A Journal Never Lies, chapter 16

She pushed herself on her bed and streched. After rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she looked around. She didn't know where she was. She had no idea how she got her. She didn't know who was here with her. She began to panic. She began getting scared. She felt her palms begin to sweat; her heart beat quickening up. She called for help, but it seemed like all it did was echo through the pearl white walls.

She jumped up out of her bed and ran towards the door. Before she could open the door, a man in a long white jacket with black pants came through the door. He grabbed her shoulders and began screaming at her. She put her hands on her ears, hoping to block out the noise. Her mind was trying to tell her to calm down, but her body didn't want to listen. She saw the man yell something toward the door. A few momnets later, a woman walked in. She reached her hand in one of her oragne pockets, showing a needle.

The woman moved closer and closer to her with the sharp object. She felt her hands shaking. Her breaths became faster with every inhale she took. The woman grabbed her arm and thrusted the needle into her skin. A clear liquid drained into her arm, leading into the rest on her body. Suddenly, her eyes became heavy on her, forcing her to close them. She fell into a deep sleep.


"What happened doctor?" Frank asked, worried. He turned his head toward the window, staring at his little sister sleeping. She had wires and machines hooked up to her. He watched the heart monitor. He watched the line moving up and down. He hoped everything was okay with her.

Doctor Allen placed his clipboard on the window ledge, "Well, I went into Alex's room, to check up on her, and she was standing up. She looked scared. Her hands were shaking, and her pulse was abnormal. I'm afraid that her issues may be more serious than we thought."

Frank felt his heart sink. His sister may need more help than they thought. Her issue may be more serious. If he could switch lives with her, he would; anyday. "A-are you sure D-doctor?"

The doctor nodded his head, "I'm as sure as I can get. I'm afraid that she'll also have to stay here longer than we expected."

"Like for a day or two extra?"

"More like a month or two extra." Doctor Allen placed his glasses inside his pocket closest to his chest. "Alex has something terribly wrong with her. Something happened while she was gone for those two years; something far more that a drug abuse. Yes, that may have contributed to it, but I think something may happened that messed her up severly."

"Maybe she was also abusing alcohol as well?" Frank suggested.

"Possibly. But we're going to run Alex through some tests. We're also going to let her talk to a shrink; we could maybe get some answers if we have her talk to someone. But we will have to put her under strict supervision."

Frank shook Doctor Allen's hand, "Thank you. Thank you so much for trying to help my sister."

"Well, that's what us doctors do." The doctor smiled and headed into her room. Frank stayed in his place, staring at his sister. The doctor seemed to be taking her pulse, and writing down some information. Frank felt a hand on his shoulder, causing him to jump. He turned around and saw Mike.

"Oh. Hey Mike."

Mike gave a weak smile, "Hey. How is she?" Frank explained everything the doctor had told him. Inbetween each word, Frank felt tears building up in his eyes. He never thought he'd have to have his own sister go through this.

Mike ran his hand through his blonde hair, "Shit man. I remember the last time this happened."

Frank nodded his head, remembering when his Aunt Joyce went through the same thing. Joyce was a drug addict. She did any type she could find from when she got up, to right before she went to bed. She was who got Frank's mom into her new ways. Joyce always tried to get Frank into it, but he never fell into her trap of smoke and misery.

One day, using all those drugs got to her. She went insane. It killed so many brain cells, it made her forget almost everything. She was in her early-twenties, and she looked like she was in her late-thirties. She went to the hospital one day, and they did all they did to help her. As it was hurting Joyce, it ws also killing Frank to see this all. Before Joyce became involved in drugs, her and Frank were so close. They always did stuff together. When he was twelve, he wanted his tounge pierce. Joyce helped him get it pierced. She even took Frank to his first concert. He loved his Aunt Joyce; he still does.

The hospital thought she was doing better, so they allowed her to come home with Frank and his family for a weekend. Frank was so excited. When she came though, it was a distaster. When Frank went to hug her, she pushed him away screaming "Who the fuck is that?!" It hurt him to hear his own aunt say that. Later that night, Frank hadn't seen Joyce for a few hours. His parents didn't care because they were drunk. He couldn't believe they were drunk when they had a woman in their home who could have died from a drug abuse. He thought they should have been looking after her. He looked upstairs, but couldn't find her. The last room upstairs, was the bathroom. Light was gleaming from the bottom of the door. Frank tapped on the door, callnig his aunt's name. No one answered.

When Frank opened the door, he saw his aunt. She was on the floor. She had open pill bottles surrounding her. The colors or each different pill were scattered ramdomly around her. Frank fell to the floor, tears streaming down his face. He checked his aunt's pulse. There was none. His own aunt dead. She overdosed. Frank was in shock. He really thought she was getting better. But all she really did, was put on an act so she could get out, get closer to abusing drugs once again. Frank couldn't believe she was dead. He kept saying "Come on Aunt Joyce, wake up. Come on." He laughed nervosly, "This is just a joke. Wake up Aunt Joyce. Wake up."

Frank didn't know who he was kidding. She was dead. He couldn't change that. Nobody could. His sister never really met her, because she died right before she was born. Frank never got to tell her about Joyce. He wished he did. He thought that maybe, just maybe, that might have stopped her from ever using drugs.

Mike embraced Frank in a hug. Frank didn't resist; he hugged back too. "Come on," Mike said," It's been a stressful morning. Why don't we go down to the cafeteria and get some coffee."

Frank laughed, "Even in stressful times, Mike, you still need your coffee."

"Hey, I can't live without my coffee."

The two of them walked down towards the cafeteria. When they got there, Mike ordered his coffee; Frank ordered nothing. At a time like this, Frank couldn't eat or drink anything.

Mike took a sip of his coffee. He got up quickly and ran toward the water fountain. Mike took a long drink or cold water. When he came back and sat down, he sighed. "My god that coffee was hot."

"Well you did just get it, Mike."

"Yeah, anyway. How did this whole Alex thing get so serious? I mean, she seemed fine yesterday."

Frank shrugged, "I really have no idea. All the doctor told me was that she spazzed this morning and now she needs to be under," Frank made 'quotes' with his fingers," 'strict supervision.'"

"I hate doctors. Well man, I gotta get to my job. Those clams won't shuck themselves."

"Alright Mike. I'm gonna stay here, watch after Alex so these people don't do anything fucked up with her."

Mike laughed, "See ya man."

Frank headed back to his sister's room. He didn't care if he wasn't talking to her. He just liked her being in his presence. He sat there, for hours, just watching her. He watched nurses and doctors come in and out of the room, but Frank didn't move a muscle. He watched her breath, watched her sleep. He could sit there for more and more hours to come. All he wanted, though, was for her to be okay.