The Plague

Chapter Twelve Missing

After I got home, I couldn't get out of bed. My anxiety got so bad I couldn't get out of bed. I felt like a part of me was missing, and could never be found again. Mum says she's waiting until I get better to enroll me in school, and the only time I get out of bed is for my psychology appointments with Mrs. Hannon. She's nice, but I don't like being asked questions about how I feel or deal with things, it's too complicated. The psychologist at the hospital was bad enough. Recently, I've refused to get up to go there even. Cole comes in my room often, but I can't even take to him. I spend my whole day in bed, sleeping, reading, or crying. Even doing the littlest things takes all my strength, for instance getting dressed and taking a shower. If this is my rock bottom, I've hit it. I also have sudden bursts of anger to myself, and I pretty much lose it. Cole, dad, and Logan have to hold me down so I can't hurt myself, or them. I've heard mum and daddy arguing about sending me to the School. The School pretty much forces you to get back into a normal lifestyle within it. Kids who go in are depressed, bisexual, gay, or have any mental illnesses are sent there, and come back out perfect. They are totally normal, but good at everything. They get straight A's, are good looking (make overweight people workout, teach girls makeup, etc.) know and practice healthy habits (eating right, exercising, etc.), and act perfectly, including how to sense and handle emotions. Some people never come out, others it takes years, and the average time spent there is one year. I don't want to go, I don't want to be perfect. Yes, I want to get better, but not be what everyone wants me to be. I want to be my own person, not some barbie doll that knows how to do everything. Mum says it'll pass, dad is eager to send me there. I pondered all this, while absentmindedly read my book, 'The Great Gasby'.
"She will get better, John. Her mother and father died, and now her sister. Depression is expected," mum pleaded quietly.
"How long? How long will that take honey? Even if she did recover, she'll never be the same little girl we met a few months ago. She needs to be sent to the School for her own good. You know that's true sweetheart," I heard dad plead.
"I know... I... I'm not sure. I want her to thrive but," she said, but dad cut her off, "It's the right thing to do."
Silence, then I knew mum had been silently crying.
"Okay," she cried, and I knew my fate had been sealed. I wondered if they would actually do it, and when. At least my room is in between theirs and Cole's, I can hear everything through the walls.
"I'll go call them. Tell her that we're taking her there, and to be prepared," dad said, and I heard him go into his office, where the phone is.
A moment later, mum came in, her eyes still a little red.
"Hey sweetheart," she said, and I put my book down.
"Me and daddy are going to take you to the School, a place that can make you feel better," she said, guilt weighing heavily in her voice.
"Go away!" I yelled, curled in a fetal position in my bed.
"Honey, please? It's for your own good," she pleaded, rubbing my back. Without thinking, I got up and sprinted out of the house. I need to get away from all this bull and be free again. I ran into some woods, and stayed there. I'm not sure how far I ran, but I couldn't see our neighborhood. I looked around, panting. It's a pretty forest, huge, tall, dark trees with neon green leaves. I walked around a bit after catching my breath, and I found a creek with a rocky trail on the other side. Even though I knew I was the water wasn't purified, I drank some water and crossed the small creek, almost slipping. Good job, Mary. I heard footsteps ahead of me, so I crouched down and got very quiet. It looked like a boy, maybe fifteen or sixteen. Who is he?