9: I Know Who You Are

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-Felix-

I stare out the window of my mother's car, she drives in front of me with my sister sitting beside her.

We make this drive to Linköping a couple times a year. Apparently my mother knows someone there, but Felicia and I have always stayed in the car as she enters the hospital. She would often enter the car within the hour crying and refusing to tell us what is going on.

Judging by the sad looks on Felicia's face, my mother has shared with her the dark secret that has forever been a taboo subject within our household.

I continue watching the rain slap against the window and the trees until my view is obstructed by buildings and city life. We have now travelled to the town of Linköping.

"Felix?" I hear my mother say disturbing the silence. Her voice is very shaky making it difficult to hear.

"Yea?"

"You have turned fifteen now, I figure you should know something about your family."

I sway in the backseat as the road tobbles back and forth with my hands clasping between my knees.

"Your... grandfather... was born with mental issues and he has lived in the Linköping hospital nearly his entire life."

I know I should have some feelings of sadness but I don't. I never knew my grand father so hearing this news wasn't such a shock to me. However, to my sister and mother this was heartbreaking so for them being sad I began to frown.

"We are going to visit him today, and I figure it is important that he meets you now that he is getting old."

I don't answer her, she continues to park her car as we head into the large building.

The walls are pure white with blue accents everywhere, typical look for a hospital.

My mother takes my hand and leads me up a few flights of stairs and enters through a door labelled 'Mental Facility'.

Inside there is a large living room type area where all the patients dressed in traditional hospital gowns separating them from the doctors which run around with clip boards.

"I want you to sit here okay? We have to slowly introduce you to him because he'a not very good with handling change."

I nod and sit on a couch in the main area next to an old woman. She sits silently watching the wall as if it was as entertaining as a television.

I look at her again just to double check if that is what she was doing... it was.

"Excuse me, can I ask you what is so interesting about the wall?" I lean in my seat hoping she will turn to face me in my direction.

She does. In fact she even looks at me into the eyes.

"I was waiting for you to come here." She smiles and leans back in her seat. She must have confused me for her son judging by the way she felt so comfortable with me.

"I am not sure you know who I am miss." I say.

"Yes I do, I have heard you speak before."

She is crazy, obviously that is why she is in here but I can't help but follow her along.

"What have you heard me say?" I question pretending to be as comfortable as she is.

She leans in close to me and makes sure no one is around to listen.

"You are the Writer aren't you?"

My heart stops and I am sure the time does too after I hear her say this.

"Excuse me?"

"You are the Writer. Do I have to spell it out for you?" The woman rolls her eyes and tilts her head.

I begin to stand up and walk away and I can hear her mutter words under her breath.

"He's going to fill her with a child anyway...."

"Excuse me!?" my head spins so fast my snapback nearly spins off my head.

"Leave me alone!" She waves her hands in the air screaming.

"Are you nuts? Keep your voice down!" Her arms and legs are flailing in every direction. We catch the attention of the nurses around us and I am pulled away from the woman.

"Young man you better step out if this facility before we call someone." A steady hand warns me, just in time for my mother to invite me to see my grand father. Her face could not have been more furious as she stands waiting to invite me into the private room.

We leave without saying another word.

*.*.*.*

The car is silent. I am not sure if I am in trouble or not but I continue to stay silent just in case.

The rain has stopped at this point and now the air is damp when I breathe. I watch the lines of the road move beside us and they slowly get closer to the car. My mother has pulled over to weep.

"I take you one day to meet your grandfather, and you can't even stay out of trouble." Her voice is calm which is even more terrifying.

"YOU CAN'T EVEN BEHAVE YOURSELF TO MEET MY FATHER!" she screams.

She drives onto the road again going way over the speed limit.

"Mom..." Felicia says, her shoulders push back into the seat from the rate we are travelling at.

"Mom?" I repeat. My hands grip the seat.

Her eyes switch wildly back and forth across the road.

"Mom stop the car!" I scream.

She hits the steering wheel full force with her fist and the car flips loosing it's balance.

My vision becomes clouded.

Dear Writer, - The Fooo Conspiracy (Felix Sandman)Where stories live. Discover now