Chapter 10
Day 100
I awoke to the feeling of pudding under my back. I was sure it was pudding instantly from the slight cold and the consistency. I rolled my eyes and hopped into the shower. Bob had made it his mission in life to wake me up at strange times of day and in strange ways. The best so far was when he managed to get a rooster inside and have it crow at four thirty AM. He’d done pudding a few times, so I knew what it felt like by now.
Once I’d washed the pudding off and washed my hair again, because I was really sick of leaving a trail of paint flakes behind me, I headed to the sunrise relaxation place. I was awake in time, so I was going. I participated and then headed to breakfast.
Mary Anne plopped down next to me holding Melody. We hadn’t really stayed very close, but I knew she was progressing well through her treatments. She was becoming too much of a ray of sunshine for me and I couldn’t handle it with all my insanity.
“Guess what?” She said beaming.
I raised my eyebrows, “A magical flying pony came down from heaven and told you that you were its niece?” She looked at me like I’d lost it. “Never mind. What happened?”
“I’ve been cleared,” She said. “I’ve been here for almost three years, and I am finally cleared to go home. I’ll be on an ankle monitor and I still have to come by for therapy a few times a week, but I can go home.”
“Really?” I asked astounded. I wasn’t expecting that at all. It felt like everyone was going home except for me, although I wasn’t really sure I wanted to all that much anymore. After all, being home wasn’t all that nice anymore.
She nodded, “I was supposed to be here for at least five years, but I’ve been doing really well and haven’t had any problems now in over a month. I’m so excited. I haven’t seen my mother in a year, and she agreed to let me go home. I’ll be back with her and my big brother.”
“That’s great,” I said feigning a smile, “I’m really excited for you.”
“You know you could be out by now?” She said. “You just need to let this place do what it does best, heal. You should be way further than you are.”
“I’m not crazy Mary Anne,” I said quietly. “There’s some weird stuff going on here. I’m going to prove it.”
She frowned sadly, “I wish you would just listen. Will you make my dress for the party? You make such beautiful things.”
“Of course,” I said happily. “Jenny and I will get to work on it ASAP.”
She frowned again, “Yeah. Thanks.”
I headed back into my room and grabbed a sketch pad to start designing her dress. I also was leafing through the fabrics I had available, since I wouldn’t really have time to buy anything new. I drew up the dress and went to show Marry Anne. It was gold and semi tight fitting to a few inches above her knees. It had one shoulder strap and was a pale shimmery gold that Jenny loved.
“Syd, you are so fabulous!” She said beaming. “This is perfect.”
“Yeah, and this color will bring out the gold flecks in your eyes,” I added.
She laughed, “You do think of everything. Could you also make something pretty for Melody?” I nodded and sat down pulled out a pencil. I drew up a cute purple dress for the little girl. Mary Anne smiled and nodded and I measured them both before going to cut the fabrics.
After leaving Jenny to finish up the dresses I headed off to go to a special drama improvisation class we were having. I wasn’t really a fan, but it wasn’t optional. I was going with Christy, Lyn, and Sarah.
“Don’t go.” I heard Bob yelling after me. “Stop or you’ll regret it.”
“Bob, give it a rest,” I said rolling my eyes.
I heard him make a frustrated noise, “Sydney, don’t get in that elevator!”
“I swear you are trying to make me crazy,” I turned around. “I have to go now. Leave me alone so I can do what I need to do.”
“No, you don’t get it,” He said.
I huffed and turned around. Suddenly the elevator stopped and opened the doors. I rolled my eyes, got in, and hit the close door button. They did so and the elevator started moving before suddenly jolting to a stop.
“Is this some kind of sick joke?” I yelled out.
He did warn you. It’s time you learned to listen to your betters you insolent, stupid, little girl.
“Well I think it’s time you learned some manners. You’re supposed to introduce yourself. You’re supposed to have better things to do than act like a creep!”
I am the darkness. I am omnipresent. You’ll never be free.
“Great,” I groaned rolling my eyes. I touched the emergency call button and a voice came through the speakers.
“Who is this?”
“Sydney,” I groaned.
“Alright kid, we are working on getting the elevator fixed. It broke down and we were working on putting up signs. It seems like something is blocking it and we can’t tell what. Just stay put.”
“Where am I gonna go? I’m stuck!”
“I know. Are you alright?”
“I’m a little annoyed and I’m alone in an elevator.”
“The repair men are driving out now.”
Suddenly the lights flickered, “Is there any particular reason the power would flicker?”
“No, actually I don’t know why that happened. Just sit down and try not to move too much.” I took a step towards the wall and the elevator creaked loudly. I swallowed and went to sit down. I sat down and the power died in the elevator.
