Young Writers Society

Skizzy

A pounding came on my room door, as usual, as expected. It was breakfast time, morning, time to eat and time to-

"Richard! Alexan- Skizzy! Time for breakfast." I twitched violently at the sound of her even almost saying my real name, before covering my ears and throwing myself to the ground and onto my knees. The voices went into a frenzy, tearing away at my brain and clouding my mind. Images of Carrie's dead body flashed before my eyes and the blood, oh my god, the blood. Alexander, stop this! They begged you, but you didn't stop. You selfish, spoiled, demented brat! Isn't that right Alexander! Aren't we right? You're crazy! You killed her. You own sister, your own blood. She was so young, Alexander. Little Alex! Skizzy. Skizz. S-k. Skizzy. Skizzy. That's your name now. Calm down, Skizzy. Skizz. Skizzy. Skizzy. Skizzy... I mumbled that name over and over again to mysself until the voices faded into a soft murming in the back of my mind. Sighing with relief, I threw back the covers, running a hand through my hair as I did. That nurse must have been new, the new ones always forget. Always, it's annoying.

As was routine, I checked my body for any new scars and, sure enough, there were scratch markings running down my arms, some still bleeding. Sighing, I checked my nails to see blood and pieces of skin. Grumbling and mumbling profainty, I got out of bed and quickly went to the bathroom to wash up before I walked across the room to the other person sleeping. Lazily, I reached out a hand and shook his shoulder.

"Richard! Rich, wake up." He woke with a start, sitting up quickly and panting, a thin film of sweat on his forehead. He looked up frantically and, seeing that it was only me, calmed his expression and got up. You scared him... You scare everyone. Everyone's afraid of you, just like your parents were... Just like your parents are! How does that feel, Alexander? How does it feel? I flinched and held my hands to my ears, knowing it would do no good. It's too quiet in here. Why is it so quiet?

Not waiting for Rich, I flew out of the room, down the hall, and to the counter where everyone had to get their morning pills. There were already a few people in line, most of them I knew. Those including Derrick, Hannah or Kate or Cindy, Lauryn, and-

"Skizzy!" I smiled and barely caught the small pink bundle that threw herself at me.

"Morning, Realyn." I loved this kid here, she was always talking, always. It gave me something to listen to.

"Morning! Morning! Oh, it's been fun today."

"Today just started."

"I know!" I smiled and put her down because it was almost her turn to get her meds. Being around Realyn was like shoving cotton into my brains, she talked so much and so loud the voices never got a word in. After I got my dose, I went down to the cafe and got my breakfast. The soft murmer of morning chatter was like cool water being injected into my veins, so relaxing. I sat down with some people that I knew, among those were the few faces I recognized from the medicine line. I gave them all a tired but warm smile.

"Morning everyone."

Olivia:

"No!" I screamed, smacking the plastic cup of pills out of the man's hands.

"Olivia, you have to take your medicine." He said, his voice soothing.

"No! I don't want any medicine!" I screamed, climbing up on a chair so I could look him in the eye "Medicine is icky!"

With a sigh, he nodded towards the nurses standing to the side.

Coming at me, they grabbed me, holding me down.

Thrashing, I screamed my head off, hitting, kicking, and even managing to bite one of them until they finally crammed it down my throat.

As soon as I swallowed it, they let me go.

"I hate you!" I screamed at all of them, smacking the doctor, then running out of the room towards the cafeteria screaming my head off with energy and exhileration.

Running over to Raelyn and the others, I yelled happily "Goodmorning everyone!"

"'morning Olivia" They all replied.

Climbing onto each person's lap, I gave them all a kiss on the cheek.

Finally coming to Raelyn, I grabbed her hand, and we ran across the room hand in hand, screaming with joy, to go get our breakfast.

Lucy:

"She's gonna kill me!" I yelled, knocking things over as I backed away from the new nurse

"Get away from me you wretched woman!" I shrieked.

