Madness

Chaper One: Violet

My breathing was steady in the autumn air. It was a warm day, a cool wind brushing across my skin.

My footsteps made a nice crunch in the loose pavement underneath me.

Then I wondered where I was. My steps falter until I stop on the side of the road I was on.

There were two boys running ahead of me, pushing and shoving each other until they disappeared around a corner, their laughs echoing.

I look around. My back is heavy laden with a pack filled with books. I look down at my body. It was slight, quite tan and wearing a tight shirt with a windbreaker over it. But it wasn't mine.
I wasn't quite sure what mine was, but this wasn't it. What was going on?

I continue down the road, a quiet neighborhood with nice houses.

I knew where my home was. As if on instinct, I turn into a driveway that grew into a house that I seemed to live in. I knew I lived here, but it felt unnatural to walk into a house I had never seen before and call it my own.

But it seemed alright, so I walk up the wooden steps, and fight the urge to knock, just opening the door and going in. It may not feel right to me, but it felt right to this body. Whatever that meant.

It was probably one of the smaller, shabbier houses on the block, but it was cozy.

After I walked in, the doorframe opened up to the living space, where on an ivory couch embroidered with rose and gold accents, sat a plump woman in sweats reading a thick book.

She smiled when she saw me. "Hey. How was school?" She asks.
"Fine," I say, surprising myself with an unfamiliar voice that just wasn't mine. I sounded calm. She nodded and went back to her reading. She was this body's mother. Just another thing I seemed to know.

I shakily went in the direction I knew led to my room. My steps felt strange, clumsy.

My room was moderately sized, a large bed adorned with a pretty blue quilt. There was a window to the side of that, silky curtains billowing around the frame.

I think I was starting to panic. There was an adjoining bathroom, so after dumping my stuff, I slowly walk in front of the mirror above the sink.

What I find shocks me. The girl staring back at me wasn't me. The face staring back at me had sleek caramel hair, deep brown eyes and sharp cheekbones.

I must be dreaming. What other explanation could it be? I didn't know what I looked like per se, but deep down I knew that this person wasn't me at heart.

You stole my body, said a voice in my head. Yes, a voice in my head. So now I was going insane. Great.

Yeah, my voice, it said again. I noticed it sounded weak. I could barely think of a response before a skull cracking pain pierced through my head, causing my body to fall to the ground.

I had already passed out before I felt the impact.

Later, I couldn't remember all the details of what I saw. But it was just about me, the real me, in some place full of white, white walls, people in white coats, and white sun.

I was laying on a hospital bed, white face, all color drained out, looking pathetic on a white sheet.

I actually couldn't get a good look at my true face, it was blurry, the memory a bit too soft around the edges to get a good grip on it.

Too soon, I snapped back into whatever messed up reality I was stuck in, panting on the floor, blood running from my nose.

After a bit, I stand, dab at my nose with a paper towel, and stand awkwardly, not sure what to do with myself.

Give me back my body, the voice said.
Gladly, I think back bitterly.

Just as the thought formed, I felt a curious tugging sensation. I felt myself get lost in my own head, before I was totally gone.
~~~

My eyes open. It was cold now, icy wind stinging my cells. I could see sleek black hair whipping around me, my hair whipping around me.

The location was different. I was outside, my cheeks red and the street lights pouring its glow upon me.

What was happening?