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July 1898. Everfield's Home. New Mexico
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Nine year old, Page Everfield looked up from her dolls towards her open bedroom door. She sighed; Mark had been watching her again. She kept her deep green eyes on the door until he walked through the hall and down the stairs. She wished she knew her brother better, but he refused to talk to her, he didn't even look at her unless he thought she wasn't paying attention. She walked downstairs to the kitchen and began to wash an apple. Her father, Greg, stumbled into the kitchen. 'Great, he's drunk,' Page thought bitterly, 'again.'
"Hullo Syd," Greg said, his speech slurred, "What choo up ta?"
"Eating an apple, dad," Page said, forcing a smile, "And its not Syd, its Page. My name is Page, remember?"
"'Course I 'member Syd," Now run 'long now."
Page sighed and left the kitchen. 'Who is this Sydney person anyway?' she thought to herself, 'what a life I've got. My dad thinks my name is Sydney. My mom won't leave her room, and my brother wont talk, or even look at me! What is wrong with everyone?' Tears started streaming down Page's face as she climbed the stairs and entered her bedroom.
Mark stood at the end of the hall, watching Page walk to her room, her green eyes filled with tears. She reminded him of Sydney so much. Page looked exactly like her with the exception of her deep green eyes. He shuddered remembering Sydney's piercing stare the last time they talked. He walked to her door and stood there for a moment, debating on whether or not to knock. 'She deserves to know,' he thought, 'someone needs to tell her. It is my responsibility to fill her in, just like it was with Sydney. But what if it turns out like Sydney? Can I really take another sister disowning me? I have to take the chance.'
Page sat on her bed, hugging a teddy bear she had. To her surprise someone had knocked on her door. No one had ever talked to her before, with the exception of her drunken father. 'Not that he ever talked to me,' she thought sadly, 'he's always talking to Sydney.'
Mark waited for a response and when he didn't receive one he decided to open the door and walk in anyway. Page sat on her bed hugging a stuffed animal, Sydney's favorite teddy bear. His eyes watered at the thought of Sydney but he held back tears and continued to cross the room towards Page's bed. 'Be a man,' he thought to himself, 'your 18, be a man.'
Page just stared at Mark in confusion. Whenever she entered a room he would leave, and now he had voluntarily entered a room she was occupying. Mark sat next to Page on her bed stared at the wall, never looking at Page. He began the speech he had rehearsed so many times before.
"I don't think I need to ask if you want to know why things are the way the are here. You see, before you were born I had a little sister."
"Sydney?" Page asked quietly.
"Yea, Sydney," Mark continued, "Well everything was really good, except Sydney had a friend, that well umm. Mom didn't really like."
"Christi," Page said quietly. Mark looked at her puzzled, not knowing how Page knew about Christi. "Sometimes I hear mom talking in her sleep. She curses Christi and blames her for everything," Page said lightly.
"Umm. yea."
"Who is Christi?"
Mark thought a moment, Sydney was right; it was hard to explain Christi to people. "Well, like I said before, she was Sydney's friend. Well, more of an imaginary friend. Christi was a voice in Sydney's head." He stole a glance at Page to see what her reaction was, but she just looked at the floor frowning. "Well mom thought that Sydney was crazy so she sent Syd away to some hospital in the east." Mark's eyes started to water. "She thought I told mom about Christi and wouldn't even talk to me when she left. I never even got to say goodbye," he trailed off, a single tear streaming down his cheek.
'No! Be a man, damn it!' he thought again, quickly wiping the tear away, 'Don't cry, you need to be a man!'
"That still doesn't explain why everything is the way it is," Page said angrily, "You just told me who Sydney is, not why Dad is a drunk who thinks I'm her, not why Mom won't leave her room, and not why you wouldn't even talk to me until now! I mean you still can't even look at me!"
Mark looked guiltily at Page. 'How could she be so strong? How could she put up with all this,' he thought in disbelief.
"The night Mom and Dad decided to send her to the hospital, Dad left to go get drunk, he just never stopped. Mom won't leave her room because she knows she's to blame for Sydney being gone. As for why I couldn't look at you and why Dad thinks you're Sydney. well you look exactly like her, except for your eyes, Syd had intense blue eyes. They always showed her emotions, no matter how hard she tried to hide them."
