In this short story collection characters are faced with the realization of how the real world we live in really is. How the most beautiful things, are able to shred us to pieces.
A girl who is protected by her past.
Another who isn't as important...
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"I don't need help!" Zoe snapped at me.
I sat on her bed. Only her and I were in the house. Her parents were on a business trip as usual. I had started this conversation so many times I've lost count.
"Zoe, calm down. Going to a psychiatrist isn't something to be ashamed about."
"I'm not crazy, Hannah!" She shouted again. Tears welled up in her eyes. I waited for her to calm down.
I paid the spot beside me and she sat down. A sigh left her lips and tears rolled down her cheeks. I drew small circles in her back.
"You aren't crazy." She put her head on her hands. I needed to convince her. "Why don't you just try going at least once?" Silence engulfed the room for a moment, until she spoke
"Will you go with me?" Her voice was barely a whisper.
"Of course." Zoe took her phone to make an appointment.
I stayed with her that night. Sleep engulfed her in mere seconds. I had been trying to convince her to go to a psychiatrist for years. There were some things she should have learned to let go of.
I would always help her through everything. My purpose had always been that- to not allow her to be alone. But, I won't be here forever.
The next day she ate breakfast quietly. I wouldn't even call it eating. She picked and played around with her food for a while and called it a day.
She picked up her shoes and started wearing them, I coughed to get her attention. I motioned to the car keys on the table and she quickly grabbed them. I've never been fond of driving, so I'm always a passenger.
The car reached the building. Zoe was stretching the sleeve of her hoodie- a stress habit of hers.
The first room we entered was a big waiting room. The walls were white and so were most of the furniture, beside some decoration that added some pop of color. There was a big door on one side and a deck in the other. A woman, who could have been around her late twenties, was typing on her laptop. Zoe keeps quiet and I urge her to say something.
"Hello."
"Oh, hello there. I'm sorry I didn't see you. Are you here to meet Ms. Richio?" The woman had a warm smile as she spoke.
"Y-yes, I've made an appointment for 9 am."
"Please sit down. Ms. Richio will see you shortly." We did as she said. Zoe looked around taking everything in.
The doors opened and a young man, probably a few years older than Zoe, stepped out. He gave the secretary a nod and left.
"You can go see her." Zoe flinched at her voice and then nodded. She got up and then looked down at me. Her bottom lip was shaking and both of her hands were hidden under her stretched out sleeves.
I hated seeing her like that.
"I'll wait for you here." She nodded and went inside Ms. Richio's office.
I waited around thirty minutes. During that time the young woman kept typing on her laptop, not saying a word to me. until Zoe came out. She saw me and we went back to the car. Once we were on the road I asked her how it went.
"She was... nice, I guess." I wait for her to tell me more. We stop at a red light and she taps her fingers on the steering wheel. "I think I should go a few more times, before quitting this."
"I'm proud of you Zoe." She glanced at me and smiled, before focusing back on the road.
As one month passed, I saw Zoe's behavior change every time she returned from her sessions. A week after the first meeting with the psychiatrist she said I didn't have to come anymore, then she started to never look me in the eye. It was slow, but eventually she started to ignore me completely. We would link eyes at times then she would mumble something to herself before walking away.
It was working.
I was sitting on the living room couch waiting. Zoe opened the front door and passed by, not sparing a glance in my direction. I stayed around all day, but the evens repeated themselves.
Zoe went to sleep and I was in the hallway. I looked at my hands. The rug could be seen through them. My entire body was becoming see through.
I looked one last time at Zoe. She didn't need me anymore. Now, it was time for her to be around real people and not the ones she made up on her head.
"Goodbye..." I whispered before disappearing forever.
This one was a little tricky for my since I don't usually write in past tense and I would switch to present tense without noticing it. So if there are any switches, please point them out.
At first I started the story form Zoe's POV and she would discover that Hannah wasn't real, but then I thought about it and decided to change it. I'm glad I did since it made everything so much more fun.
With this story I wanted to work a little on my foreshadowing. I've seen how I don't use it much on my longer stories, so I wanted to practice on something shorter.
Here are some hints to Hannah not being real:
Hannah said her only purpose was to be with Zoe.
Zoe was the only one who ate breakfast.
Hannah never would drive and she didn't get the keys for Zoe.
The secretary didn't notice Hannah.
That was it for this one. Again, I hope you liked it. :)