My hand went out to a siringe meant for me, that the silly nurse left laying around, and aimed it towards her screaming "Don't touch me! Don't come any closer!"

Dr.V quickly ran in, pushing the traumatized new nurse to the side.

"Lucy, can I have the siringe please?" She asked, her voice silky and smooth, attempting to calm me.

"She's gonna kill me!" Just like you killed your dad the voice muttered.

"Shut up!" I yelled, dropping the siringe and clutching my head "I didn't kill my father! I didn't! I didn't do it! He's alive, I saw him with my own two eyes! Stop it!"

The next thing I knew, the siring was stabbed into my leg.

***

I sat numbly at the table, tired from fighting the voices.

Don't fight us Lucy. We're here to help you. They said lovingly.

"Go away!" I demanded, ounding on the table, relieved no one thought it was weird I did this and payed it no attention.

The voices subsided, but stayed in my head, silent.

Attempting to eat my food with a spoon, I sighed. They don't allow my forks or knives, fearing I'll hurt myself or someone else. If I have to have one, someone is hovering right next to me, waiting, anticipating me to stab someone.

"So," I said to everyone there "How have your guys' mornings been?"

Cindy

I yawned and stretched getting out of my bed, the sun shone through the window. It gave an eerie life appeal to each of my pictures. They were all glued onto the wall, each a little crooked. Some higher then others. Some lower then others. There was a flower, and a dog, and a tree, and a sun. I stood and admired my works. Then the door clicked open. I turned swiftly to see who was there.

I did not recognize the nurse.

Kate

I leapt at the nurse, holding her against the wall with both hands on her shoulders. She screamed and stared at me with fear in her eyes.
"Who are you, and why are you in here?" I snarled.

She licked her lips nervously and pointed to the pill cup that was now on the floor. I hated those pills. They made me and Cindy so sleepy. Doctor McCoy came in and peeled me away from the nurse.
"Kate, Kate. Calm down. I'll make her leave," She cooed in my ear.

I grunted and calmed down. When the doctor released me, I sat on the bed and stared hard at the nurse until she left. Doctor McCoy picked up the pills and put them in her pocket before pulling out another bottle of them.
"I don't want them," I growled.

But it was too late, she jammed them down my throat.

Hannah

I blinked awake and stared at the doctor. It must be breakfast time. She smiled at me and lead me to the cafeteria, I quickly grabbed my food and sat with the others quietly.

Richard:

"M-Mom... please d-don't leave me," Richard cried as he moved his mother's head on his lap. Stain of crimson fluid rolled down his fingers, but his concentration was directed to the pale face across him.

As his tears dropped against her mother's cheeks, a dark aura surrounded him. Goosebumps started to spread out from his body, and Richard's jaw dropped in horror as two sharp blades pointed straight at him.

"Die!" A harsh voice went into his ears. The strong aura had wrapped around him, incapable for him to move.

Richard could not do anything but shout as the two cutting edge neared his face.

"Richard! rich, wake up!"

The sudden voice gave Richard a jolt throughout his body. He stood up with drops of sweat covering his face, but settled down a few seconds when he recognized the person who woke him up. Skizzy crazy, he thought. Of course, who was he kidding? He has been a crazy person too, after all, those nightmares had bugged him to death since his mother's death.

Richard squinted, seeing Skizzy walked back and forth, mentally talking to herself probably, around the room until she went out. Still on the not-so comfortable bed, he stretched out his arms and heaved out a short sigh. When he finished making the bed, he held his Stephen King book with a smile. With the still smile across his face, he waved his hand as a way of greeting to the glass window that revealed a yellow-orange fireball that hid beneath those thick clouds.

As he reached for the doorknob, a man in white coat opened in advance the door and greeted him.

"Good morning, Richard."

