Release Me

11

"How are you coping?"

I gaze at Dr. Jeffery, clenching my hands, my nails digging into the soft flesh of my palm. "Summer was my friend," I whisper, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"Yes, I know. I've also noticed that you ran out of the cafeteria that morning, which wasn't smart on your behalf."

"Why?" He ignores me, placing the green capsule in front of me. I eye it wondering exactly what its purpose is. "What is the green capsule for?" I hear myself asking.

"You've already been told, it's part of the cure."

"But what exactly does it do?"

"Don't ask questions, Alice, now please take your pill."

"But don't I have the right to ask as the patient? You could be drugging me with poison for all I know." I take a deep breath. That was foolish Alice. I know. I know. I shouldn't have gone so far.

"We're giving you the cure, that's all you have to know." Just that. I release my breath.

Now one more question, "What is the cure?"

"Stop asking questions!" His eyes are dark and stormy, "And take your pill."

Okay fine, fine I'm done. Glowering at him, I take the pill and swallow it.

"Have you been sleeping?" I nod. "Good. Are you able to focus during your classes?" I nod again. "How about your heart, have you been getting any pain?"

"Sometimes." It's been worse at night.

He writes stuff down on his DSS. "Okay, Alice you're done for the day."

I sense him watching me leave the office with all my questions still unanswered. And the most important question of them all, why won't they give me any answers?

...

Summer appears, haunting me, just like she has been for the past three days. "You could have saved me."

"How was I supposed to know that you were going to die from a heart attack?"

Her lifeless eyes stare at me, turning my blood cold. I don't believe in ghosts, do I? "You could have stopped Drake from torturing me. You could have helped me be strong."

"I did," I cry, backing up until my back comes into contact with the door.

"Not enough."

"Leave me alone." Pivoting on my heels, I fling my door open and begin to run, crashing right into someone. Strong hands hold me up.

"Alice," Derek says, his dark eyes taking in my face, "Is everything alright?"

I begin to cry, all overwhelmed. "She won't leave me alone."

"Who's she?"

I do believe in ghosts. "Summer," I choke, burying my face in his shirt.

His body goes stiff, but I don't care, I don't move away. I need someone to cry on. "Just be strong and she'll go away."

"Stop telling me that!" I pull away upset and wipe at my tear-streaked face with my sleeve. "I'm not strong okay, so live with it."

He scoffs. "I can see that,"

I slap him so freakin hard across the face, a bright red hand mark appears. Score! I smile to myself, before walking off leaving him standing there dumbfounded.

I'm fuming and ready to kill someone with my bare hands.

1. Dr. Jeffery won't answer my questions but makes me answer all of his.