When The Darkness Arrives

Chapter 6

Days have past and still all I could do was just watch my body lay on that white hospital bed, motionless. I could hear and see everything and everyone around me, but my body wouldn't move, and I didn't have enough strength to open my eyes.

"Alice, I need you to wake up. It's about dad," Seth said, while snuggling closer to me, on the ever so small hospital bed.

Was dad hitting Seth, now that I'm not there? Was dad feeding Seth? Was Seth scared to sleep at night in fear that dad will wake him up, by grabbing him and throwing him off his bed, like dad used to do to me, after mom died. I needed to wake up, and let Seth know that everything will be okay. What have I done? I just left Seth. I should have known that dad would hurt him, when I was gone.

I felt an uncomfortable tug inside of me and I began coughing. But it wasnt the me that could just witness everything, it was the me that was on the bed. Seth jumped up and tears began flooding his eyes, as he hugged me, and I hugged him right back with the little strength I had.

I opened my eyes and saw white. Clean white walls all around me, white sheets, white blankets, even the chair across the room was white. Suddenly I realized my throat was so dry, I could barely make a sound out of my mouth. When was the last time I drank water? How long was I gone for? Days? Weeks?

I was so lost in thought, I barely noticed Seth jump off the bed to pour me a glass of water. His hair fell into his face, and he had the biggest bags underneath his eyes. It made me wonder how long he stayed awake, just waiting for me to wake up.

After he handed me the glass of water, and I forced it down my overly dry throat, I asked him where dad was. Seth just looked out the window, and a tear rolled down his cheek.

"What's wrong? Look I'm okay, see," I stated as I moved my arms and legs, letting him know that I wasn't hurt. At least not physically.

"Dad left two days ago. He told me he didn't want anything to do with this family," Seth choked out, and lifted his sleeve to reveal a dark purple bruise on forearm in the shape of a hand, he quickly pulled his sleeve back down before sobs racked his body. For the next five minutes I held Seth in my arms and told him everything would be okay, but I didn't even believe that it would. Where the hell was dad?

A doctor in a white coat, with long brown hair stood at the doorway, with a clipboard in her hands. A smile broke across her face as she saw that I was looking at her. I gave her a small grin back, still holding onto Seth, and rubbing his back. She took a few steps into the room, still a large grin spread across her face.

"Oh dear, Thank goodness you woke up! Your brother was worried sick, and the tests we took stated that you were most likely going to di-The tests weren't good, I'm so relieved you woke up!" She said in a singsong voice, while shaking my hand ever so lightly.

Great. A few days and they will send me to a mental hospital, I knew how this worked. But I couldn't go. I refused to leave Seth again, where is Seth supposed to go? Dad left, and if I'm gone, what will he do? Go to a Foster home, and find a new family? Would he just stay at home, and act like everything is okay, even though his father left?

"We're going to get you help, Alice. Things will get better for you. It's a policy to send you to a Mental Hospital, I'm sorry dear," the doctor said, and as she said it a blue light on her belt began to flash and she gasped, then gave me a quick smile before running out of the room.

"Alice, don't leave me again," Seth said, peering at me from the side of the bed. As I looked over at him, I just saw the pain all over his face. I couldn't leave Seth alone, I refused to. I pushed the blanket down my body, so I could sit up.

"I have a plan, buddy. I'll only be there for a day, okay? Go home and pack a bag, so when I get back we can leave, but don't tell anyone, alright?" I whispered so quietly, I wasn't even completely sure he could hear me, from the side of the bed.