Richard didn't move a finger, though his eyes gazed up at the tall wrinkled man in front of him. He has been seeing that doctorr for the best three years, yet he never had felt comfortable around him. His dark eyes and puffy eyes looked like he has not eaten for days and his body almost looked as if a heavy weight had been on his shoulder since birth.

"Why are you still holding that book?"

Richard looked down at the book that was clipped between his body and arm, and shrugged as an answer. He never liked communicating verbally, thinking it would be just a waste of him time and energy.

"You never get tired of Stephen King, huh?" Without letting Richard answer, his index finger pointed his bare feet against the tiled floor.

"Where are your shoes?" The man raised his eyebrow and gave out a short chuckle, just enough for his morning entertainment and for Richard to be not so obviously embarrassed.

Richard shrugged again, with his face down and shaggy bangs covering his chinky eyes.

"Breakfast?" The man asked, with his eyes anticipating for a funny reaction.

Richard angled up and smiled innocently like a child near an ice cream stand.

Ali

Ali woke feeling horrible. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot, she felt grungy as ever as her back screamed in protest as she got up. No one who talks to her in the morning should expect any less than a black eye and likewise no one did talk to her.
"How are you?" The docter said to her.
Ali gave him a cold stare then slowly standing up she reached out to punch him. Several nurses rushed to restrain her but not before she gave him a bleeding nose, the scarlet blood covered her fist.
The others looked at her strangely as if they hated her guts. "What are you looking at?" She snarled at them. So be it she thought as she stalked away to the T.V room.

Lauryn

I stand in the medicine queue, dutifully waiting my turn. My head aches, filled with the voice's loathing hissing at me as I look down at my bloated, engorged body.
Just look Lauryn, see that - right there? You can see the extra weight, can't you? Remember that when the Doctors come round, look, they're all here Lauryn.

This whole room is Unsafe, filled with Doctors in league with Her*. They push me with their lies, trying to trick me into thinking I'm a skeleton so they can force me into becoming fatter and fatter.
Ah, but you know better, don't you Lauryn? You can see through their tricks, through their lies. Look at yourself Lauryn. Look at you, just calories piling higher and higher.

Yes, I know. I stand as far away from the Doctor as she hands me my pills in a paper cup, coated in a smooth, sugar-sweet layer - they tell us it's to make them easier to take. I know the real story though, can see right through the thinly veiled attempt to trick me into eating sugar. They might as well have just coated them in butter, thick creamy butter...butter spread liberally on crunchy, white toast, with sweet, sweet jam dolloped on top-
Shut up, Lauryn! Butter?! Bread?! Jam?! Why don't you just go and spoon fat right into your thighs! How can you even be so weak!

I'm ashamed of my weakness, for my momentary loss of control. My nails are cut short by the Doctors, but I do my best, shuddering at the indentations in my thick flesh as I scrape my fingernails down my arm, punishing myself. The Doctor handing out the medicine steps in and grabs my paper cup with one hand; pulls my hand away with the other.
She's standing too close as she holds the cup up to my mouth.

"Come on Lauryn, just take your medicine. I'll help you to get better...come on, take it"
I shake my head, pressing my lips together, but she's strong, and slips a finger inside the corner of my mouth, tips in the pills. I feel the sugar choking me as she firmly holds my jaw shut. Knowing she won't leave me alone until I do, I swallow, pushing against the retching threatening to push the pills right back out.

Satisfied, the Doctor lets go, smiling at me for having accomplished the task of shoving something down my throat.
As soon as she's gone I make for the table at the rear of the room, my throat convulsing as I quietly retch the pills back into my mouth, spitting them discreetly into my hand. I've gotten good at that, but I can't flush out the coating even now lodged in my stomach, making its way to my hips. I can practically feel it moving down.
You stupid girl Lauryn, you should have tried harder!

I sit down at an empty table.


*"Her" is Megan.

