Prologue
I never actually feared living without people around me that I knew until I set my tear filled eyes on Martha Rian Mental Institution. "Please don't make me go," I whispered to my mother.
My mother, Sarah Opall, just stared at me. I know why she was taking me here. It's because I had tried to kill myself. A few times. And also because I tore up my entire room. But I know that I'm not crazy.
"I shouldn't be going here, mother." I whispered to her. She looked at me, not saying a word. I looked down a choked back a sob.
"Don't call me mother," she said coldly. "From here on in, I am not your mother. You shall either call me Mrs Opall or Sarah. Am I clear?" When I didn't say anything, she said louder and angrier, "Am I clear?"
I nodded. I had a nice life. Nice friends. Nice house. Nice family. We were even riding in a nice limousine. My mother, er, Sarah, was very rich and ever since she divorced my no good mooching father, and she seemed even more confident in herself.
Our driver, Darryl Marta, stopped at the old, tall, ugly looking building. "Here we are," he said with forced cheeriness. "Hope to see you soon Miss Opall," I smiled at Darryl. At least he was hoping for my return. Unlike Sarah. I knew that she wanted me out of the house. But who could blame her? I wasn't crazy, I just wanted people to love me for who I am.
Too bad it was so hard for Sarah. I did want to kill myself sometimes, though, but I wanted Sarah to spend some time with her daughter. After all, that was me, in case she hadn't noticed.
"Don't dawdle!" Sarah snapped at me. I ran behind her. I heard her mutter, "I hope I paid them enough money to take her in." I choked another sod and looked down. My mother, my own mother, didn't want me. I should have just gotten a shirt with the word 'Unwanted' on it. Sarah probably wouldn't have even noticed.
We both entered Martha Rian. Everyone looked at us as we walked in. No one knew that I wasn't crazy. All they saw was some crazy girl crying, and a mother who loved to take in pity.
I was given a room number and was told the names of my roommates. I had three of them. And this place was a boy-free institution as well. Sarah had mentioned that to me earlier. Not wanting to seem crazy for not being crazy, I played along with Sarah's gag.
Once they saw that there was nothing wrong with me, they couldn't keep me there. I was thinking of running away, but that would make me look even crazier than they thought I was. I groaned and looked down again. People talked in the distance about me, but I wasn't listening.
At least I'm not really crazy, I thought, so I have nothing major to worry about. But, little did I know, even though I wasn't crazy at the time, staying here would bring me to the edge of insanity. Whether I was crazy or not.
I never actually feared living without people around me that I knew until I set my tear filled eyes on Martha Rian Mental Institution. "Please don't make me go," I whispered to my mother.
My mother, Sarah Opall, just stared at me. I know why she was taking me here. It's because I had tried to kill myself. A few times. And also because I tore up my entire room. But I know that I'm not crazy.
"I shouldn't be going here, mother." I whispered to her. She looked at me, not saying a word. I looked down a choked back a sob.
"Don't call me mother," she said coldly. "From here on in, I am not your mother. You shall either call me Mrs Opall or Sarah. Am I clear?" When I didn't say anything, she said louder and angrier, "Am I clear?"
I nodded. I had a nice life. Nice friends. Nice house. Nice family. We were even riding in a nice limousine. My mother, er, Sarah, was very rich and ever since she divorced my no good mooching father, and she seemed even more confident in herself.
Our driver, Darryl Marta, stopped at the old, tall, ugly looking building. "Here we are," he said with forced cheeriness. "Hope to see you soon Miss Opall," I smiled at Darryl. At least he was hoping for my return. Unlike Sarah. I knew that she wanted me out of the house. But who could blame her? I wasn't crazy, I just wanted people to love me for who I am.
Too bad it was so hard for Sarah. I did want to kill myself sometimes, though, but I wanted Sarah to spend some time with her daughter. After all, that was me, in case she hadn't noticed.
"Don't dawdle!" Sarah snapped at me. I ran behind her. I heard her mutter, "I hope I paid them enough money to take her in." I choked another sod and looked down. My mother, my own mother, didn't want me. I should have just gotten a shirt with the word 'Unwanted' on it. Sarah probably wouldn't have even noticed.
We both entered Martha Rian. Everyone looked at us as we walked in. No one knew that I wasn't crazy. All they saw was some crazy girl crying, and a mother who loved to take in pity.
I was given a room number and was told the names of my roommates. I had three of them. And this place was a boy-free institution as well. Sarah had mentioned that to me earlier. Not wanting to seem crazy for not being crazy, I played along with Sarah's gag.
Once they saw that there was nothing wrong with me, they couldn't keep me there. I was thinking of running away, but that would make me look even crazier than they thought I was. I groaned and looked down again. People talked in the distance about me, but I wasn't listening.
At least I'm not really crazy, I thought, so I have nothing major to worry about. But, little did I know, even though I wasn't crazy at the time, staying here would bring me to the edge of insanity. Whether I was crazy or not.
