Voices In My Head

Chapter Three

It was freezing outside, and inside, actually. The heating in the Adoption Centre wasn't working. Voices kept distracting Clara from her homework, and she kept hearing her mum and dads argument over and over again. She didn't want to hear it, but she couldn't help it. The argument was there, in her mind and ringing in her ears, and the voices wouldn't quiet down or go away. She didn't want to go near anyone, didn't want to talk to anyone, but she wasn't sure if these people in the Adoption Centre were even real. "Shut UP," Clara whispered to herself in anger. She threw her homework on the floor, went downstairs and made some toast. She saw people outside, she recognised them, they lived in the Adoption Centre with her, but she was having doubts whether they were real or not. Clara opened the back door and went outside.
"Hi, Clara!"
"Clara! Come play with us!"
"Finally given up on your homework, red head?"
"Clara! Hey guys, it's Clara!"
Why were they all so excited to see her? Normally they would say "Hey, Clara!" and leave her alone. What was going on? "Hi guys." And she ran inside.
•
[On phone] Hello? Miss Brown? Yes, it's me. I need to ask you something. Can you take me to the doctors? I don't know. But I'm pretty sure there's something wrong with me. Can you take me? A therapist? Okay, I'll see you in 10. {Hangs up}
•
"So, Clara, how's everything?"
Clara was silent for a few seconds, then burst out about hearing the argument again, about not being sure that the people she lived with are real, and how she ran inside after everyone was so nice to her. Apart from one person. Richie, she thinks his name is. "He's horrid to me. He hears me telling the voices to shush, but he hears them too, everyone does, don't they? And he always points out that I can't do my homework. He always asks if I've given up on it. I've given up on him, that's for sure. He's a horrible little cow and I hate him."
All was silent as they pulled up outside a brick building. "We're here." Miss Brown opened the door of the car and hopped out, followed by Clara. "Miss Brown, where are we?" But Miss Brown didn't answer. She just opened the door and shooed Clara inside.