Josie's Journey

There's a Joke Here Somewhere

Holly, one of the weekend group therapy leaders, stood outside the door of the group therapy room. The patients stopped outside the room, confused about why they weren't having group inside the group room.

"We're doing something special today," Holly announced cheerfully. "We're having a carefully supervised therapy session outside today, and then we're going to gather craft supplies for those of you having art therapy later this week. Jane, Alexander, Elliot - I'm sorry but you three will need to stay here, you haven't been cleared for off-unit activity. The rest of you follow me, we'll wait for the other staff and then we can go."

Josie followed the other patients through a series of doors and hallways until they reached one leading outside. She sighed happily as she breathed in the crisp fall air, watching wispy clouds trail across the beautiful blue sky.

They'd exited onto a patio with irregular stone tiles. The part they were on was covered, but there were occasional skylights - probably plastic, in case someone decided to throw a rock through - including one over the sitting area to their right. Three stone benches were arranged in an open-sided square, and there were tree stumps and carved logs pulled over as extra seating.

"Now everyone, come to the circle over here on the patio," Holly instructed the group. They all obediently followed. Josie sat on one of the stumps on the very end - she was still a bit too anxious to really mingle yet.

— — —

"So, remember everyone, even when you're in the winter of your life, spring and summer will come again." Holly concluded. She'd led the therapy session by explaining how the seasons changed just like your life does, and how we cycle through good and bad, and asking people about the "summers and winters" of their lives. "Now, you will have an hour to spend some time outside. You must stay within eyesight of at least one staff member. I have paper bags for you to put whatever you collect inside - leaves, pine cones, sticks, anything else you want as long as it's not living. Oh, and be sure to watch your step!"

Josie looked around at the field, wondering where to go first. A few of the other buildings that were part of the hospital also connected to the yard, but obviously they couldn't go inside. A tall fence kept them corralled inside, an impressive fifteen-foot-tall wall of wood and metal with barbed wire along the top. It ran across the gently sloping meadow and into the very edge of the woods at the far end, then turned back along the opposite side of a small valley with a creek flowing through it, eventually closing at the side of another building.

Where should I go first? she thought. Her alters, of course, had suggestions: to the woods! go down to the creek! jump the fence! Josie sighed, then walked across the meadow headed nowhere in particular.

Josie wasn't really paying attention to where she was walking - apparently, neither was Saige. The girls collided. Saige giggled a bit. "Oh my gosh, Josie! I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention. Some of my alters are, well... they're being very talkative in headspace"

"It's fine, I wasn't paying attention either." Josie giggled, and fell into place beside her friend.

"How are you feeling? Y'know, with the tube and all," Saige asked.

"It's kind of sore still," Josie admitted. "And I'm really mad at Carter for pulling the old one. But I'll be okay."

"Yeah, it gets better in a few days," she replied. "I have EDNOS, and it got really bad when I was 15 or 16. I lost so much weight that I was hospitalised and had to have a tube... it fucking sucked. So yeah, I feel your pain." She laughed, but with an undertone of resentment.