𝓗𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓸𝔀

Chapter 10

Marlee peaks at the hallway side to side before closing the door, she scoots her bed and there's a thick crack on the wall, she lifts its up. "Where'd you get that?" My eyes widened. "I ran away here once and stoled it at a local store." "Can i step on it?" I asked. She nodded. I'm still the same weigh surprisingly, 97. After all that food shoved in my mouth by that nurse. "Nobody else knows i have it, promise not to tell anyone?"
"I promise." I see her step on it next, 77 pounds. "My goal is 67." She said looking down at the number. I felt queasy when she said that, if i was 77 pounds i would've stopped my diet. She's so perfect, can't she see that?
"I want you to stay with me Rita, i have a feeling Leon's gonna do something to you." She begged me to stay in her room longer, we've been playing deck cards for hours. I'm not scared of Leon, he doesn't look like the kind of guy that kills people, i still don't understand why he snatched my camera. "I have to go back in my room, i need to take my study courses at 12:00." She pulls up her shirt, there's a stitched up scar lining on her left side, it looks deep. "Who?.. What?" How can someone survive a cut like that? "Leon did this." My mouth opened, i closed it as i finally understood why she's worried about me.

A chill flashed onto me as i entered Mrs. Tans office, miles of book shelves ran upon the polished tiger wood floor. "Come in." Said Mrs. Tan.
"I see that you're new here. Eva told me that you had some attitude problem yesterday." She said brightly. Is she talking about the time i kicked my Philly cheese steak? I didn't mean to kick it, it's like a spark of wrath comes out every time someone hands me food.
"I don't have a problem with my attitude, i just get frustrated when someone hands me a meal thats high in calories." I wish i can control it, i'll start panicking and not notice it.
"Looks like you need to control your breathing. How do you feel about yoga?"
I shrugged. "Sounds cool?"
Since i'm already here, i should tell her about the Leon situation.
"Also, i want to talk to you about Leon."
She raises one eyebrow up. "Yes?"
"I think he wants to kill me." She's still making that same expression, i continued. "He stabbed Marlee in the stomach and he hurts other patients, i feel like he shouldn't be here and be locked up."  She chuckled. Whats so funny about someone planning to murder me? "Rita. He's not going to kill you, he used to hurt others and tried to kill them but he's different now. Don't worry we got it all under control." She looks at me like i'm some comedy show. Why do older generations think serious situations like these are hilarious? There's a thin glass cup right beside her desk with pens sticking on top. I wish i can aim that cup right at her head and glass glued through her face and eyes. She continues asking me questions about my anorexia. UGH JUST SHUT UP!

The nurse lays "The meal for today." tray on my lap. Scrambled eggs, honey ham, gooseberry yogurt parfait and two slices of toast with strawberry jelly and a lot of butter. I picked up the soggy toast, i'm already feeling nauseous just by looking at the amount of unhealthy butter. I put my fork down. "I can't eat it all." I said to the nurse, i only ate the honey ham and the toast, my stomach is starting to cramp. She curls her fingers around my wrist, pulls out a thin wooden ruler and swings it. My eyes tightened as she swings it again, my eyes watered from the stinging agony as she swings it one last time. I felt something cold running down my forearm, i opened my eyes, i watch my maroon red slide out of my skin and drip on the white cotton blanket.
"Eat your food sweetie."
The nurse left and took my empty tray, i couldn't stop gagging, i felt something coming up my esophagus. I dashed towards the washroom and didn't bother closing the door, my body probably couldn't handle that much food. Only a tiny bit of food came out, i still feel ill.
Break started, I decided to go for a swim on the pool, Marlee told me that swimming burns more calories than any other cardio. I grabbed a swimsuit from the laundry basket and toss it on. I urged myself to ignore the windows passing by me so i won't see my reflection, i don't want my day to get any worse.
Marlee is already swimming with her friend, Bell. I cannonball through the deepest side of the pool and caught up to them, i told Marlee about what happened recently. "What did you eat?" She said. "It was like scrambled eggs with yogurt, ham and jelly toast." I paddled my feet. "Oh, i had that meal before, it's like 650 calories in total." I gasped, 650 is more than what i eat on a daily basis. Marlee and Bell comforted me as my breathing became heavy and my eyes started to narrow from lightheadedness, i leaped out of the pool. "When did you eat!?" Marlee sped her words. "I think." I caught my breathe. "I think 20 minutes ago..."
Marlee and i are in a small spaced bathroom while she shows me how to purge, she sticks her two finger down her throat "Wiggle your uvula." She added. I've been doing it for a minute and nothings coming out, just gag and spit. I let my fingers go and start panting, i lay my knees down and hold on to the toilet.
"Here let me try."
I was unsure. Her almond nails look vicious, showing off that sharp tip that could possibly stab me, before i could speak, she already jams her fingers in my throat. I can feel her pointy nails slicing my gums, i breathe through my runny nose as my epiglottis was clogged by her fingers. She releases them once the gagging turned into liquid chunks. I feel better, i'm not full or bloated anymore, i looked down, i didn't expect that much puke to come out.
We decided to sit on the bleachers and watch others swim.
"Why are your nails so long and sharp?" I asked.
"They help me purge, it's painful but i get used to it."
Bell appeared and decided to sit with us, i wonder why Bell is in this hospital, she seems fine and she doesn't look like she has an eating disorder.

I dip my green tea bag on my mug full of warm water. I spotted Marlee on her cafeteria table, but no sign of Bell, i laid my mug down and realized she was drinking green tea too.
"I have a question. Does Bell also have an eating disorder?"
"I don't think so."
"Well... What does she have?"
"Some short of hair pulling disorder, i bet she's in her room doing it." She stirs her tea playfully with a sugar spoon.
Now that i think of it, Bells hair does like a cloud placed on her head. The cafeteria door suddenly swang and made a loud "thump" noise, leaving a crack on the wall. Everybody's attention was on Leon, and Leon's attention was on me, he ran with a plank on his hand. Thankfully the nurses pinned him on the ground as he was inches away from me. "I'm gonna kill you!" He echoed. "C'mon let's get out of here." Marlee pulls my hand, i stayed still from horror. She yanked my hand and we rushed off. Without a knock, we entered a room, not hers, nor mine, but Bells. There were piles of hair pieces on the edge of the floor and on her bed, i see her sitting on her bed, snapping off each piece and placing it in the pile.
"Marlee! What did i tell you about knocking!" Bell shouted.
"We just needed a place to hide." Marlee said.
I looked around to find a spot to sit that doesn't have hair. The floor, bed and chair is covered in hair.
"Don't worry Rita, Leon's not gonna find you here."