Mindful Insanity

8 Years

I tried again the next day, and the day after that, and so on. She really did think that all of the words in her mind were coming from me. So it wasn’t until a week later, and she surprised me with speech.

“Would you stop following me everywhere!” she yelled out of nowhere.

“I'm supposed to be with you,” I countered.

“No, you’re not. I’ve had enough okay. You’re just fragments stuck in my head, and I’m tired of you!”

“No no no. I’m here to help you.”

“Help me lose my mind.”

“You’re already lost in it. I’ll help you see clearly again. But it takes time.”

“How are you going to help clear my mind if you’re the one making it muddy?”

She didn’t understand, and this was not going well.

“You must understand that it takes time! You’re different from everyone else. We need to strengthen your skills to clear your mind and be able to control your- I’ve already said too much,” I explained.

“What? You make no sense,” she said with a confused look on her face.

"It'll make sense soon, when you turn 16. Don't worry about it. But for the time being, why don't we introduce ourselves?"

"You know my name. You're in my brain."

"Well, I do know your name.. But I'm not in your head."

"Whatever. Who are you?"

"My names Rosalina."

"Rosalina, I'm calling you Rose. Where are you from?"

"I have no origin."

"Everyone comes from somewhere though. I came from Westport," she said with a confused look on her face.

"Fine. I came from thin air."

"Fair enough. Do you like chocolate? I have some," a shy smile appeared on her face.

"Oh, I don't eat anything."

"What?" She asked, dumbfounded.

"I don't need food. And If I ate, it wouldn't go through my body. It would fall through me and onto the ground."

"You're weird."

"Aren't you, too?" I said, grinning. She finally opened up enough to have a conversation with someone. Scratch that, I'm not a someone.

She slightly smiled back, nodding furiously. Then we heard footsteps on the stairs. Her mother.

"Honey- why are you being so loud? Did you bring home a friend from school?" the mom asked, sounding content.

"No, mom. She's not from school, she's from the air," the 8-year-old replied, looking at the door while her mom came into the room.

"Well how can that be," Her mom looked around the room, and her smile faded, "where's your friend?"

"What do you mean?" She pointed towards me, who was sitting beside her. "She's right here."

"Oh..." Her mom continued frowning, "I see. What's her name?"

"Rose!"

"Well nice to meet you, Rose," the mom looked behind me, and did not meet my eyes. "How is your day?"

"It's going fairly well," but the mom never heard me.

"That's wonderful!" the moms fake enthusiasm was obvious as she talked to the dresser. "But I think it's time to do your homework, so go right along. Maybe Rose can help you," with that she started for the kitchen.

She signed, "My mom doesn't see you."

"I know."

But with that, we became best friends. She asked me about her mind and why it's so foggy from time to time, but eventually forgot about it. I would hang out with her every day, and she became happier. I was very glad, she still had no friends but managed to maintain a better relationship with her mom and dad.

Every day we would hangout, In school and after school. The teacher would sometimes yell for her to stop talking, but stopped eventually as she still didn't sit next to anyone, so technically there was no one to talk to. The kids in her class continued to look at her funny, and now even worse as they caught her talking to herself. Her mom was the same. Although she was loving and 'respected' me, she never truly thought her only daughter was sane. I mean, she was indeed right about her daughter being different, but she wanted her to have 'real' friends, which I secretly agreed with.