I awoke. Where was I? I was in a big empty room, a hospital I guess but there was nothing apart from me, a bed with crisp white sheets, a door and silence.
My bones felt too heavy, as if something was pulling me down.
I laid underneath a layer of cheap cotton, all I could hear was my pulse raging like something was inside me, desperate to escape.
A man came into this abandoned room with a silver wheelchair. 'Good Morning Ruby, how are you today?'
I opened my mouth to speak but the words stuck to my teeth. He helped me out of my bed gently into the wheelchair still smiling; I spotted a thin golden badge hanging out of his ripped pocket it read: Albert.
Albert wheeled me into the long, narrow hallway which seemed to go on forever, eventually we came to a bolted door. He pulled out 24 different keys and he unlocked the door in front of us both after a few attempts. He wheeled me into a room with blinding lights and three middle aged women.
'What's the date?' I asked.
'August the 14th my dear you have been here since the start of July' replied a very small woman with spectacles, struggling to balance them on her ski-sloped nose.
I thought to myself I'd missed my sister's birthday.
All I can remember was lying in bed on the 3rd of July, 22:47.
I looked around.
A small sign with bold writing written in blue italic saying 'Red hill Psychiatric unit.'
What on earth had happened?!
I was navigated into a small office with a plump man sitting directly ahead of me in a royal black leather seat with a mouthful of cold coffee. I could tell it was cold because of the way he grimaced his teeth at me.
This odd man questioned me on many things and of course I answered as honestly as I could, but I could barely remember what I had for tea last night, let alone why I'm here.
But this was a few months ago, now I am on multiple types of medication and I am well enough to go home this weekend which I'm very excited about but we have to be careful!
Today I am meant to be having a few tests for educational purposes, my head is pounding like somebody was trying to take over my thoughts.
Finally I get to pack my bag for this weekend. I cannot wait to see my family.
It was 16:01, mother was waiting, grinning with her pearly whites near the front entrance wearing her favourite necklace, a silver pendant that my grandmother had given to her. She was clutching a folder close to her chest with all of the details about me and a box full of my meds.
Saying goodbye to Judy, was hard but we got into mother's brand new car. The sweet smell of leather filled my small nose with delight, the new car smell mixed with my mother's sweet cinnamon scent.
As we got to the driveway, I thought to myself I haven't seen this place in absolute ages, there was a new flower bed with roses which complimented the luscious green grass on the side, the door had been painted a new shade of blue, like the colour of bluebells at the start of spring.
We got to the front door my younger sister, Rosie sat there waiting with my favourite dinner on the table and my best friend stood there waiting for a cuddle. I opened my arms and my friend Josie, my sister Rosie and my mother all bundled onto me.
It felt as if I saw them yesterday except they have changed a lot.
We all ate dinner together which was lovely, I can't express how much I missed them all.
After catching up with them all I decided to head off to bed as my brain felt like it was banging against my skull and my eyes were almost clamped together.
After eleven and a half hours of sleep my mother woke me up with my disgusting meds and a cup of coffee, she reminded me that we were off to Mr. Linden's library to borrow a new book.
I swallowed my medication: two red capsules, three yellow pills and one chewable tablet, which surprisingly tasted like pineapples.
I gulped the rest of my morning coffee, I hopped out of bed and changed into my jeans. Grabbing my library card I ran downstairs I had no time to eat breakfast I was too eager to see Mr. Linden.