Wraith
I was sitting up in bed scribbling in my journal working on yet another poem when my door slammed open. "Wraith pills and breakfast." Nurse Joselyn said quietly. I stood up and slipped on my sweatshirt sticking my journal in my pocket. I walked past her and then she gently grabbed my arm. "Hun I slipped another chocolate bar in for you." She whispered slipping it in my hand. I glanced at the wrapper and saw it was Hershey's special dark chocolate my favorite. I looked at her and smiled gently at her in thanks. She nodded and then pointed towards the desk for my pills. I walked over and saw that Doctor Cupino who was one of the many idiots inside this hell hole was behind the desk. "Wraith we upped your dosage again on your Risperdone and Lexapro." He informed me in a bored tone. I just nodded and held my hand out for my pills. "What do you say?" He asked and I heard my fathers voice echo inside my head. 'What do you say little urchin?' He growled and I started to tremble shaking like a little leaf. "Hun hun it's ok he's not going to hurt you!" Nurse Joselyn said grabbing my shoulders and beneath her touch the shaking stopped and I looked up at her. "Promise?" I heard myself ask my voice small. "Upon my honor." She said firmly. I nodded and then stepped back away from her then took my pills. I made a small face at the bitter taste then I walked to the dining room. I grabbed my tray marked with my name and sat in my usual seat next to Lauryn. She gave me her usual cautious look then I smiled gently at her. "'Morning Lauryn." I said quietly. She then smiled at me I was one of the few people she considered safe because I never ever commented on her weight or anything that she hated someone commenting on and she never really expected me to talk and she would listen to my poems when I was ready to read them. I glanced at her arm and saw that there was a scratch on her arm and I just opened my milk carton and took a sip. I started to eat humming under my breath as I did so.

Lucy:

Someone new to the hospital sat at the table behind me, sitting in a spot that overlooked our table.

He's staring at you Lucy, not them, just you. The voice cooed.

"I don't know him." I whispered, a weak attempt at getting someone to stop me before I did something I would regret.

My uncut nails dug into my palms.

He's looking right at you! Do you see that look on his face Lucy? He's eating with a knife! Lucy he's gonna hurt you! He's going to stab you.

I felt myself begin to twitch a little bit. Lucy, you need to get rid of him before he gets rid of you.

My eyes flickered over to him and I hissed "No! He's not going to hurt me!"

With that, I whipped out of my chair and leapt at the guy, digging my nails into my nails into his flesh.

He screamed, trying to push me off, tears forming in his eyes as the scarlet blood dripped down hid arms and my fingers.

[Breakout time! And that poor new nurse...]

Skizzy

"Oh no, the scars are nothing. I don't even know-"

"No, he's not going to hurt me!" I whipped around from my conversation with the people at my table, facing towards the outburst just in time to see Lucy leaping on a new kid that just arrived today. With wide eyes, I watched as she clawed and tore at his face, that poor kid. Who the hell let him in the same room as Lucy? They know how she is around new comers!

"Lucy, no," I yelled, throwing myself at her. I wrapped my arms around her waist and tried to pry her off the boy. She clawed back at me but I held her hands to her side, taking the painful kicks she was delivering to my legs as best I could. She howled and screamed at me.

"I won't let you hurt me!"

"Lucy, no! No one is going to hurt you!" You're hurting her... Just like you hurt- "Shut up! Dammit, just shut up!" I could see them smiling, their twisted deformed faces. Their hollow black eyes sparkled and the pasty grey skin around their slit of a mouth stretched as they smiled. Oh, Alexander... Lucy kicked and screamed, drowing them out. I need her screaming, but, no. I can't be selfish. "Lucy, darling, please calm down. He's not out to hurt you." Where the hell are the guards? I glanced around as Lucy slowly calmed down, the flashing red lights in the corner showed me that an alarm was going off and, as Lucy cries died down, I could clearly hear the sirens. How could I not hear them before.

With Lucy still being held down by me, I turned back to the table. Everyone was standing and looking scared.

"What's going on, Skizz?" I turned to Hannah and shrugged.

