Listening to The Shadows

Chapter 1

 I walk down the hall of the Ward. I'm finally being let out to what they think is a semi-normal girl. I'm not any better I just quit telling them about the voices, the man that tells me things. I don't know who he is but he tells me things to keep me sane. I look down the hall to see my beloved parents and the golden child I call my brother Alexander. I grimace at the sight of them I have a terrible relationship with my parents they locked me away at an early age for being "an embarrassment ".  As I walk to them I feel their glares of hope that I'm cured. Hiking up my bag tighter I put on a faint smile on my face and stop in front of them. 

"Florence, dear is there anything you have to get?" my mother says to me without a side glance.

I shake my head and keep my head down. Their glares always make me uncomfortable. Alex smiles at me and hugs me tight. I've missed him so much even though our parents treat him better I love him he takes care of me and doesn't think I'm mental. He grabs my bag and I look at him. He has changed he has gained a lot of muscles and he loss the glasses. I am tugged by Alex, more like dragged, to the car. I realize we have a three hour drive with silence. The silence doesn't bother me any more after my third trip the Ward the therapy was locking away for people for long periods of time. I look over to Alex and he is on his phone typing away and looks at me smiling. 

"So are you excited, sis?" He says to me looking like a child in a candy store. 

I shake my head yes. Sometimes, I hate being mute but I remember if I stay quiet then no one knows he still talks to me. I take my pad out of my bag and starts drawing all the flowers i could think of on one page. I always end up drawing mostly roses, shaded black, I look at them and they remind me of death. I realize we have stopped and i look to find us  at a gas station. We are fifteen minutes from the house and i'm starting to feel as if I'm going to suffocate. The car door opening shocks me back to reality and its Alex holding out a bag of salt and pepper chips with a shlushie.   I smile and shake my head as a thank you. 

We arrive home. i look at the house where i barely have lived at in the passed six years. The gray house looks about as gloomy as i am. i walk to the door with Alex. i follow him up the stairs when i'm stopped by my mother. "Be up at six tomorrow. I have enrolled you in school with Alexander." I looked mortified i could tell i was shaking at the thought of having to see all those people. I run to my room shutting my door. I notice that its changed my once purple walls are now a dark green and my closet is full of hoodies and skinny jeans. I notice the desk with a new laptop and phone. I walk to the bed and set down thinking how much worse life could get. 

"Why are you so sad?" Alex said from the doorway. He walks over to me and smiles. "You know I've missed you. Schools not going to that bad I made sure we had three classes together you only have five by yourself and you'll make a friend." He hugs me and i smile at my twin. If he wasn't there i don't know what i would do.As our moment of happiness started it ended like being slapped in the face. 

"Alexander, Florence dinner is ready." My mother calls us down for dinner. I'm dreading this.

We walk down the stairs to see my father on the phone at the table and our mother sitting there. We walk to our seats and smile as we make our plates. "Are you excited about school Florence?" I hadn't noticed dad had got off the phone. i smile and shake my head yes. The table get loud with the conversation of Alex's new girlfriend. That's when i hear him. "You know its not nice to ignore me. Telling people you can't hear me. It okay we will be seeing each other shortly, Flower."  I am mortified we are going to meet what does that mean he isn't real this is all some sick mind trick. I jump when Alex touches my shoulder. I look at see my dad looking sad and my mom looking disgusted. I shake my head and smile. I sign.

 " I'm fine. Just happy I'm home." i smile as Alex tells them. We finish dinner in silence. 

Later that night while getting out the shower. I look at myself. I guess I'm normal with my deep brown reddish hair that has a natural curl, my blue eyes that are to light to be considered normal, my freckled covered face. I don't look like my family really mom is blond with brown eyes and dad has black hair and green eyes and Alex looks like dad. Dad told me when i was younger i looked like Grandma with her earthy looks. 

I get dressed and lay in bed sad and nervous about tomorrow. " Flower?  What's wrong?"  i jump at the sound of him in my head. i smile cause even if I've blocked him from my head and if i ignore him he always cares how i am. "I'm fine just nervous about tomorrow. "  I think back to him. i start to slip in to dreamland where i know i'll see him. "Goodnight, My Flower."