A Gentle Touch [UNDER REVISION]

Death Of A Lie

Haley felt dizzy and scatterbrained. She wobbled slightly where she sat in her bed - a bed. She wasn't really sure where she was. Looking around, she saw walls, doors, and windows, but none of the details would reach her focus. It was as if she wasn't allowed to see them; as if they weren't even there to see. She closed her eyes, squeezed them as tightly as she could, and opened them again, but nothing changed.

She tried to figure out what was going on - what was happening - what had happened. The last thing she remembered...

It was a terrifying truth when Haley realized she couldn't remember anything - not how she got there or what she was doing before she got there. But she knew she was supposed to be hurt, and as she gazed down at her hands and arms, she confusedly found that they were unscathed, and they looked small and young. That didn't feel right.

"Oh, finally, you are awake!" A voice gasped in relief, growing louder to signify that, whoever it was, he or she was moving closer. What the person said didn't sound right to Haley either. She couldn't recall ever waking up - had she ever fallen asleep? She couldn't be sure.

"I was starting to worry." The stranger continued - it sounded like a woman this time, as if Haley was only allowed to notice her gender then, and something told Haley that she knew her. Again, she couldn't be sure. "Are you feeling better?"

Haley's body moved on its own. Stiffly, her head turned towards the person and nodded faintly - a lie, Haley knew somehow. Haley, however, felt her chest and throat tighten in horror immediately. She tried backing away, but her body wouldn't let her. Haley knew, deep down, that she conversed with this person in the past, but just like her surroundings, her mind seemed to keep this truth from her. The woman's face was empty and flat - just a blank shade of skin. Haley felt sick to her stomach at the sight. Though she was still lost in an unknown, she knew faces aren't meant to look like that - they have eyes, a nose, a mouth, and, most of the time, eyebrows as well. And each of those faces attracts someone - a face isn't meant to terrify young children. She was a young child, right? Haley was grateful when her head turned back again, only a couple of seconds later. She didn't want to look into that face again - if it could be called a face.

Despite not having a mouth, the woman continued, "Oh good. Then you should be out of here soon."

Haley's body actually physically jerked as she was shoved back into the right mind. Those words - that empty promise - it was what finally unveiled the reality. She's heard the phrase enough times to recognize it. And so, whatever cloud was enveloping her mind was immediately cleared, while her surroundings kept their undetailed appearance; in fact, the odd world around her helped to realize what was happening.

She was reliving a time in her childhood - one of the times when she was stuck in the hospital. She didn't know which time specifically - there were too many - but she knew it had to be when she was a bit older. Because, it was by that time that she didn't pay enough attention to what was happening around her, or to the people helping her. She had been through the drill too many times. Thus, it was no surprise that her brain couldn't produce most of the details. But somehow, knowing where she was, Haley felt even worse. She never wanted to be back there - ever.

"I got you something." The nurse carried on and Haley felt something heavy rest on her leg.

It was almost blinding to look at the thick book. Unlike everything else, the book's color was bright, its lines were defined, and the detail in the photo on the front was overwhelming. Reaching for it, both in the past and the present, she trail her hand over the cover. "War of the Nerves," by Jonathan B. Tucker.

"I know it's a bit different than the books you usually read, but it's really good." The woman explained, "You can read it at home and tell me what you thought about it when you get back." Though it would sound cruel to most people to hear someone expecting her to get sick again instead of getting better, Haley knew this was her reality. Haley was grateful that the lady made light of it, because it made it lighter on her heart - so why did she feel queasy?