Divine

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

The ride to the mental hospital was a painfully long one. My mom was freaking out of course, and still is, asking me about stuff every single second. Does it hurt? Did you bump your head? What can you hear? She could have basically said 'Are you mentally insane' to sum it up.

My palms are slick by the time our rusty van pulls up to a stop in the hospital parking lot. I close my eyes and try to bring myself together. Although, it's really hard to think calm when all these voices are intruding your head. I want to scream.

Are you sure you're okay, Aidan?" My mom's concerned voice floats from beside me.

I determinedly nod and try to keep a straight face.

My mom wraps her arm around my shoulders, comfortingly, then hops out and opens up the passenger door to me. I tell her thanks as the old hinges of the car door click shut.

The nurse had already called ahead for an appointment for me, so I barely have any time to gather my thoughts before being ushered away into an elevator. Thank you so much, nurse. I try counting the tiles on the elevator ceiling, but I keep on having to start over due to the many voices still interrupting my thoughts. My mom holds my hand as the doors slide open and I wince and thrash at my head as almost painful voices tear at my brain. Shrieks and howls take over my mind and I plug my ears to try and rid myself of the noises boring their way inside of me.

"Aidan?" My mom's panicked voice arises from beside me. "Aidan! What is it? What's wrong?"

I can only shake my head and pray for it all to be over.

"Aidan?" My mom sounds like she's on the verge of panic. I attempt to slow my thoughts for her sake and try to play it as normal as possible.

"I'm--I'm fine." I gasp, trying to shove the voices out. "Really, Mom. You--you don't have to worry."

Her hand tightens in mine. I see worry reflected in her body language. Her breathing. Her facial expressions. But the voices continue to shatter my insides. I try not to moan from how loud it is, like multiple people are screaming in my ears all at once. But, to my relief, we reach the room marked 312, and the nurse thrusts open the door to let us in.

"Dr. Lightfoot." The nurse glides over to the desk centered in the small room and hands the man behind it a stack of papers. The man murmurs something to the nurse, and the nurse nods before exiting, gently shutting the door behind us.

The man looks at us with a thoughtful expression, turning the papers around in his hand. He has light brown hair slanting over his head and forehead in waves and a stubble chin and cheeks. His eyes are a deep blue color, which seem to possess the aspects of gentleness and ice-cold all at once. However, right now gentleness and kindness wins over along with the usual strict doctor attitude as he flips through his papers and says,

"Aidan Meadowbrook." He turns his face to look at me.

It takes me a second to reply after the ropes of anxiety loosen their grips on me.

Uh, yeah. That's--that's me."

He smiles at me, fondly, then stands and holds out his hand. "I am Doctor Lightfoot, and I am pleased to be able to work with you. And you are?"

He gestures to my mom.

"Mary Ann." My mother shakes his hand in what looks like a small daze of shock. Then Dr. Lightfoot takes a seat and continues to wrestle through the papers. "So, what seems to be the problem?"

"She seems to be hearing voices." My mother replies for me.

The doctor pauses in the middle of shuffling papers, deep in thought. I hear a voice coming from him, like everyone else, but other voices win out for my attention. More screams and shrieks. I flinch and plug my ears for a second, which supports my mother's statement. I wonder if the doctor doesn't believe her. But there are people out there who do hear voices, so he has to believe.