The Hidden Sister of Red Band Society

police on my back...boomerang...oceans

I opened the door to the next floor, the pregnancy floor, and narrowly dodged nurses waiting up there for me. Flying by expecting mothers being wheeled around in wheelchairs, I realized that I had only one escape option left: the elevator.
I ran, faster and faster, until I reached the elevator. Just as the doors were closing, I squeezed by and into a crowded space. The elevator descended into the first floor. Perfect. As the door opened, I ran out, the hospital entrance in sight. As I reached the handle to escape, someone suddenly lifted me up off the ground. I saw the strong hands of a man holding me about a foot off the ground.
"Lemme go!" I screamed. Immediately the man's grip tightened. Nurses surrounded me. I made two fists and pounded on the man's hands until they were beet red. Finally, FINALLY he let me go, and I began to run again. Surprisingly enough, I was able to get out the door and halfway down the street.
"Sheesh," I hollered behind me, "it's like the police on my back or something." The doctor laughed bitterly. Along with him chasing me, nurses were following in their cars. I couldn't stop running. Not now.
Suddenly, black spots clouded my vision. I blinked furiously, but they multiplied until I couldn't see as all.
I collapsed on the sidewalk, and my vision began to clear.Taking a breath, I jumped up and was about to start running again when the doctor captured me... again. I didn't put up a fight, and he escorted me into the hospital.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked, following him down an unknown series of paths and corners.
"We're taking you into solitary confinement," the doctor gruffly replied. He seemed preoccupied, I noticed. Like something was on his mind. I was about to turn around when the doctor shoved me into a padded room. I tried to follow him out, but he slammed the door behind him and was gone. This was my biggest fear. Not that I had gone crazy. Not that I was in solitary confinement.
I was completely, utterly
Alone.

_________________________

I walked to the middle of the room and sat down, crossing my legs and gazing up and down the walls. Why was I in here? What was I doing that I deserved this? Solitary confinement. And here I was to think that it was only for psychopaths.
I was sadly mistaken.
I decided that the only thing now to do is sleep. So I laid down on the soft floor, head in my arms, and fell asleep.

Actually, I didn't fall asleep. I woke up.

"She's up."
"Awesome. How's her heart rate?"
"Steady and consistent."
"Her breathing?"
"Normal."
"Blood temperature?"
"Fever. One hundred and two degrees."
"That's common. I'm not worried."
"Meghan, can you hear me?"
I looked up to see everyone hovering over me: nurses, doctors and my mom.
The hard wooden floor rest below my body, sprawled out in an awkward, uncomfortable position.
"What happened?" I managed to say. "When did I fall asleep?"
"After I gave you 'the news' and you were about to strangle Kara, Jordi, and Dash, I grabbed you and gave you an injection of horlmotonic* fluid, which makes you fall asleep for about 24 hours. It also enabled us to monitor your dreams," Dr. McAndrew said.
I flushed. They had been monitoring my dream?
"But don't worry," my mom said, stroking the side of my face, "you'll bounce back like a boomerang."
"That's what you said before! But guess what? It keeps getting worse!" I cried. "Bounce back like a boomerang? That's bull."
"Stay calm, Meghan," the doctor warned.
"Stay calm? Be careful what you say to me, and wanna know why? I'm gonna die in this hospital, alone and worthless,and I know for a fact, Doctor, that you're not!"

*not a real injection

______________________

"Meghan!" My mom began sobbing. "Is that what you think this is!"
I looked away.
"I'm sorry, but it is. I need some space. I can't do this anymore." Standing up, the doctors let me walk out of my room. I didn't look back once. It was so quiet, I think I heard the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, both lapping up on shore. As if the whole country had stopped moving, talking, everything. But no oceans could compare to my next discovery. I heard the doctor and my mom talking as I kept moving.
I felt undeniably confident in myself, a new confidence I had just found. Walking towards the elevators, I heard a cough behind me. I didn't have to turn around to know who it was.
I stopped walking.
"Why are you following me?" I asked, back still turned.
"Because-" he stopped talking and stared at a woman emerging from the elevators. He walked towards her. I didn't hear the whole conversation, but I heard bits of it, like, "Why are you here?" and "I'm here to see my son, Jordi." I gasped. Jordi had a mother after all, one who was alive! He had been telling everyone otherwise for a reason. I changed my route and decided that I would figure that out. But after, of course, I got a banana.