"Don't know." That was a lie, I knew perfectly well, but I couldn't be sure yet. This has only happened once before, but I can't know for certain until.

"All patients please report back to your rooms immediately. This is not an option! Oh my god.

"Someone's breaking out," I yelled at them, my face lighting up. Last time this happened I was ten and I wanted to leave with them but the guards held me back. At least five people escaped that day. I wanted to go so badly... So badly. Then what are you waiting for? Run! "Come on," I yelled. They all stared at me wordlessly. "I said come on!"

"Stop yelling at Hannah," Kate yelled. I glared at her and grabbed Oliva and Realyn, dropping a now calm Lucy and holding them in my arms, making a break for the nearest exit.

"We can get out! The guards are distracted with the other person trying to excape and there are none in here. We can be free so move your ass!" I bolted for the door, not waiting for them. They'll follow soon enough. It's almost too easy.

"Hey, you kids, stop!" I turned around and was almost trampled by the rest of the table barreling past me. Realyn pulled on my hair, yelling in my ear to go. Oliva was beating on my chest, demanding for me to put her down. All the noise. And the alarm sounds so much like police sirens. They're gonna send you to a safe place, Alex. Isn't that what your parents told you. A safe place. Away from everyone else where you couldn't hurt anymore. You still remember the look on their faces when you were killing your sister, don't you. The horror...

"...no." Yes. You do. Suddenly, two figures appeared in front of me. Mom and dad. They looked so real. I swear, so real. I reached out a hand to touch them, ignoring the screams of protest from the two kids I carried. "Mom..."

"Alexander, why? Why?" I flinched and stumbled back.

"Mom, no, it was a mistake."

"Skizzy!" I could hear Realyn crying and Oliva screaming. The rest were already outside and yelling at me to come on. The guards were getting closer. Skizzy, right. I'm Skizzy. Not Alexander, not the one who killed-

"Go! Skizzy, please!" I turned and ran, away from the image of my crying mother and father. I ran out Hospital-9-23 and into the crisp and cool night air.

Olivia:

The guards were so close, and were getting closer and closer as Skizzy talked to someone not there.

Raelyn began crying. The guards were almost here.

Beating on Skizzy's chest, I yelled "Skizzy, go, go! They're coming! They're gonna get us!"

Everyone else had gotten out and were yelling at Skizzy to get out. Finally, he listened.

"Don't just stand here!" Lucy yelled "We need to get away!"

We all began running again.

Lucy:

Winding, twisting, turning corner's. We had no idea where we were or where we were going. We only knew that we had to get away.

Skizzy looked as if he was about to pass out from running with the two toddlers. I would've taken one of them, but my hands were covered in the scarlet liquid, now starting to dry on my fingers and under my nails

"I think we're good guys. They're not following us."

That's when I realized - there were so many people around me! Brushing my arm, looking at me, staring at me. I don't know any of them.

Lucy the voice said warningly Protect yourself! Do you see that woman over there? She's staring right at you! You never know what's in that purse of hers...

Again, I began to twitch, trying to fight of the urge to attack every single person around me.

"I don't know them." I said quietly.

Millions of voices began to go off in my head, all speaking at once, telling me thousands of different things.

My hands flew up to my head and I wound my fingers in my hair tightly and I screamed, a warning "I don't know anyone here! Get me out of here! Get me out, they're all gonna hurt me!"

All of their eyes went to me, looking at me as if I were crazy, looking at me with daggers in their eyes.

"They're gonna kill me! They want me dead!"

My head whipped around, trying to make sure no one was sneaking up on me.

My hands reached out, flailing around, looking for something to hold onto, something to keep me safe from them.

"I don't want to die! I don't want to die, I don't wanna die! Please don't kill me! Help me, please!" I said, tears pouring down my face.

