Daydream (updating paused until further notice)

Daydream

Chapter 1 ~ Average Morning

Screaming. All I heard in my head was screaming. But it wasn't in my head. I buried my head underneath my pillow. It was the same every morning. Saffi

screaming, complaining about the bugs biting her. But there are no bugs. If there were, we would have gotten rid of them. We searched the house for the bugs, just so she could stop scratching her skin raw. But we didn't find any bugs. There are none. Saffi is schizophrenic.

Schizophrenia is like a big daydream. You imagine voices, people, animals, create your own world... in your mind. A lot of the things they say are negative which makes schizophrenic people feel not good enough for the world. That can get told things from, "why don't you knock that cup off the table" to, "why don't you jump off that building right there." And they do as they are told, no matter how dangerous. Saffi is 4. If you imagine a 4 year old, your imagine a bouncy young child, laughing, playing, talking, living a happy life, with not a care in the world. Saffi is not an average 4 year old. She imagines things that are so horrible I can't even think of imagining. And I'm 14.

I can still hear her screaming, and my parents voices trying to calm her down. Her shouting has turned to crying and groaning and my parents have turned to gasping. I poke my head round the door to see why they gasped. Then I saw why. Saffi's skin was all red, and there were patches of blood. And she was the one who did it to herself. And it was horrible. I ran back to my room and tried to get back to sleep. But then my alarm went off. It was already 7:00 am.

I shut it off and slid out of bed. I slipped on my white dressing gown and slippers and shuffled to make some tea for me and mum, coffee for dad and warm milk for Saffi. Today was going to be a hard day. Mum and dad had finally decided that she was going to meet some other kids. She was going to school. And I had walk her to school to make sure it went smoothly.

As the kettle was boiling, I heated up some milk in a beaker and shuffled upstairs to Saffi. It sounded as if dad was in the shower. And I could hear my mums heavy, steady breathing in the bedroom, meaning she was sleeping. I came into Saffi's room to see she was just playing with her dolls. Phew, she wasn't hallucinating. I went and sat cross legged by her doll house. She looked up and dived into my arms.

"Look!" She says holding out a doll.

"Wow! Looks like you with the curly hair!" I say, ruffling her hair as she giggles.

"Did you stop the bugs?" She asks, looking up at me with her bright green eyes.

Her eyes are like mine, big and green, always bright. But many people don't look at her eyes, because they are to distracted by what she is doing. Normally either screaming or hitting.

"Yes," I said quietly, "they can't hurt you now."

I kissed her on the head and walked out of her room. I made the tea and coffee and put them on the kitchen table. I then poured myself some cereal and started eating slowly, as I scrolled through Instagram. All of my friend's pictures were of them in the half term which had just ended, at the cinema, park, whatever. Just them having fun. I didn't have any of those pictures. I do have friends, and I am invited out, it's just I hate to leave Saffi for fear of what she will do. What I hate though, is that people think she is a horrible kid. But she isn't. She just has a hard time ignoring the everlasting voices in her head.

There was one picture from my best friend, Paige, in which it had me, Paige and Saffi. She had only put it on yesterday but it was quite an old picture, yet it was still my favourite. It said "Missing Lacey and her cutest sister Saffi." I smiled but then I saw the comments.

•

Ava: Aww, is she on holiday?

Paige: No, we just didn't see each other at all this half term.

Ava: Well it's good you get to see her tomorrow!

Pippa: What kind of a best friend is that!?

Paige: What do you mean?

Pippa: She hasn't spoken to you all week. What kind of a b**** is she?

Paige: She has had things to do Pippa, which you have no idea about!

Pippa: I would hate her if I were you! Wait, I do hate Lacey anyway!

•

And I hate Pippa. Paige, Pippa and I were together ever since reception. Yet, in year 7, me and Paige got closer and Pippa sort of moved away. It wasn't until she became popular again that we hated each other. Pippa decided that she wanted to be Paige's best friend, instead of me. But Paige had none of it, and now, we hate her. But me and Pippa especially hate each other.

I put down my phone and got ready for school. We still had 15 minutes, and Mum and Dad were still trying to get Saffi to have her tablet. Their drinks were probably cold now. I got out my gym mat and started practising my gymnastics routine. I had a big competition coming up, and I had to practise, practise, practise! After about 10 minutes, I finally heard Saffi bounding down the hall. She looked so happy, in her new uniform, she was just looking so cute, I had to quickly take a picture with her. She was beaming, and I took her hand as I unlocked the door.

"Will you be okay today?" Asked mum.

"She'll be fine," I said.

I hoped.