Umbra

Chapter Three

Almost five intense, weary, painful, drugged up months had past and discharge was allowed. Gracelynn woke up in the crisp and clinical ward, little light meandering through the plants outside in the thought courtyard. The thought of going home buzzed off the corners of her head and her eyes fluttered as she stretched every repaired limb of her body, hands reaching out for the poles of the bed board that seemed all too very prison-like.

The last few months had sent her to the brink and back. Routine was not in get nature: breakfast- a previously difficult task, cleaning, thought garden, crafts at weekend or lessons on weekdays, therapy, cookery classes which seemed more like "eating's-not-so-scary-you-stupid-anorexic", nap, more therapy, dinner, television, bed or if that wasn't a part of your plans, sedation. The exhaustive list seemed to drug her into depression even more, but it soon became apparent that wasn't an option. Get better or you die.

"Discharge day Gracie." a matronly lady bleated.

"I couldn't forget a thing like that, Mallory." She replied with a fresh smile upon her face.

"Nurse Sophie will be on her way to prepare you." Mallory said as she clomped away on her sturdy block heels. Nurse Sophie a young nurse, around the age of twenty-six, played the biggest role in Gracelynn's recovery. Her sweet honey blonde hair that curled into helter-skelter's, periwinkle eyes and tall frame annoyingly resembled Elina. To begin with Gracelynn couldn't help but think the doctors and nurses had captured her old friend and were using her as a pawn to recovery. She couldn't forget how acutely insane she sounded. But with her help a jigsaw piece of a shattered mourning brain slotted back in.

She could see Nurse Sophie trotting down the hall, sugary, sweet coils bouncing up and down.

"Gracelynn sweetheart," her long arms elongated and cocooned around Gracelynn's back "We're all going to miss you so, so much. Even Mallory and you know that sour old trout”. A few months ago this simple act of sheer kindness would have been unwelcome but now she reacted by doing the same.

"I'm going to miss you so much too." Tears of jumbled emotions swallowed up her eyes. She felt like saying so much more but such words hadn't been invented so kept it short and sincere.

"Okay," Sophie swept up her tears and flapped her hands framing her face as if it'd blow the emotions away. "You have a final meeting with the Dr Hilsbourgh in therapy room B7. I'll make sure all your stuff's packed up." She took her hands from her face and pinched on to the now supple apple of Gracelynn's cheek.

Gracelynn walked with rhythm in her step along the ward wearing her hospital pyjamas for the last time. She loved how she now appeared out of place next to the weeping spirits and gaunt souls. Passing each one she gave a look that said 'this will be you soon'. Some sent looks of betrayal to her and others gave looks of admiration and envy. One face caught her eye the most- Gem Walker. Previously the two sat in beds placed next to each other and she would share her tips of spitting food into an opaque cup and wrapping jumpers round your hips to make you appear larger to family and friends. This, however, led to Gracelynn losing another fourteen pounds leaving her at no more than eighty pounds. Gem threw a disgusted face, as she lay child-like in a bed in the area where the most unwell of the ward were held.

Within a couple of minutes she was standing outside the sturdy metal door that led to the room she had sat in so many a time before as she grilled her brain for an ounce of progress. She chapped her knuckle on the door that clanked as she did so.

"Come in please," A familiar, snorty voice rang and she hauled open the stiff door. Dr Hilsbourgh sat on a padded twirling office chair, his piercing eyes leaping over his spectacles leaning on his nose. "Ah Gracelynn, please have a seat," He said his hand guiding her towards a much less comfortable seat, which she had come to learn after four hour therapy sessions she was jailed in at the start of her stay. "Just a few questions to confirm your release, that's all."