Ali

There was a state of confusion outside the T.V room. Whats going on? She ran past the startled nurses only to be held back by a passing doctor.
"Go back to your room Ali!" He said sternly but as soon as his grip loosened she sprung free running towards the exit.
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
The thought bounced around in her head as she raced for the door. The message repeating itself over the intercom.
"All patients return to your rooms" Over and over.
Her brown hair flying she reached the door and without a second thought she reached out and grasped an object running out the door past the nurses and doctors.
With relief and frustration she approached the others that were huddled together just around the corner of the hospital.
"Guys?" She asked in a small voice overwhelmed by the confusion. "EXCUSE ME?" She almost screamed at them.
They just turned and glanced at her, fuming she stomped over to the over side of the road and punched the wall, making her knuckles bleed.

Lauryn

I jump in my seat at the sudden screams of Lucy. She's clawing at the new kid, blood running down her fingers as deep gouges appear in his flesh. There's too much noise, too much disturbance, and another body's joining the fray - Skizzy.
Chairs skitter over the floor as he pulls her off the kid, who's frantically trying to scramble away, holding a hand to the bloody scratches. I thank Skizzy a thousand times over as he quiets Lucy. The silence is blissful - for a few seconds.

A wailing siren starts up, the eerie noise cutting into my skull.
"All patients please report back to your rooms immediately. This is not an option!"
Wait! I know what that means - It's a breakout! I remember it happening once before, just a day or two after I'd been admitted. I hadn't realized what it was then, or I'd have joined the few people who managed to escape. But now it's been repeated! It's my chance to escape! To be free of the liars and the endless conspiracies and Doctors. Only as I flinch at the sound of my chair falling do I realize I've jumped to my feet.

Skizzy's yelling something but I don't even notice the noise as I make my way to the door, twisting a right, then a left as I run for the main doors. I make it out, but just as the excitement starts to fill me I notice people, faster people, coming up behind me. I panic, forcing my weak muscles harder and harder, my lungs blazing. By some miracle the people run straight past me - then I see they're other inmates. I follow as best I can, but I can barely see through the pounding in my head as my body protests. There's obviously too much fat on me; I can't run anymore, but it's ok, the others are stopping, we're free!

I start to speak, to ask someone if we've really done it, but my abused body's taking its revenge and I can't gasp in enough air. For once I don't want to die; but it feels I have no choice as my heart explodes inside me and I sink to the ground.

(She's far, far too weak for physical exertion and has passed out. She'll be fine, her body's just trying to cope from the resources that have been used up.)

Lucy:

My screams of terror and unwanting to die cut off when I saw Lauryn drop to the ground, her frail body in a heap.

I looked at the people around us, all with wide eyes from my screams and Lauryn's hollow body crumpled on the floor.

Lucy, they're- "Shut up!" I growled, cutting off the voices.

I gathered up Lauryn's small, light weight body. I was shocked about how easily I was able to carry her - she felt like the same weight as maybe one or two bricks.

"We need to find somewhere safe." I said, looking at all the strangers that were pretending to mind their own business.

Olivia:

I wrapped my hands around one of Skizzy's fingers.

"Where are we gonna go?" I asked, my eyes on the very tiny and very boney body of Lauryn.

"Why is she sleeping?" I asked curiously.

Skizzy

I looked down at Realyn and tried to smile but I couldn't. What are we gonna do? Yeah, what are you going to do? You're a nineteen year old boy, no money, no home, no family. No anything! How are you going to survive in the big city? They'll find you soon enough and they'll take you back. You'll be on lockdown with the others. They might even send you to jail! Just can't stay away from that place, can you, Alexander?

"She's just tired," I forced out, trying to ignore the voices. This was no time for a breakdown.

"Then we should lay her down."

"Well, first we need to find a place to stay, so let's just walk for a minute. We need to be out of the streets by nightfall, they'll be searching." I turned to everybody and made sure they all heard what I said. They all agreed and we started walking.

