Gone ✹ Jaspar

Nine

Joe was very surprised and confused when he saw me standing by my bed, but I was a little stunned to see him there. It was unusual for us to see each other in such a situation as this, but it was reality.

"What are you doing here?" He asked again.

"What did they tell you?"

"The receptionist told me my roommate has manic depression and bipolar disorder...." He said.

"Well... That's not wrong..." I sighed. "What about you? Anorexia?"

"Yeah..." Joe said. "Do you know who else is here?"

"Um..." I tried to think of who he could have possibly be talking about, but then it hit me. "She's here?"

"Yeah, she was diagnosed with the same thing.. When the police found her, she was malnourished, and she's been eating, but.....when she eats, she gets sick and doesn't completely consume the food. She explained to me that she was scared to eat because of it... She didn't want to get sick again.." Joe said. "I.. however... I have depression and anorexia... I refused to eat while Emma was missing, so I didn't. She has PTSD as well, so...."

"Well..." I said. "You were in a rough place.... Caspar has depression, too, but I assume he's okay.."

"Yeah..." Joe started to tear up.

"That's his shirt.... isn't it?" I asked. "And... didn't he give you that bear?"

"It is... And he gave me this while I was in the hospital for malnutrition..." Joe sighed. "You never really explained why you're here.."

"Can we talk in the morning?" I asked. "I don't want to wake the others... and besides, I'm exhausted, and I need to show you the main reason why I'm here..."

"I guess.. Goodnight.." Joe rolled over.

"Night..." I said.

—

The next morning, I woke to find my roommate was in the showers as his watch was laying on his bed, with his clothing, and his robe was missing. I got up to go see if Emma was awake, but she wasn't in her room.

"Breakfast!" A voice from downstairs said. I went downstairs after getting dressed.

/

"Dad!" Emma said, running to me.

"Hey baby girl," I smiled. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah.. You'll never guess who I'm sharing a room with.." She said.

"Who?" I asked.

"Uncle Joe?" A small voice said. "Uncle Joe!" Stephany ran to me.

"Stephany?" I said.

Must be PTSD from the incident with my sister..

"Stephany said she's been having nightmares like me.." Emma said. "Who's your roommate?"

"Well.." I started to say, but he came downstairs.

"Stephany, too?" Marcus said. "What is going on...."

"Marcus.." I said.

"Yeah.. Joe, we can talk after breakfast.. Okay?"

"Sure.." I said. We ate our breakfast, and the kids and teenagers went outside to get some fresh air, while the adults did their own thing.

/

"I'm here.. Because I have manic depression and bipolar disorder... You know that.." Marcus said. "But.." He exposed his arms. "I also tried to kill myself...."