Tethered

Chapter Nine

1

"Here's your medication", Cynthia said, handing Sarah two tiny blue pills and a glass of water.

"This is not my medicine", Sarah remarked, eyeing the blue pills weirdly.

"Karen changed them", she said. "They'll help you relax."

"Okay", she said, and shoved the pills down with water in one gulp. She wiped her lips with the back of her hand, and inhaled. Cynthia sat down, looking at Sarah.

"I'm sorry", Sarah said guiltily. "I don't know what got into me. That wasn't me back there."

"It's okay", Cynthia said, rubbing Sarah's arm. "I'm here for you and I won't let anything happen to you. And I want you to know that whatever it is, you can fight it."

Sarah sniffed. She wanted to cry. It was obvious Cynthia still didn't understand. She didn't know what it was like.

"Thank you", she said instead.

"But I want you to do me a favor", she said.

"What's that?"

"Talk to Karen", she said. "She's here to help."

"With what?"

"With your mental state, Sarah", Cynthia blurted out.

"You all think I'm crazy", she said. "You all think I'm insane or something but..."

"But what, Sarah?" Cynthia cut in. "You don't have to deny it. Don't deny help. You nearly committed suicide."

"Don't talk about that", Sarah almost yelled. "Don't talk about that."

"You have to try", Cynthia held Sarah's hand. "She's going to help you. She's a professional in her field. Do you know her reputation out there? She's great. Just give her a chance. Let her in your head."

"Doesn't it surprise you that you don't even know what really happened, because I don't, too?" Sarah asked.

"You mean you don't want, too?"

2

Sarah yanked her hand away from Cynthia's. She didn't know what to say or how to say it. It was all too scary, confusing and somehow surreal. There was still a missing piece in everything—that night especially. Something else happened that night. Something she'd mysteriously forgotten—something lost in time. What was it? What was the missing piece? Was there something more sinister to all this? Something darker, and twisted?

The nightmares, yes. Those were very odd. She never had them before. When did they start? Something was definitely missing. She couldn't even remember how she'd ended up in the tub with her wrist slashed. The headaches, too, that was another mystery.

"Come on", Cynthia said. "I wanna take you somewhere."

"Where?" Sarah asked softly.

"Somewhere nice."

"Like?"

"Just come with me, unless you want to sleep now."

"No", Sarah snapped. "I'd like to come with you." Sleep wasn't a good idea, and she could definitely use a distraction.

"Gary Capewell's coming with us", Cynthia informed, then she huffed, dropping her arms so they hang lifelessly at her sides. "Unfortunately."

Sarah wasn't surprised. She knew something like that could happen. Sarah hunted her closet and came up with a short black dress, and white snickers. She wasn't a high heel type of girl. Sneakers did just fine for her. She tied her wavy hair in a bun, wore plastic red and black bracelets on her wrists to hide the bandages and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She thought about applying some makeup. She was fine without it. She sighed. She was desperately trying to be normal, at least for tonight—for Cynthia.