Inside the Asylum (Book 1)

Chapter 16 - Hospital?!

A week or so passes and Robin has been in to see me for an hour every day. I like her. I thought she was a nice person, but I didn't and couldn't understand how my mother could have hidden her away.

"Does she know you are here? That you've been coming to see me?" I say interrupting her story about some random thing that had happened at school. She looks at me. "Mother. Does she know?" Robin looks down and shakes her head no.

"I had guessed that she would be beyond mad if I had told her. She always shouted at me for things I did that were similar to what you did as a child." She takes a deep breath then looks at me terrified. "Please don't tell her!" I laugh.

"Don't worry. I don't talk to our mother. I haven't in the longest time. Well apart from the time she came with Daniel and told us about you but still. I won't tell."

They left 2 hours ago. Robin and Daniel, I mean, and time has officially stopped. I felt like it had been an eternity. Max was still talking to Grace as she had come in 10 minutes ago. I didn't want to interrupt so I was sat quietly in my corner thinking to myself, sometimes whispering things to the voices in my head, but I made sure they couldn't hear me. I did really want to talk to Grace about Robin. Something wasn't right. She was so similar to me. It was almost unnatural. Oh well. I will speak to her later.

"Hey. Wake up." Grace shakes me awake. I open my eyes slowly feeling very groggy from my sleep.

"Hi. What's wrong?" I ask my throat dry.

"I'm ok. I have to go home now but wanted to say that I will be in tomorrow or the next day and we can talk. Ok?" She smiles as I nod. "See you later then." She says as she walks across to the door and exits. I look around and see Max curled up a few feet away from me. What time was it? My eyes close.

I am woken suddenly by the door being opened. In comes Max and Grace's mum. She stops when she sees I am awake. She walks over and hands me a folded blanket, it is super soft and a baby blue colour, Max's favourite colour.

"Hi. This is for you to share. Let Max know I was here and tell him I will be back later ok?" I nod and walk over to Max, who is sleeping peacefully, and place the blanket over him. I turn back around to say thank you, but their mum is gone. Did I imagine her? I walk back to my corner. I know she said it was for both of us but I was used to the cold room. Max needed it more. I curl up again and go back to sleep.

The Next day

I woke up in the room. My room. My prison of the last 14 years. Max is still asleep a few feet away. The door opens giving me a slight fright. In walks Grace and Max's mum. She looks upset. What is happening? She wakes up Max.

"Mum? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" She looks away then whispers something to Max. What is happening? Is everything ok? Max looks mortified! What is happening? Panic bubbles in my stomach.

"What's wrong?" I couldn't stop myself from asking. They both look at me as if they forgot I was here. Max shakes his head and I decide to drop it. Max sits down with tears running down his cheeks. I walk over and sit silently beside him knowing it was enough for him to know I was there.

About four hours have passed. Neither Max nor his mum have said anything. They have been crying the whole time. Well until about 10 minutes ago. Where is Grace? Why isn't she here? I don't know how to help them, but she would know. If she was here, she would be able to help them. I look around for her hoping she would walk in. Max must have notices as I could feel his eyes on me. I look at him and he starts crying again.

"Where is Grace?" I ask hoping one of them would answer me. Their mum looks at me silent tears falling down her face.

"Grace is in the hospital." I didn't know to say. My best friend was in hospital. Why did this happen?

"What happened? I'm sorry but I need to know! She is my best friend!" I plead with her. "I need to know." They both share a look and then. "She got hit by a car and she is in a coma." Max begins to cry harder.

How could this happen? Why did this happen? She is my best friend and she is in a coma! Why did this have to happen to such a good person? She didn't deserve this! Her family didn't deserve this!

Max curls himself up against the wall as his mum leaves to go back to the hospital.

"I'm sorry Max." He doesn't even look at me. Continuing to sit there in a ball, crying. It felt like hours sitting there not saying anything, in reality it was probably only minutes. I felt so useless I didn't have any way of making him feel better. Not until Grace was better.

What happens if she doesn't get better?