What's Normal?

Chapter 4

Sweating uncontrollably and entering a mental-breakdown, Sam looked up at Eva, but she was gone. Where did she go? In the moment of need, she leaves. This was unexpected of Eva as she tries the hardest to keep people happy. Crawling into a pit of doom, Claire looks back at Sam and shouts more abuse at her until she faints on the floor. Claire now scared, runs to Sam and shakes her body, "Sam? Sam? Sam stop playing, this isn't funny. SAM!" she screamed. Claire grabbed her keys and pulled Sam into her car. Turning her key and looking at the road ahead she realises this isn't the safest idea – the white lines on the road were all moving, and the image was unclear. Calling 911, Claire shouts down the phone, begging for an ambulance.

The ambulance took twenty-minutes to come, Claire looked at Sam lay there on the back seat, still sweating a horrific amount. From the corner of her eye, she saw flashing blue and red lights turn the corner. Terrified and in a rush, Claire pushes her car door wide-open and frantically waves at the people in the ambulance. The paramedics rush to the back seats and carry Sam out, they place her on a portable bed and lift her into the back of the ambulance. Jumping into the back of the car, Claire holds her baby's hand and prays to God that Sam will be okay. An oxygen mask was put on Sam's face whilst she lay there unconscious. Colour had completely left Sam; the paramedics checked her heartbeat, and it was too high. It was as if her body is fighting something. Driving over the speed limit, the ambulance turned their sirens on and drove as fast and as safely as possible to the hospital.

Arriving safely, Sam was escorted into a hospital room (room 108 to be specific). Her mother, Claire, was alcohol tested and was put on a tube in the hospital too because her liver is ruined. One more drink could risk her life. After hours of being cooled down and regulating Sam's heart rate, she was tested for depression, PTSD and anxiety. The results came back, she has PTSD. There isn't much surprise there as she has to live her life in fear of a man who should've been the protective figure, not the predator. The doctors let Sam rest as having these forms of panic attacks. Slowly falling asleep, she heard a couple of laughs from outside her door. She sits up and questions, "Who's there?" Aimee, Harry, James and Eva all walked through with flowers, a 'get well soon' card and some balloons.

"How're you feeling Greenie?" James asked.

"I'm okay, really tired but I'm okay. Apparently, according to the tests I ran earlier, I have PTSD." Sam replied.

Eva looked guilty, and out of it – as if she is the reason Sam had this panic attack.

"It isn't your fault Eva, I promise."

Eva looked back up at Sam, grabbed her hand and held it close. Aims frowned and asked, "Why, what happened?"

"Eva saw my dad, he told her that he's looking for me," Sam explained,

"What's wrong with that?" Harry questioned,

"He's the man that sexually assaulted me when I was younger, but I'd rather not get into it right now." She says, looking down and her right thumb fiddling with her index finger.

James looked up at Sam in disbelief and shock. "I-" he says before Sam interrupts,

"I don't want any sympathy, I've dealt with it for so long without sympathy, I think having any might cause a nervous breakdown aha." Sam tries laughing it off, but her laugh was pained.

The group came in for a group hug and kissed her on the forehead. They stayed for a while longer until Sam caught forty winks. When she next awoke, they were gone, she saw a figure to her right – it was Leon. Kicking her legs in fear and trying to push him off as he clambers on top of her. "Tell me..." he says, "...you're still my little girl aren't you Sammy?" His heavy breathing sent shivers down Sam's spine, her breathing sped up and tears were falling down her face, "Not again, please, not again!" she begs. Thrusting his heavy body onto hers, the heart rate monitor starts beeping louder and louder. Sam's body rushed up as she opens her eyes, short of breath her chest was moving up and down and her mouth was wide open, trying her best to inhale as much air as possible. Doctors ran in and saw to her. Sam calmed down and asked where her mother was.