Life is Stranger

Broken

"Max! Wake up! Please my baby. Please wake up and talk to me. I love you Max. Come on Munchkin. Wake up for your mommy."

"I'll call for an ambulance."

"Ohgodohgod! What the hell have I done? Ryan, you were right. Why didn't I listen? Look what I've done to her. Look what I've done to our Munchkin. I never wanted this. Max, come on my little baby. Mommy's sorry. You can go back to her. I won't get in your way. I promise. I never thought this would happen. Max, can you hear me? It's okay if you want to go back to Chloe. I don't mind Princess. Please, don't do this. Don't do this to yourself, my tiny baby. I'm begging you."

"It's on the way."

"Ryan, why didn't I listen to you? You knew it would come to this. You told me time and again. I'm a terrible mother."

"Blaming yourself won't help her now. You can't change the past – what's done is done. You need to look forwards, not back."

"Why are you always so goddamn reasonable? Scream at me. Yell at me. Get angry with me. Beat me. Something. Anything. It's what I deserve for this. Just look at what I've done. All of this is on my head."

"What good will any of that do? You already know that you've made a massive mistake - a mistake you regret. That's all that's important – that you remember this. It was always going to come to a head this way."

"How can you even bear to look at me? I loathe myself. I'm a vile, horrid person. Why don't you hate me?"

"Because I don't. I hate what you've done, but I don't hate you. You genuinely thought you were doing what was best for her. You were just misguided. Your heart is in the right place – you just let your head get in the way. I forgive you."

"I'll never forgive myself."

"That's entirely up to you. Anyway, I should get some things ready before the medics arrive. You stay there with her."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"How did this happen?"

"She hasn't eaten in weeks. The only thing we could get her to eat or drink was ice lollies." said Vanessa, her eyes downcast.

"How many weeks exactly?"

"She's been like this for nearly a month."

"A month? You should have sought medical aid sooner. What was the reason for her poor diet?"

"We know we should have got help earlier. She refused any offers of medical help. And she also refused to eat or drink. She just lay in her bed, not talking, not even getting up to use the bathroom. It was bad, but we thought it would pass. We were so stupid."

"Does Maxine have a history of depression or psychological disorders? Any mental illness or similar?"

"No. Never. We...erm...we know why she's like this."

"You do? Excellent. What was the trigger event?"

"We recently moved here from our home town. She's been in a terrible state ever since we left there."

"This is far more than homesickness. There must be more to it than that. What are you not telling me?"

"Um. Her best friend is still back there – at home. The split was very...traumatic for Max. And Chloe too."

"Hmmm. Chloe is the best friend, I assume?"

"Yes, she is."

"How old is Chloe?"