“This is fan-freaking-tastic!” I yelled to no one.
That stupid prankster warned you. You should have listened.
“You know as far as imaginary voices go, you kinda suck. I always hoped that if I went insane and had a voice it would be cool. Like Max’s voice, but no. I get stuck with a creepy voice that takes pleasure in making my life suck.”
I always hoped I’d be the voice for someone less annoying and that they’d listen to me and be frightened. Looks like we’re both going to be disappointed.
“What? You’re a voice. You’re not supposed to have hopes and dreams. That’s just weird.”
I’m weird says the girl who hears voices no one else can hear. You’re obviously a great judge of weirdness.
“You know, you don’t sound the same as the other voice. He’s just creepy and his voice is lower. You’re way more annoying and higher pitched.”
Why does everyone always assume I’m the same voice! We are clearly different. Honestly, we are not the same voice in any way! Stupid humans always assuming they just get the one voice. No one ever realizes I’m better and different.
“How am I supposed to differentiate? Are you Voice Two and its Voice One? Like Dr. Seuss?” I questioned.
“I am,” The voice roared.
I rolled my eyes, “You are Voice Two.”
You dull impudent horror.
I smiled in the darkness, “Why thank you Voice Two.” I could imagine the eye roll. “So Voice One is a creep and you’re like a know it all?”
To put it simplistically, yes. Of course I’m much more. I’m-
“You’re right,” I said cutting it off. “You’re also insufferable and have a voice that grates on my nerves.”
You know maybe I should just let you sit here alone.
“Please and thank you,” I said. I sat in the empty silence and decided to try and memorize the elevator. I stood up and there was a very loud creaking that I chose to ignore. I began to walk around touching the walls. They had the elevator rail around my waist height. Below it was a carpet and above it was wallpaper. The carpet was rough and the loops were tiny. The wall paper had ridges in it between what I knew were gold and blue stripes. The rail was hollow and metal; it felt like ice to my touch. After feeling the first wall I heard an immensely loud noise and sat down breathing deeply.
You’re going to die.
“That’s so comforting Two,” I said rolling my eyes.
It’s a fact. You ca
n feel it. This isn’t right. Those noises are a bad sign.
“No I don’t,” I said. “This is fine.”
You don’t believe that at all. You know I’m right. It’s why you’re so afraid. You should start hoping they bury you somewhere nice.
I shook my head, “You’re wrong. I’m gonna be fine.”
I’m not, and you won’t. You’ll die in here. Thought I’d let you know. I’ll leave you alone to deal with your imminent death.
I shook my head, “This is crazy. I’m going to be fine. They’re working on fixing the elevator right now.” The loudest noise yet made me think twice. I’d once read that the best thing to do if you were in an elevator that was falling was to lie down close to a wall and cover your head. I slowly moved into that position.
I heard bitter groan followed by a snapping sound. I felt the sinking feeling in my stomach that accompanied riding in a roller coaster where your entire body is barely being held in and your going down and the grim realization that if this didn’t work I could very well die in an elevator at a mental hospital struck me. I began to scream and the sound echoed around me. Suddenly I felt a horrible jolting pain go through my body like I’d been hit by a truck. The whole elevator shook and I felt a chunk of the roof landing on lower leg and foot. I heard the sound of metal scraping against metal and then light filtered in. I turned my head and saw a fire rescue man standing there with a crow bar.
“Don’t move,” He said.
I groaned, “I can’t move.”
“Don’t worry sweetheart,” His partner said. “We’ll get you out of there.”
“I’m not dead?” I asked.
He nodded, “Not dead.”
“Told you so,” I said weakly.
You aren’t alright either. We were both wrong.
He and his partner came and lifted the chunk of roof off my leg and loaded me onto a stretcher.
“Her leg looks broken. Someone needs to check it out.”
Miss Susan shook her head, “I am not dealing with that. Take her to a hospital. She needs real hospital doctors not me. I’m a clinic doctor. I’m a glorified nurse.”
“Alright,” He said. He turned to me. “We’re gonna take you to the hospital. They are gonna x-ray your leg and make sure your okay. Do you understand?”
“I have a broken leg, not a broken brain,” I groaned. “Can we get going?”
The partner chuckled, “Of course. Let’s move out.” They wheeled me into an ambulance and I started to think.
My day wasn’t going well and all I could think was 100 days is 100 days too many when it came to this challenge. I’d broken my nose, and quite likely my leg. I’d had numerous black eyes. At this rate I’d be dead by the end of the year. I felt myself slip into unconsciousness before we’d arrived at the hospital.