Questions

Part Two: Family Meeting

I woke up the next day with a ton of commotion in the room I was in. Apparently I had wandered into a delivery room. Or at least that's what I assumed it was. There were a lot if people, maybe two doctors, a nurse, and three more people other than the patient.

I promptly left the room because I didn't want to be there anymore. I made my way to my room to see what had happened to me.

I found my room using the same method from before, following the intensity of my back and head pain. Similar to a warmer or colder game. I found myself alone with my body. I had a large bandage on my forehead, going down my face. I could feel a soreness where the bandage was placed, so I knew that I had a cut from above my temple to my cheekbone on the left side of my face. Other than that, I had a small cut under my right eye. I seemed fine.

What I couldn't see was the obvious concussion I had sustained and the possibly paralizing injury to my back.
After being in the room with myself for about 10 minutes, I felt like I was going to puke. I grabbed my phone off the table and left my room.

Instantly feeling better, I silently strolled through the lobby and left. No one said a word to me. As an experiment, I turned and grabbed someone's arm as the walked passed. They shivered and went on their way.

I went to the bus stop as I didn't have a car anymore. I also, didn't want to drive. Not for a while.

While on the bus, I chose a seat maybe in the middle. It was decently crouded, and no one sat next to me. As another experiment, I stood up and screamed as loud as I could. By this time I was feeling confident that no one would hear me. When I was done, I looked around. I saw a few heads looking in my direction.

"What was that?" A little girl asked.

The adult next to her said, "I think the bus just creaked. Nothing to worry about, dear."

And the people that had looked near me returned to their previous interest.

I eventually came to check my phone. I had maybe thirty texts from Liliana, asking if I were alright, where I was, why I wasn't answering. She had called me multiple times aswell. That said, I had two messages from my mom, "Are you running late?" and "Honey where are you??"

At that point, I was glad no one could see me. I don't like crying in public.

...

The closest to my house I could get was right next to a little corner store maybe a half mile from where I lived. It was the last stop and would go back to the city from here.

I got off and started walking home. It was all I could do. The day was pleasant, at least. I finally made it just after 4pm, although it was the bus ride that took up most of the time. I walked into my warm, loving little house and felt a large weight on my chest. I actually felt heavier walking in.

All the TVs were off, my brother was on the couch with his earbuds, taking a nap. My mom was in our old, big brown recliner chair laying with my dad. It felt so quiet. So lonely. My mom glanced up at me when I walked in.

"Just rest." my dad said in a low, gentle tone.

"I thought I heard someone." my mom replied in barely a whisper. She rested her head on my dad's chest.

I walked in and sat next to my brother. He shivered and sat up. He looked at me for a second before getting up and going into the kitchen. 

"Are you hungry, Jake?" My mom called to him.

"No, I'm just getting some water." he replied.

Everything seemed so eerie. So solemn. Like no one wanted to do anything. Which in a sense, no one did want to do anything. They were all waiting to see what would happen to me. Or to my body.

I went into my room. It was warm and cozy. But even my room seemed like it had a weight to it. I wanted to lighten the mood, even just for myself.

I grabbed my sketchpad and drew out a vibrant landscape. In it had a purple and pink and blue sunset set against a stark, early autumn forest. I love drawing autumn. Maybe because I feel connected to it somehow, but it's always been my favorite.

This time,  I drew the trees very differently. Some had braids in the branches, some had loop-de-loops, and some grew in a smooth zigzag, like a snake.

I colored these trees with deep purples and blues, matching the lighter hues of the sunset. Then I colored the leaves with contrasting colors from the sky. Things like firey orange and yellows and lime greens scattered throughout the top of the forest I had created.

The more I drew, the happier I felt. The calmer I felt. And as I colored on my pad, I could hear my family talking, even light laughs here and there.

I finished my masterpiece and left it unsigned. I didn't want anyone to find it, as I didn't know what they would percieve as or if it would be destroyed or what. I still didn't understand the "rules" of my presesnce.

I took my drawing and hid it under my matress before walking into the livingroom and listening to my family's conversation. I had some pride in thinking that I may have lifted the mood in the house, even if they didn't know it.