Ice Water.

Chapter 5

I woke up from the flashback, shivering and gasping. After passing out I had slipped down into the water, and almost drowned. My ex had come to my house for some reason, and opened my door with the spare key when I didn't answer and the lights were still on. He had found me and called an ambulance.
I checked my phone, squinting at the screen brightness. It was already 5:30, meaning I was running late. I hurried to get dressed and look at least half decent, and made sure I packed everything. I was dreading 6 am.
Jeans and t-shirts? Packed. Hairbrush? Packed. Shower stuff? Packed. Underwear, bras, socks? Packed. Tennis shoes? Packed.
The list was short, but it was pretty much all I was allowed to bring in with me. I went to my car and rushed to the hospital. If I wasn't there on time, they would send a search for me, and I would be in even more trouble. I left my phone at home, but locked away in a security box.
I pulled into the parking lot and sighed. This would be the last day of my social life.

I walked into the hospital heavy hearted. I knew this was for the best, but even if it wasn't, I had no choice. I would be escorted to the separate behavioral hospital after I signed in and finished the paperwork. The air was different than the outside. Outside felt breezy and free, which was rare. The sun was still down, along with the rest of the city. If you looked around you saw streetlamps and coffee shops, deserted buildings. Past those were trees and forests just begging to be explored. I snapped back from the thought of outside and went back to my paperwork. Inside was cold and crisp, filled with dread and anxiety. The smell of latex gloves and hand sanitizer lingered around everywhere I went. The walls were a desolate grey with bleak tiles meeting at the bottoms. The tiles of the floor seemed to never end, though it was easy to see dirty spots on the bleached white surface. Everything went slowly as if there was nothing better in the world happening. I handed in my paperwork and waited quietly to be escorted out. I knew I wasn't ready.