Bella

Part Six

I open my eyes but I am no longer in the same place I fell asleep in. This time restraints bind both my hands and my feet to some sort of surgical table. I start to panic, trying to break free. I turn my head left and I see a large machine on a metal table with several dials on it. To my right stand several nurses fiddling with several more, smaller, machines. One of the nurses then sticks something to both sides of my forehead. I am now even more afraid. What is happening?

"W- what are, are y- you doing?"

I receive no response, instead, another nurse injects a large needle into my forearm. It stings but suddenly the world becomes hazy and I drift back into sleep.

--

For the next several weeks my life has been the same pattern every day. I wake up in a different room, nurses play with dials, I go back to sleep and wake up again with no recollection of what happened during the periods I was unconscious. The doctor says this is supposed to make me better but I still do not know how I am sick. Whenever I ask, everyone always says it is because I am violent but I do not believe them, I would never hurt anyone, would I?

Later on, around noon, the nurses allow the patients to sit in the main hall. I especially enjoy this time because, not only is it filled with several lounge activities, but this is also the period when Linda comes to visit me. We sit together at the far table and chat until the nurses tell us to go back to our rooms for supper. I ignore the stares of the other patients because I believe that they are just jealous of my relationship with my sister and sad that no one ever comes to visit any of them. I know that when they turn away and start whispering things to each other, that it is about me.

In the evenings, before I head to bed for the day, I would call out of my window for my prince to come and we would talk for so long about our future plans, that it makes me almost teary eyed to say goodbye each night.

I wake up and I am still in my bed. I am confused but suddenly, I get distracted by my door opening.

"Good morning Bella."

It was Doctor Michaelson.

"H- hello."

"It has come to my attention that the therapy we have been putting you through is not producing the desired effect. I have come to re-evaluate your symptoms as we have gathered some new information."

"Wha- what kind of information?" Was there something else wrong with me? What do I not know?

"Well... You have been talking to yourself a lot recently."

"No I have not!"

"Then, who have you been communicating with because it certainly was not any of the other patients or staff."

"My sister of course. You should know this, she has been given visitation rights."

The doctor looked over to one of the nurses who just shook her head.

"And your sister, what is her name?"

"L- Linda..."

"Listen, I am going to tell you some news that might shock you. You do not have a sister named Linda. Your records show only three members of your household."

"No. She is real! Your records are wrong!" I am tired of people pretending like my relationships are fake. They all just want me to be alone forever!

"Okay, say by some miraculous accident that the records are wrong, who is Charlie?"

"He is the prince." They have to know him.

"Prince? If we were living in England I might have just believed you but..."

"No! He comes every night and one day I will run away with him!" I could not take it anymore. All of these accusations. I just want them to leave so I press my hands onto the nightstand and push it over. We watch it fall to the ground on its side.

The doctor kept his composure, unfazed by my outburst.

"What was the first memory you have of... um, Linda?"

I think back. It is difficult to remember since we had only gotten close recently.

"It, it was our father's funeral. She was standing very close to our step-mother so I thought that they might have done something to him together."

"And is she often around your mother?"

"Step-mother, and up until recently, yes."

"I see. It seems to me like your step-mother might be a large source of many of the issues you are experiencing. We are going to try a new method of therapy, and do not worry, it is not nearly as harsh as the last treatment you have been receiving. I will see you soon."

Then he left the room and I just sat there, stunned. This is the second time someone has tried to tell me the people that I have been talking with all this time are not real. And I am supposed to be the crazy one.