her. She placed the spoon back on to the tray.

"I don't think my stomach can handle this.

"No one is forcing you," Patty replied. Kiera's smile slipped and she frowned.

"No, I had to behave. Remember?" She picked up the spoon and dipped it into the porridge, trying to hide her despair. Patty wore a thoughtful expression.

"You really do want to get out, don't you?"

"With all my heart," Kiera answered. She never had been so truthful to anyone else before. "There are so many things I'm missing when I'm locked up here. See?"

The paper rustled as she pulled it out of her pocket. Gently, she smoothed ot out on the table and handed it to Patty. Patty's eyes widen as her hand went through the paper, not unlike what happened to Kiera earlier when she tried to snatch Patty's book.

Horrified, Kiera pulled the paper away quickly and stuffed it under her pillow.

"N-never mind, it's not that important anyway." She stammered. Patty's face said differently.

"What was that?" Her voice hollow and strange, struggling to comprehend what had happened. Kiera gave a nervous laugh, the same one she used when in front of her family and Fabian when they catch her staring into blank space. The sound of her own laughter made her wince, remembering how she was alienated by the people closest to her because of her... difference.

"It was a list! Of what I want to do when I get out." She said as lightly as she could. Patty's eyes narrowed and her next words came out as a fierce snarl.

"Listen to me, missy! I don't think that you're dumb enough to not understand what I'm talking about so I want a good answer because I think you know what's going on!"

The outburst silenced Kiera for a while. The giddiness that overtook her stomach was replaced with dread. Cold, icy dread.

"Look, Patty. I'm not sure I can explain but... It's part of the reason I'm here," Kiera explained as slowly as she could. She could see Patty trying to see where she was headed.

'The thing is," Kiera took a deep breath. "You don't really exist." Kiera ducked her head, afraid of the next outburst that might come. When she gathered enough courage to lift up her head,  Patty was gone.

The next day, Kiera went to look for Patty. She wasn't at the window nor was she anywhere Kiera was familiar with.

For a while, Kiera sat at the usual place by herself, this time with a puzzle in front of her. She would pick up a piece, turn it over again and again in her hand then put it down and pick up another. Whenever a figure walks by, she would look up hopefully and then her eyes would be casted down again because it wasn't Patty.

It's strange that having someone just sitting in front of you and say nothing has so much difference than sitting by yourself, Kiera thought mournfully. Finally unable to stand being by herself, she stood up, cleared the puzzle and went to the kitchen.

It had already become a familiar place to Kiera, the sounds and smells. A plump lady in a stained apron gave Kiera a dirty look, wary that she might make a mess. Nobody could complain though. Kiera had kept quiet and finished her duties carefully when she was assigned to the kitchen.
This is why we should behave. Kiera told herself drily. Off all the kitchen staff, she only recognised one.

Mr Rye was already at his station, slicing shrivelled carrots.  Onions and broccoli sat in a pile next to the chopping board, waiting be to be sliced and diced next. She went up to him, saying, "Need help, Mr Rye? I'm a pretty decent cook." Mr Rye looked up and grunted a no.

"Can't have patients cooking food, God knows what will happen to my job."

"Okay then," Kiera shrugged. "Can I at least do something?" Mr Rye waved her away, irritated.

"We already have enough people helping around. And the new lady does enough workload for ten men."

"Who? Where?" Kiera looked around then spotted the dull blue patient attire. To her surprise, it was the same lady she had deemed normal. Or perhaps, like her.

"Oh! I've seen her!" Kiera exclaimed. "Why is she here though?"

"She's hoping it might cut down the years spent here," the burly man scoffed. "For good behaviour."

"No, I mean, why is she here, the institution?" She corrected herself. At this, Mr Rye frowned and shook his head.

"You don't want to know, kid. It brings a bad taste in my mouth whenever I think about it and I've seen pretty nasty stuff."

"You mean, she's not like me?" Kiera's voice faltered.

"You wish, kid. You wish." Mr Rye's voice was softer, more gentler. Kiera quickly blinked the tears of disappointment back and gave a brief smile.

"Oh. Well."