Life Saver.

Fourteenth Chapter - Welcome to hell, newbie.

10 days later

Salem's POV

I am finally being released. Yet, that also means that I'm being put into another hospital. One that will definitely not help me at all.

Wren payed me and Simon another visit yesterday, which was very interesting. I learned that she's lesbian, and that Willow was another one of her friends, along with someone named Victoria.

I actually met Victoria today, she looks like she's around 16 years old. Which, for in grade 10 is usual.

"Hey! Salem, right?" She yells out to me.
"Yeah. You are?"
"Victoria, Willows sister. How old are you?"
"14."
"So you're in grade 8?" She asks.
"Actually grade 7, it's really weird and hard to explain."
"Simon is also 14?"

"Yeah. Well, I'm going to have to leave now. Hopefully you make it home safe, Victoria."
I say, and I start to walk to my dads car, who was waiting to pick me up.

"Goodbye, Salem! Have a nice night."

Oh, I won't sleep tonight. Probably not for another two months... I think to myself, and hop into the front seat of the car.

It was awkward at the start, but my dad warmed up.

"So, Say-Say. You're finally getting a break, huh?" He asked.
"Something along those lines." I say, breathing in slowly.

Little did my dad know, I probably wouldn't see him ever again. I'm going to have to attempt to run away...

I love my dad, really, I do. But for his own good, and even mine, I'm leaving.

"So Salem..." He starts.
"Yeah?"

"How are you... Going to mange this? I know... I know you're going to run away. But, I love you. I always have loved you, Say-Say." He pauses for a moment, thinking of what to say next.
"I know your mother has made it hard on you. But I'll always be here for you, okay?"

My eyes start to water, and I try to stop my throat from swelling, but it's no use.

"I'm sorry, dad. I really am. But It's for you and mom. You already have had enough trouble with sending me to doctors and getting me the right prescription. I just... I'm going to remove a huge leech from your back, okay? I'm hanging on to you like it's my last resort, when there are other humans around me I can latch on to from time to time. I just don't want to lose you."

"Salem, you're never going to lose me. Even when I'm gone from this world, I'll always be by your side, rooting for you." He said, and we stopped at a red light.

"I'm just so sorry. I know I've been hard on you guys for all of this time, I think it's better off without me being there at all."

"Could you at least tell me where you'll be headed?" He asked.

"Taylor's, probably. Please don't tell mom where I am. She was all over my friend today and I couldn't do anything about it."

I look up, and see that instead of turning left, we go right. I am so used to going left. I... I don't want to go to the mental hospital. I don't want to leave at all.

And yet, it seems like minutes pass by, but it's been hours.

Hours. I'm hours away from home.

Home? Where is home now?
In an unfamiliar place.
Why?
Because I'm... Because we're crazy.
No we're not?
Well they think we are.

I soon arrive at the hospital, and my dad motions for me to step out.

"Salem! Welcome!" A tall, ginger lady welcomes me into the hospital, and gives me a wristband.

"We're going to have to strip you of your hoodie strings and your shoe laces. At the end of your stay here, we'll give you them back, okay?"

I nod my head.

I check the wristband, and the colour is orange.
"Specific colours?" I think out loud.

The ginger woman smiled at me, and showed me a chart.

White - 10/100
Green - 20/100
Yellow - 30-40/100
Orange - 50-70/100
Red - 80-90/100
Black - 100/100

"What does that mean?" I ask, and she points to another part of the chart.

"You'll figure it out. You're currently grouped into the orange level, which means that the average to get down to the white level is around two months. Black level is normally around seven months or a year." She smiled before speaking.

"Oh, please mind my manners, Salem! My name is Layalen."

"Layalen..?"
"It's pronounced like Lay- Ah- Len! Super easy to remember after a day or two." She says, and she turns to my father.

"We'll update you weekly on her activities and how she's doing. Goodbye for now!" Layalen told my father, and he hugged me.

"Remember your place in my heart." He said before waving one last goodbye for a while.

"Bye, dad..." I say, knowing it's one of the last times i'll ever see him again.

Layalen let me stay there for another minute or two before brining out another girl.

"This is Alayna, she'll show you around. Alayna, this is Salem, the new girl."

"Good afternoon." Alayna bowed at me, and I stood there uncomfortably.

"Uhm, good afternoon?" I said back, shaking her hand.

"Well, I'm in my office if you need me! Goodbye, girls!" Layalen closed her office door, and Alayna stood up.

"What a bitch." She said, and she took my hand to show me around the hospital.

"Welcome to hell, newbie. It's going to be a hell of a ride for you!"