The two sat in silence both deep in thought. "Why doesn't she come back?" Page asked.
"Mom won't admit she's done anything wrong, Dad's too drunk, and no one will tell me the hospital because they don't want me to see her," Mark said miserably.
Page smiled, and Mark looked at her, perplexed. "Well, I guess it's up to me to find out where she is so we can go visit her," she said, like it was so simple.
"What?"
Page rolled her eyes at her brother. "The hospital would have to send letters to Mom and Dad, reporting how Syd was doing. All we have to do is find them," her smile broadened, "I bet they're in the attic."
"How do you know?" Mark asked, not knowing how Page had any idea.
"Does anyone ever go up there?" Page asked exasperated.
"No."
"Of course not! They would never expect us to go up there! Get a clue Mark!"
"Okay, we'll look tonight after Mom and Dad go to sleep," Mark said trying to sound confident.
"Yea, ok Mark."
Mark left the room and Page picked her teddy bear back up. Mark was a real nice guy, a little slow, but nice. 'I'm glad he's talking to me now,' Page thought happily, 'Maybe things will change around here.'
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June 1898. St. Mary's Mental Hospital. Virginia
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"So, Sydney Everfield, what do you think about Ms. Peel?" the councilor asked from across her large oak desk.
"She was nice, I guess. I don't understand Ms.?"
"Mrs. Montano."
"Right. As I was saying, I don't understand why I have switched from Ms. Peel, to you. Don't get me wrong, ma'am, but it just seems unnecessary," Sydney said politely.
'I don't know why you're talking to her Syd. This is a waste of time, there's nothing wrong with you now tell her to fuck off,' Christi said bitterly.
"Well," Mrs. Montano said, "Ms. Peel is a councilor for our more serious patients, and the staff has agreed that your case isn't as bad as your mother said."
Sydney smiled, "Funny you should mention my mother. Now I never told Ms. Peel this, but I feel that you are more trustworthy than her."
"I thought we weren't going to trust anyone anymore. Remember what happened with Mark?' Christi said as Sydney continued.
"Well my mother, was an alcoholic, and, and she hated me!" Sydney exclaimed in a fit of fake sobs, "She didn't know what to do with me, so she said I was crazy and sent me here!"
Mrs. Montano looked at Sydney skeptically, then down at Sydney's files. "I see," she started, "But it says here, that you proceeded to talk to an imaginary person."
"Mrs. Montano," Sydney interrupted, who had stopped crying, deciding to take another approach "I admit that when I came here I did talk to an 'imaginary person'. May I clarify that when I came her I was merely 5 years old, and most 5 year olds have imaginary friends, am I right?"
"Umm. Yes."
"So either I am a normal, healthy person, or every 5 year old child is crazy. And I would also like to say that just like every other person in the country with an imaginary friend, I have outgrown mine."
Mrs. Montano looked at Sydney, trying to tell if she was lying, but quickly gave up and wrote something down. "I believe you and I will see that you get released as soon as possible. These ten years you have spent here were a waste. You are clearly a healthy young girl. You may go."
Sydney smiled and rose from her seat but hesitated for a moment before speaking again, "Mrs. Montano? Would it be okay, if instead of going home, I could go somewhere else. Maybe an orphanage where I could maybe, find parents that really love me?"
Mrs. Montano smiled; Sydney was a good girl caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. "Yes Sydney."
"Thanks," Sydney said smiling, as she left the office to her room.
'My goodness Syd! You're a genius,' said Christi, 'we should start giving you more credit.'
'Yea, that would be nice,' thought Sydney, 'I can't believe I convinced the ugly brute that you were simply a imaginary friend.'
'So why the orphanage, Syd?' Christi asked bewildered.
"You'll see," Sydney said smiling.
"I'll see what?" a boy sitting in the visitor center, obviously nervous to be there.
"I wasn't talking to you."
The boy looked around the deserted room, and shrugged. 'I am in a mental hospital after all,' the thought as Sydney walked away.
