The creation of a monster

Chapter One

"I had another nightmare." I spoke as the needle pricked into my arm. I had gotten used to it though. After getting pricked every day the pain becomes nothing. I watched as the fluid went down until the needle was empty. "You have?" Nurse May questioned as she placed a band aid over the spot she pricked. Nurse May was my favorite nurse. Something about her seemed so familiar, yet so far away.
"Yes. It was the same as last time, only it felt more... real" I explained. "That's strange, we may need to change your medicine. It's probably nothing." Nurse May spoke as she rose to her feet. "Well I have other patients so I must go." She said as she made her way to the door. "Have you finished these already?" She picked up a small stack of books that had been placed on the floor near the door. "Yes, could I get new ones?" I asked. She nodded as she opened the door. "Bye," she waved as she shut the door behind her. I sigh as I lay back down on the bed, pulling the blanket over my head. A sudden chill washes over me as I pull my legs to my chest. I continued to lay there for what felt like forever until Nurse May came back. She poked her head in the door. "Jack, lunch." She then left, propping the door open for me to get out. I sat up looking at the door. I felt sort of paralyzed, I continued to sit and stare until Nurse May came back. "Jack, honey you have to come get lunch." Suddenly I felt tears streaming down my face. I wasn't sure why I was crying. Maybe something was wrong with me. Nurse may came rushing to my side. "Jack? What's the matter? Does something hurt?" She checked my forehead, "you're not warm..." her voice trailed off as she stood. "I'm gonna go-"
"I'm fine." I blurted out, finally able to speak. "I think we need to change your medicine." Nurse May muttered under her breath as I collected myself to my feet. "I'm fine, I was just... thinking of something." It wasn't a good excuse but I didn't need the nurses to worry. They had other patients is worse condition than me. "Okay... but If anything like this happens again I'm going to talk to the doctors. Now let's get to lunch, your food is going to get cold."

I examine the shelf. Something was different. I grab a book off the shelf. "Alice in wonderland?" I read the cover aloud as Nurse May walked up behind me. "That's a classic." She smiles. I flip through the book to a page with a girl whose neck is stretched like a giraffe. "Curiouser and curiouser." I read. "Curious indeed. This must be new. Look at the condition." I hand the book to Nurse May. She nodded in agreement, handing the book back over.
"Nurse may..." I begin as the librarian is scanning my books. I decided to steer away from the horror books I had been reading. That could be a source of the nightmares. Instead I had Nurse May help me find some "child friendly classics" as she put it. "Yes Jack?" She responded. "I know you aren't supposed to but... you had mentioned you have a book at home you think I may like. Could I see it?" Her smile dropped off her face as she shook her head. "It's against the rules for me to bring in stuff from home. I don't want to get in trouble so I believe it's best the book stay home. But if you would like I can tell you the story. I've read it so many times I basically have it memorized." Her smile re appeared as I nodded eagerly. We walked back to my room in silence, though it wasn't awkward. It was never awkward. Sometimes the silence was nice. It was... peaceful.

•••••••••

"Will you still tell me the story?" I asked as Nurse May checked my blood pressure. "Sure." She smiled, wrapping up all of her equipment. "Let me finish checking the others and I will be back, okay?" I nodded as she headed out to the door.
Soon enough Nurse May was back, sitting on the edge of my bed. "This is actually a story I wrote myself." She began "Really?" I asked astonished. I didn't know Nurse May wrote books. She nodded, "Yes. This story begins long ago..."