Coffee// A.I.

Chapter 10: Plans

Vanessa's POV:

The 14th of December was the day I started to plan my great escape. Holiday weekend, was the ONLY time that the hospital would let a special few of us go to our homes, and be with our families. That was when I planned on getting out, and never returning. I'd come back to my parents and explain when I turned 18, which wasn't too far from now. I'd let Ashton know about my plan, and get my friends to help me. As I thought about how exactly this plan would fit together, I realized this plan was as crazy as I was.

I sat back on my uncomfortable strident bed and studied my bare room. I was getting tired of looking at this, so I imagined beautiful paintings covering the walls. My attention changed to the frost covered window. The sky was an early dark blue, and the sun would be up soon, along with nurses and doctors and other patients.

Ashton would be awake soon. I imagined him cuddling up against his blankets shielding himself from the cool morning air that found it's way inside. And then I imagined I was there with him, and everything was okay.

My thoughts then drifted as they usually do. Imagining scenarios that would never occur, but made me happy just thinking about. I then wondered what the sunset would look like from outside. I stretched and stood up off of my bed, which made an obnoxious squeak, and headed toward the window. I had tried opening it before, but it was always locked, and they probably threw the key away. But the hallway I was staying in, used to be where guests and visitors could stay. Which is why my window had a lock in the first place. I placed my forehead against the bitter chilled window, and I could already feel my face getting red from the sudden rush of coldness. There was no snow on the ground, and there hasn't been since thanksgiving, which felt like so long ago.

When the sun finally peaked over the horizon, my first doctor came in, along with my first medication.

"Good morning Vanessa, did you sleep okay?", a nice looking lady said as she opened the door slowly.

"Not really", I replied. "Are you new? I've never seen you before."

She unfolded the small table that was in her hands, and placed a water bottle along with a few pills down on it. "Yep, started yesterday", she smiled. "I'll probably be the regular person coming to see you now."

"Thank you", I said. "What's your name?"

She poured the water into a glass and replied, "I'm Dr. Carri but you can just call me Jane if you'd like", she smiled.

I smiled back, knowing that this new doctor was more understanding than the last. I took my medication along with the water, and regretted waking up once again.

"Breakfast in ten minutes, get dressed dear", Jane said as she closed the door with the folding table in her hands.

-

Breakfast was not my favorite time of day. The food was good as always, but the people weren't. I was usually forced to sit next to the mentally disabled teenagers, which I had no problem with except they couldn't talk much and they always ate my food. But today, after I grabbed my food tray, there was an open seat next to the physical rehab patients, and I took my chance. I took a seat next to a teenage girl with long blonde hair, who had a giant cast around her leg, and a tall good looking man whose physical condition I couldn't tell.

"Hello", I said kindly.

"Uh hi", the girl smiled. "Are you new?"

I began digging into my food "somewhat", I replied.

She then looked down to my lanyard, which read "Mentally Challenged Division", and looked back into my eyes. "Are you supposed to be sitting here", she asked.