I scream and a siren cuts through the silence. “Abbi!” my sister yells, struggling to be heard over the noise. “What’s wrong?!” I whimper and pull my knees up towards my head. I plug my ears with my fingers and say, “It’s him. He’s back.”
She tenses beside me, “Nathan?” As a pathetic excuse for an answer, I whimper and nod. She sits beside me on my bed and forces me to look her in the eyes. “Listen to me. He’s dead. You are not seeing him. You’re hallucinating and you’re scaring me. Stop.”
After Addison stops yelling at me, the doctor, my mom, and step dad all run into the room. “What happened?” my mom asks Addison. I’m hiding in my safe haven, which is the space between my knees and chest. Slowly the rain of tears come and then it expands to a full on hurricane. Dr. Hale, that’s her name, I don’t know how I know it, I just do, is trying to get me to tell her what’s wrong but I just shake my head and sob louder,
I don’t want to look up, I’m afraid. Afraid at what’s happening and if he’s still going to be there. If he is, I’ll loose the little grip on the cliff of my sanity and fall into a black hole of insanity.
The room gets calm and the sirens abruptly stop. Everyone knows that I’m not coming out anytime soon and they should stop trying to force me.
Addison slowly walks toward my bed. How I know it’s Addison is just like the way I knew Dr. Hale’s name. I know it’s her but I don’t know how. After the bed squeaks from the added weight she whispers to me, “I have to tell them. They’ll help you. I’m sorry.”
”No!” I yell, my head still in my safe haven. “You can’t tell them. They’ll think I’m crazy,” I look up at her. “Please. No. Don’t.”
“I’m sorry Abbi.”
She turns around and tells Dr. Hale, “She says she saw her boyfriend, Nathan.” I come out of hiding and see Dr. Hale staring at me, perplexed. “What’s wrong with Nathan?” she asks to no one in particular. My step dad clears his throat, “He died last week.” Dr. Hale looks at each person. Me, mom, Addison, dad, and back at me. “Oh,” she says slowly. “I’m very sorry.”
“Thanks.” I mumble.
“Sweetie,” Dr Hale says, “If you’re hallucinating, we need to help you.”
”I’m not hallucinating.” I say, matter-of-factly. “Abbi,” Addison says, “Yes you are.” I stare at her. “No, I’m not.”
”Abigail?” Dr. Hale says. “What?” I say, harsher than I meant. “We’re going to give you antihalucagins and antipsychotics, okay?”
“I am not hallucinating and I am notpsychotic!” I yell, but the more I think about it the more I think I could be crazy and hallucinating. “Abigail.” My step dad says. “Stop it right now.” A shiver rakes up my body and I black out just barely hearing him.
