The Drafted Reality and Dreams

CHAPTER 16: MARY

It was the day. The day for me to go back home. Dad didn't visit me yesterday. He promised to visit again, but he broke it like it was nothing. But I have moved on from that now. Consider it to be in the past. It doesn't bother me any more.
    I was already dressed; I was given a clean pair of clothes; not really given since I found it beside me, inside of a bag. I guess stepmom visited me earlier. At least she visited me. She even knew that I was going home today too. She probably knows that I'm dealing with epilepsy. I actually haven't had any seizures, but I'm always put on edge.
    I was looking outside of the window of the hospital room. Cars were zooming by, people going on walks, some with dogs, and others were jogging. I sighed, noticing my reflection in the window. I stared at it for a while until I noticed something on the window. It was an insect, a ladybug to be more specific. It was crawling around on the window. I watched it move, admiring the color and shape of it.
    I put my hand near the ladybug until I heard a voice.
    "Ms. Francis?" The voice called. I turned around to see the nurse. "You alright? You seem a bit jumpy." The nurse asked.
    "Oh. I'm alright, just scared me, that's all." I said.
    "Well, I apologize." She smiled softly.
    I turned back around to point out the ladybug, but it was gone.
    "You're leaving today." She said.
    I nodded my head, "I am." I said, "I'm not very excited though."
    She tilted her head a little bit as she walked deeper into the room. "How come?" She asked, grabbing the sheets and gown to get them washed for other patients.
    I sighed, "I don't know. I just have a weird feeling."
    She hummed, "I'm sure it's nothing." She said.
    "Ms. Flinton?" I called.
    She looked at me, "Yes?" She answered.
    "Thanks." I said with a soft smile.
    She chuckled, "For what?" She asked.
    "For being there." I said, "I always feel lonely here at the hospital. So I guess I just don't feel as alone since you're around."
    "Well that's lovely of you to say." She smiled brightly, "I am a nurse, doing nurse things." She chuckled softly.
    After Ms. Flinton grabbed everything that was used by me, she went towards the door.
"Got everything?" She asked.
I nodded my head, "I do." I said.
She nodded her head before going out; I followed her from behind. She led me to the entrance of the building.
There they were, they were sitting down at the chairs in one corner. I went towards them, I was happy to see them until I got a better look at their faces. Stepmom's face was covered in bandaids and little scratches, Edsons eyes were empty like a wordless book. My mood was ruined just by seeing them. I looked at dad but he looked better than them.
"What happened?" I asked, looking at dad for answers since mom sure didn't want to. Same with Edson.
"Well." Dad started, "We got into a problem yesterday." He said.
He looked down at his hands, fiddling with his fingers.
"What problem?" I asked.
"We went to an amusement park that Edson wanted to go to." He continued, "There was–" He paused, he lifted his head to look at me. "There was a crime scene at the haunted house that was at the amusement park." He said.
I sighed, rubbing my eyes. "You guys.." I sighed once more.
"Can we go home?" I asked.
Dad nodded his head, "Sure. Uhm, let's go then." He smiled awkwardly.

We went to the car, I sat behind stepmom while Edson sat behind dad. Soon, we were on our way home.

Home...

The only place that I can really call home is the house I was born in. Not the house that we moved into just so mom can die.
Didn't move into the house so we could get attacked by a serial killer.
Didn't move into the house so I can have seizures.
Didn't move into the house so our relationship can be ruined.

Didn't move into the house
                Just
            So
        We
    Can
Be
Put down...

Weird feeling?
            "Don't be bothered,
                                 Ignore it"
                    They said
            "Its fine"
    They said

Nothing new.

Nothing changed..

    "You alright?" Mom asked, her hand on my shoulder.
    I looked over to face her, we were already home.
    "I'm fine." I said, smiling awkwardly.
    She nodded her head before patting my shoulder. She left the car door open as she went towards the front door. I took a deep breath before getting out of the car. I went inside of the house seeing both stepmom and dad sitting at the couch in the living room. I huffed, going upstairs into my room. I examined the bedroom that I haven't slept in for a while. The atmosphere of the room was much different now than before I stayed inside of the hospital. I sat on my bed still getting a look of everything.
It was strange, everything was strange... some of the objects in my room like my desk, that's in one of the corners of my room, and my nightstand that rests right next to my bed. They were covered in dust. Most things here were covered in dust. Almost like nobody stayed in this room for a while. It all bothered me, all it does is remind me of that dream. Just thinking of that after all this time makes me angry. It really upsets me.
I clenched my fists as my jaw glued shut. I finally let out a huff not knowing that I eventually stopped breathing for some time. Could say that I've changed cause I really did change since that day. That day has always haunted me, every single day. I never really felt safe anywhere nowadays. Funny, right? I think it is at least...
I take off my shoes so I can lay in bed. I stared at the ceiling as I took deep breaths. I guess there isn't really anything new except for that committed crime at that park. Nothing has really changed also except for the faces of my family. I have been wondering what I could have done if I wasn't staying at the hospital. If I was discharged that day, would they still be there? If I was there with them, would I be useful to them?
My final thought that scared me was...
I wouldn't be able to do anything for them because I'm useless...