For as long as he could remember, Elliot never woke up on his own. He was always jolted awake from a noise, someone or something grabbing him, or falling out of bed. However, this day was significantly different for him.
This day, he awoke on his own, but he did so in an unfamiliar place. It was dimly lit and pieces of dust were made visible by the sunlight leaking in from the small window.
He was restrained by long, brown pieces of sturdy fabric. A piece of his black hair was pushed down against his eyelid.
"Klondike? 43? Are you here?"
He heard whispers, fragments of their voices. He tried to inspect the room with the limited amount of head movement he was allowed, but couldn't see anyone. He did, however, hear the sound of the door creaking open and his dad shuffling in. His dad's eyes looked redder than usual.
"Hey buddy, how's it going?" He sat down on the bed and moved the piece of dark hair that covered his son's dark green eye. Elliot jerked away from the touch.
"Where am I?"
Elliot's father proceeded to say quite a few words that Elliot did not know. The only word he got out of it was "hospital".
"Am I sick or something?" Elliot remained relatively calm because his father was usually able to explain things to him. After all, he had been homeschooled for so long, he figured his dad knew all there is to know about everything.
"No...you're just..." His father could not find a way to finish the sentence. They no longer made eye contact.
Elliot's body itched from the starch of the bed, so he focused on scratching his limbs against the cheap restraints. His father noticed and motioned to help, but instead, he got off of the bed.
A woman poked her head through the door. "Mr. Antov, if he's awake, we should move him in with the other children."
"Alright, but I need a moment." He turned back to Elliot and leaned over the bed. "Son," He paused and cleared his throat, "Things are going to be very different from now on. Do not worry, everything will be okay. I am so proud of you. I love you."
"Yes, sir. I love you, too!"
His father nodded towards the door. The woman came in, untied the restraints, and lead him away from his father. Elliot looked back and waved.
Everything will be okay.
Everything will be okay.
Everything will be okay.
YOU ARE READING
Two Worlds, One Mind
AcakElliot Antov, a young Bulgarian boy, lives in two worlds. He exists on Earth and in the confines of his own Schizophrenic mind. After being sent to a "Social Care Home", a forgotten institution that has to care for physically and mentally challenge...
