More of me- Marliza asylum au

-Part 11-

Shuddering, Eliza stood up and headed to Maria's room for their morning checkup. She hurried down the halls and once again stood on her tiptoes to peek through the bars on the top of the door "Maria sweetie, it's Nurse Eliza" she called. Maria was laying on her bed reading a children's book and looking hopelessly bored, she jolted up and broke into a smile when she saw Eliza's ocean eyes peeking into the room "Come in!" She beamed and Eliza unlocked the door and stepped in, smiling. As Eliza began to check over her, noticing a lack of recent gashes in Maria's wrists, Maria sparked a conversation "I'm sorry about what she did to you." Those words sent a shiver down Eliza's spine, and her skin immediately burst into goosebumps "its fine, really" mumbled Eliza absentmindedly. Maria drew in a sharp breath "no. It's not. You see Eliza, there are many of me, more than you ever see. And they shout and scream for me to let them out but I suppress the ones I can, don't let them do things like that. Yet sometimes when the nightmares come, the ones where I relive the things I've done, so does she. And she's a raging beast who screams louder than the rest. And her eyes are bloodshot and she scratches my soul, trying to get out. And her hair is messy and so is her mind." Maria paused to look at Eliza, her eyes filled with pain "but I guess so is mine." Biting back tears, Maria looked away and furiously wiped them. She would not be vulnerable, not again. She hadn't cried since she was a child. It hurt too many people. Maria plastered on a smile and turned back to Eliza who smiled weakly and announced "looks like you're all good, now if you excuse me I must go." Eliza stood up and began to leave, but Maria grabbed her arm and pulled her back "please don't leave me" she begged "you said at first I could ask you questions and I didn't, can I ask them now?" Startled, Eliza sat back down and nodded.