The next morning Ashley awoke, completely exhausted. Not only had she not gotten much sleep, but she also had nightmares that woke her up constantly.
A nurse came in a few minutes later.
"Rise and…" she trailed off. Partly because Ashley was already awake, but mostly because one look at this child told the nurse that it would be awhile before she would shine again.
"Yeah," Ashley said, acknowledging the nurse's greeting.
The nurse was startled. Usually the people looked, well, depressed, but this girl looked like the world had just squashed her flat. She had an expression of complete sorrow in her eyes, her face looked miserable, her eyes had dark circles under them, the makeup she had been wearing streaked down her face from crying, and her body was hunched over itself. It looked like the girl had passed through the seven layers of hell to get here.
"Um, well," the nurse hesitated a bit. She had a memorized speech to give, but her motherly instincts took hold. She sat down on the bed where the girl was and hugged her. Ashley started crying almost immediately. "This is what I needed all night," Ashley thought, "Someone to hug me." The nurse broke the embrace.
"I'm Nurse Molly. They didn't tell me your name though."
"Ashley," she said.
"Well, I'm going to lead you down to Doctor Steve's office in a minute. He works with adolescents, and is really nice. I think you'll like it better there than here. He'll assess you, and decide your placement," she said, and stood up. "Come one dear."
Ashley stood up, and slowly followed Nurse Molly. She was quite sure she wouldn't like anyone. All she wanted right now was to curl up in a corner and die, with no one to notice.
"Here you go," Nurse Molly said, stopping at a big wooden door. He's right in there. When you're finished, I'll be back to take you to your room.
Ashley knew she should thank her, but she couldn't bring herself to do much of anything. She glanced at the Nurse and attempted a smile, which probably came out looking more like a grimace. Turning the doorknob, she pushed open the door and headed in.
A nurse came in a few minutes later.
"Rise and…" she trailed off. Partly because Ashley was already awake, but mostly because one look at this child told the nurse that it would be awhile before she would shine again.
"Yeah," Ashley said, acknowledging the nurse's greeting.
The nurse was startled. Usually the people looked, well, depressed, but this girl looked like the world had just squashed her flat. She had an expression of complete sorrow in her eyes, her face looked miserable, her eyes had dark circles under them, the makeup she had been wearing streaked down her face from crying, and her body was hunched over itself. It looked like the girl had passed through the seven layers of hell to get here.
"Um, well," the nurse hesitated a bit. She had a memorized speech to give, but her motherly instincts took hold. She sat down on the bed where the girl was and hugged her. Ashley started crying almost immediately. "This is what I needed all night," Ashley thought, "Someone to hug me." The nurse broke the embrace.
"I'm Nurse Molly. They didn't tell me your name though."
"Ashley," she said.
"Well, I'm going to lead you down to Doctor Steve's office in a minute. He works with adolescents, and is really nice. I think you'll like it better there than here. He'll assess you, and decide your placement," she said, and stood up. "Come one dear."
Ashley stood up, and slowly followed Nurse Molly. She was quite sure she wouldn't like anyone. All she wanted right now was to curl up in a corner and die, with no one to notice.
"Here you go," Nurse Molly said, stopping at a big wooden door. He's right in there. When you're finished, I'll be back to take you to your room.
Ashley knew she should thank her, but she couldn't bring herself to do much of anything. She glanced at the Nurse and attempted a smile, which probably came out looking more like a grimace. Turning the doorknob, she pushed open the door and headed in.