I suddenly felt hypersensitive to the light, turning away from the lights at the bar.
“That’s normal.” She laughed, and I snickered with her.
Suddenly, I felt really great, like everything was right and perfect in the world. If that was what Marley wanted for her life, I would accept that. I gave her a hug, and she shook me off.
“She’s feeling it,” she said to the bartender, who passed me more water. “Drink up. You’re going to need it.”
The music seemed louder than before, and I ached to move to the tune. I tapped my fingers on the bar counter.
“We should dance.” I pulled Marley by the arm and led her out onto the dance floor.
The lights made me feel like I was in a different realm of existence. It was like I was floating and flying. We swayed and twirled and laughed, and suddenly, I looked around, and we were surrounded by monsters. They wore white masks, their faces twisted into manic expressions like sinister caricatures. I hated caricatures and never agreed to have mine done, ever. I started to shout, an arm tried to still me, but she had the same scary face.
“I need the bathroom,” I said to the creature, and she led me away from the crowd. We hopped on clouds, and finally the sign for the ladies’ room swirled in front of me. Entering the bathroom felt like being transported to Olympus. There were gold and pearl basins and mirrors everywhere. The tiny monster led me to the toilet, and I locked myself in. Then, dropping to the floor, I emptied the contents of my stomach in the toilet. I didn’t care whose ass sat on that seat before me. It had to all come out.
Once finished, I washed my hands, and strange forms continued to float around me. But I couldn’t see the tiny creature anywhere and decided to make my way back to wherever it was we’d come from. Rounding a corner, I noticed some stairs. Taking wobbly steps, I reached the landing. A long corridor lined with doors greeted me. So, moving on unsteady feet, I opened the first door and saw a girl kneeling in front of several creatures. One stood next to her, holding her head back. It was strange. She was the only one who had a face in this room. She looked about as old as Gracie.
“Gracie,” I called for her, and the girl looked up at me, her eyes full of fear. I then realized she was naked, save for a red ribbon wrapped around her hair. She wasn’t Gracie. Another caricature, a taller one, gripped me by the arm, this one was strong, and I laughed and laughed, telling him to release me. His touch tickled.
“Gracie,” I called. And suddenly, I felt like I was floating. The strange creature lifted me into the air.
“Alyssa, can you hear me?” I could hear his voice. It soothed me, comforted me, and made me tired.
I couldn’t stay awake, but I knew there was someone I should tell.
Instead, I closed my eyes and let the darkness take me.
ChapterFifteen
Luke
The information I received meant nothing to me, but maybe if I told Alyssa what I’d found out, it would trigger some kind of response from her. I walked into my office bright and early and decided I would see the head of staff, Matron Dean, today and get permission to take Alyssa outside to the garden with a guard. Maybe that would help her to trust me.
The matron was cautious and reluctant at first, but because my patient had not gotten herself into any trouble lately, she agreed to let me have my therapy session in the courtyard, at my own risk, and with a guard close by at all times. I didn’t know how I felt about that, but as they say, beggars can’t be choosers.
I walked to Alyssa’s room, and she instantly stood. If I didn’t know better, she looked slightly pleased to see me. However, I wasn’t sure how long it would last when I told her what I had to say.
“Alyssa, Matron Dean has agreed we can have our session outside today.” Her eyes widened, and she smiled a small smile which someone else might have missed. “We can go now,” I said, motioning for her to step out before me.
Even in a place like this, I didn’t believe chivalry was dead. A flush crept up Alyssa’s neck when she realized that. I didn’t let her walk a few feet behind me. I led her by the small of her back and ignored the glares the patients and even some staff gave us. These were human beings in here, and I would treat them as such.
“Thank you,” she whispered when we were seated outside. Her face was turned up to the sun, and she appeared to be trying to soak it in.
“It’s nothing really,” I said, pulling out my notebook. “How are you feeling, Alyssa?”
She shrugged. There were times when she would talk about basic things, but when I asked her something like that, she always chose silence, and no matter how many times she did it, it still frustrated me. There was no reason why she shouldn’t speak, especially since I knew she could.
“I met someone from your past the other day…”I started, unsure how to find the words.
She looked at me intently, waiting for me to elaborate.
“Malcolm’s mother.”
She frowned and got up, briskly making her way to the door.
“What happened? Why do you run away from me all the time? Did he hurt you?Tell me,” I shouted.
The guard tried to ignore us and looked the other way. She stopped, then turned around and made her way back to me.