The city was huge, big, bustling with action under the barely rising sun. We couldn't be on the streets for too long. I watched as everyone observed the area with wide eyes, it's been too long since we've seen outside out of the gates of H-9-23. The air has never smelt so good, never. It's amazing. Lucy was looking scared and I knew she must have been trying really hard. Lauryn's body drew small glances from the people we passed but, other than that, no one questioned it.

We'd been walking a good thirty minutes before we wandered into a rattier part of the city, a place with few houses spaced further between each other and no one wandering the streets at all. Every now and then a car would stroll by, going too slow, probably lost.

"Skizzy, I'm tired," Realyn whined. She'd been saying that for the last ten minutes. I smiled down at her and lifted her into my arms, she put her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes, mumbling something and fiddling with my hair.

"I know, but we won't be walking long." I walked up to a house that seemed vacant and called Richard up to help me. "Hey, can you get in to see if anyone's there? If not, this is where we'll stay." Rich nodded and worked on opening the door, surprisingly, it was unlocked. He entered the house to scoop around and I turned back towards the group.

"We'll stay here if it's empty, okay. We'll need to find some way to get money and food. I don't know how, we'll probably have to steal it, but I swear I'll find a way, okay." They nodded and Realyn pinched me for no reason, I glared at her before pinching her back, she laughed. "It's going to be hard, with no money or anything-"

"Hey, Skizz," Ali said. I looked over to her and smiled weakly.

"What?" She rubbed the back of her neck and raised up her left hand, which was behind her back, bringing into view a large purse.

"I kinda-"

"You swiped someone's purse?"

"Yeah. We were walking and I didn't even notice I-" I ran up to her and nearly tackled her to the ground. Realyn squealed and clutched onto me tighter so she wouldn't fall.

"That's great! They'll be money in there." She laughed and handed the bag over.

"The house is clear," Richard called. I looked over to him and nodded before turning back to the others.

"We have a house, guys." We'll be safe. Yeah, for now.

Realyn

The house was empty and cold. I could feel myself shivering inside my own body. For once I was quiet and still. My hyperactivity was the reason Mommy and Daddy got rid of me. They sent me to Hospital-9-23 because of my of my big mouth and obscure personality. However, my energy had cooled off only when my nerve had. I was scared. Scared and now cold. The rooms were dark and hissed bewilderingly. Taking Olivia's hands, I could feel the comfort of her fingers inter winding with mine and the warmth of her bloodstream reverting into my system. Olivia was my best friend, my sister, and secret sharer. We sat together at lunch, fell asleep on the sugar bag after we devoured so much are energy jinxed us, and gave pills to the nurses instead of it being the other way around.

Swarms of chills moved up my naked legs and beneath my frilly pink dress as my bare feet smashed into splintered wood and broken glass, cutting the delicates of my skin. I now wish I had put on shoes this morning as nurse had required me to do. "Skizzy, my feet hurt," I winced, feeling the tears motioning towards my eyeballs. Sighing, Skizzy lifted me into his arms as I wrapped mine around his neck. Olivia then became jelouse of my ride and whinned for one from Skizzy as well. Without hesitation he scooped my friend up on his other hip as he led the others into a even darker room. Skizzy began mumbling to himself and I think that's why his Mommy and Daddy sent him away, but I didn't mind. I liked Skizzy he was nice and funny and never hesitated to caring for Olivia or me. Skizzy was the parent I always wished I still had.

When he set me back on my feet, I could feel the softness of the carpet beneath my skins. However, the room was still dark and cold. I could feel my heart beating fast, hardly unable to see any visible faced my friends. The windows were bare and wood along the walls were pulled out of place, giving me the idea that there must be something here strong and angry. "Skizzy, where are we?" I asked, my tone still baby-like and vaulnerble.

"We're in a hud-home. There's no one here."

"You promise?"

"I promise, now go to sleep."

Still frightened, I climbed into the arms of Lucy where Olivia had already found comfort. I didn't expect sleep to come, but as soon as I closed my eyes all went away.