Karen O'Neill COMPLETED

8

The pillow Karen is laying on has gone flat. Karen sits up. The purple quilt falls off of her and puddles around her. Karen looks around. She is in her room. But how? Was Ghosttown all a dream? Maybe the Lord above allowed her a glimpse of her future. A future that started today...
Karen jumps out of bed and runs to the stairs. Not here. She runs down the hall to see her pregnant mother open the door to her room. She seems to stop and falter. But, she continues to the stairs anyways.
"Mom."
"Yes." Her mother's voice sounds hoarse.
"Um. Please wait here."
"No, Karen. I'm fine."
"No, no, no. Just lie down in bed and I'll get you breakfast."
"Ok, fine."
Karen races down the stairs. She hears her mother scream and Karen knows that she might have just saved two lives.
She doesnt even bother to go check on her mother. She reaches for the phone and calls an ambulance.

"How is she?"
"Getting better."
"Good."
"We found when she had the heart attack, the baby's brain was slightly damaged."
"Will he be ok?"
"Yes, but he may have some slight learning problems and probably bad headaches when he's older."
"Ok."
"When was she going to have the baby?"
"Well, he was due for November 2."
"There will be a slight three day delay, I'm afraid."
"As long as he's alive and well."
"He will be."
"Thanks."

"When can we go and see her?" Karen tugs on her father's sleeve.
"Soon."

"Only family is allowed." The man in the white suit crosses his arms. "Sorry." Of course, he's not really sorry.
"I am family!"
"No. You're adopted, yes?"
"Um... yes?"
"Then you are no family. "

"They wouldnt let me in."
"I'm sorry, Karen." John takes Karen's hand.
"Its fine." But she leans into him anyways.

"Finally."
"Yes?" The man is still there even after four days.
"They said anyone can visit her now."
"Fine. You may go."
Karen enters the room. It has gray concrete walls. The thin white curtains are drawn closed. There is barely anything in the room. No furniture. Karen walks to the hospital bed where her mom lays.
"Mom?" No answer. "Mommy?" Karen tries again. Still, no answer. Karen leans forward. A gray hand lashes out of the bed and grabs Karen's wrist. She screams.
Her mother speaks in a scratchy voice that anybody would know doesn't belong to her, "You should not have come, Karen."

Karen races out if the hospital. She is going to get as far away from there as possible. You should not have come, Karen. The voice haunts her, follows her. She runs. Runs away from her mother. Runs away from the hospital. Runs away from Ghosttown. And runs right into John.
"Woah! Karen?"
Karen nods. She doesn't trust her voice.
"What are you- how did it- what's wrong?"
Karen shakes her head against his chest. She can hear his heart beating. Hers is racing twice as fast as his.
"Are you ok?"
"No."
He wraps his arms around her and pulls her to him. "What is it?"
"My life."
"No, no, no. Dont you start saying that Karen O'Neill."
"But-"
"No. Buts."
"No..."
"Tell me."
"I can't. "
"Please? You know you can trust me."
"O-ok."
So she tells him. And he sends her to a mental hospital.