Lucky Thirteen

A

"Well, Hanna, you've completed all of your sessions. How do you feel?" asked Dr. Sullivan.

"Better than when I first got here," was Hanna's response.

Dr. Sullivan chuckled. "I'm glad to hear that. You most certainly have made a lot of progress in the two and a half weeks you've been at Radley."

"I feel that if I can face the 13, well I guess ten seeing as my dad bailed on me (yet again), Miranda is dead, and I have no idea who the hell 'A' is, reasons why I ended up in this place, I can face anyone now."

"That's such a great attitude, Hanna. I'm so proud of how far you've come since I've been your therapist. We may have completed all of our sessions together, but know that I'm always here when you need someone to listen," Dr. Sullivan said with a smile.

"Thank you for everything, Dr. Sullivan. If it weren't for you, I'd probably be drowning in my saliva from all the medication they would've given me."

"Speaking of medication, your mom is going to have to make sure that you take and swallow all of your pills once you get discharged. I don't want to get a call saying that you overdosed or something," Dr. Sullivan said glumly. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself, Hanna."

"I promise. I won't do anything that stupid again. Life's a gift, and I don't plan on wasting it."

***

Hanna was spending her last night in Radley getting another bed bath. She's had five since she's been here, so you'd think she would be used to the awkwardness of them by now, but nope. It was her last night at Radley, and all she wanted was a good night's sleep. But it didn't look like that was going to happen.

When Eddie came in with the supplies for the bath, Hanna outwardly groaned.

"Can't you just sedate me for this last one? Please?" she nearly begged.

"I shouldn't, but if it'll make you feel better and more comfortable, then I will," he said as he went to get a sedative syringe.

Hanna sighed in content.

Within a minute, Eddie was back by Hanna's bedside. But before he could inject the sedative into her bloodstream, Hanna asked: "I know I probably shouldn't be near razors, but I'm tired of looking like a werewolf if you know what I mean."

Eddie nodded in understanding as he induced Hanna to sleep.

Hanna woke up about an hour later, thoroughly cleaned and shaved. She felt like she lost ten pounds just from losing all that unruly hair. It only was when Hanna looked down at her legs that she realized that she wasn't restrained anymore. She could move her limbs and her chest for once, and she could get out of bed on her own. So that's what she did. She knew her door was locked, so she just explored her room, even though there wasn't much to look at. She had her bed (obviously), a wheelie stool, a nightstand, a desk, and a tiny little barred window. Hanna walked over to the desk.

There isn't anything on it so what's the point of even having it?

She looked closer at the desk, and suddenly she wished that she hadn't. Carved into the desk was a message signed by an all too familiar letter:

Hey sis, where's the fun in playing cat and mouse if the mouse is dead? – A

Oh my, God. When was "A'" in here? And did they call me 'sis'? What the hell is that about? Does that mean Kate is "A"? If that's the case, then she deserved an Oscar for her performance during our session last week. But her being "A" doesn't make any sense. Why would she be going after my friends? I don't even know why she would be going after me. I didn't do anything to her that is worth her torturing me over. Am I just hallucinating? I must be because nothing is making sense right now. I'm going to bed. When I wake up, that message will be gone, and I'll have realized that I was indeed hallucinating. It must be a side effect to these drugs they're having me take. Yeah, that must be it.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yes, this is essentially the same as the last chapter of "13 Reasons Why". I refer to this story ("Lucky Thirteen") as an alternate ending to the original story because I changed the message from 'A.' I also added the text part (the part in italics) describing Hanna's thoughts/reaction.