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A/N: I hope this makes sense to you guys! When I read it I know what's going on, but then it's me, so for all I know, this story might not make any sense to the outside world. Please review! I want to hear (read) if you like it, hate it, or anything else you may want to tell me. Any hopes, dreams, aspirations? Well push that little button down there, and do your thing! Thanks!
July 1898. Everfield's Home. New Mexico
-----------------------------------
Nine year old, Page Everfield looked up from her dolls towards her open bedroom door. She sighed; Mark had been watching her again. She kept her deep green eyes on the door until he walked through the hall and down the stairs. She wished she knew her brother better, but he refused to talk to her, he didn't even look at her unless he thought she wasn't paying attention. She walked downstairs to the kitchen and began to wash an apple. Her father, Greg, stumbled into the kitchen. 'Great, he's drunk,' Page thought bitterly, 'again.'
"Hullo Syd," Greg said, his speech slurred, "What choo up ta?"
"Eating an apple, dad," Page said, forcing a smile, "And its not Syd, its Page. My name is Page, remember?"
"'Course I 'member Syd," Now run 'long now."
Page sighed and left the kitchen. 'Who is this Sydney person anyway?' she thought to herself, 'what a life I've got. My dad thinks my name is Sydney. My mom won't leave her room, and my brother wont talk, or even look at me! What is wrong with everyone?' Tears started streaming down Page's face as she climbed the stairs and entered her bedroom.
Mark stood at the end of the hall, watching Page walk to her room, her green eyes filled with tears. She reminded him of Sydney so much. Page looked exactly like her with the exception of her deep green eyes. He shuddered remembering Sydney's piercing stare the last time they talked. He walked to her door and stood there for a moment, debating on whether or not to knock. 'She deserves to know,' he thought, 'someone needs to tell her. It is my responsibility to fill her in, just like it was with Sydney. But what if it turns out like Sydney? Can I really take another sister disowning me? I have to take the chance.'
Page sat on her bed, hugging a teddy bear she had. To her surprise someone had knocked on her door. No one had ever talked to her before, with the exception of her drunken father. 'Not that he ever talked to me,' she thought sadly, 'he's always talking to Sydney.'
Mark waited for a response and when he didn't receive one he decided to open the door and walk in anyway. Page sat on her bed hugging a stuffed animal, Sydney's favorite teddy bear. His eyes watered at the thought of Sydney but he held back tears and continued to cross the room towards Page's bed. 'Be a man,' he thought to himself, 'your 18, be a man.'
Page just stared at Mark in confusion. Whenever she entered a room he would leave, and now he had voluntarily entered a room she was occupying. Mark sat next to Page on her bed stared at the wall, never looking at Page. He began the speech he had rehearsed so many times before.
"I don't think I need to ask if you want to know why things are the way the are here. You see, before you were born I had a little sister."
"Sydney?" Page asked quietly.
"Yea, Sydney," Mark continued, "Well everything was really good, except Sydney had a friend, that well umm. Mom didn't really like."
"Christi," Page said quietly. Mark looked at her puzzled, not knowing how Page knew about Christi. "Sometimes I hear mom talking in her sleep. She curses Christi and blames her for everything," Page said lightly.
"Umm. yea."
"Who is Christi?"
Mark thought a moment, Sydney was right; it was hard to explain Christi to people. "Well, like I said before, she was Sydney's friend. Well, more of an imaginary friend. Christi was a voice in Sydney's head." He stole a glance at Page to see what her reaction was, but she just looked at the floor frowning. "Well mom thought that Sydney was crazy so she sent Syd away to some hospital in the east." Mark's eyes started to water. "She thought I told mom about Christi and wouldn't even talk to me when she left. I never even got to say goodbye," he trailed off, a single tear streaming down his cheek.
'No! Be a man, damn it!' he thought again, quickly wiping the tear away, 'Don't cry, you need to be a man!'
"That still doesn't explain why everything is the way it is," Page said angrily, "You just told me who Sydney is, not why Dad is a drunk who thinks I'm her, not why Mom won't leave her room, and not why you wouldn't even talk to me until now! I mean you still can't even look at me!"
Mark looked guiltily at Page. 'How could she be so strong? How could she put up with all this,' he thought in disbelief.
"The night Mom and Dad decided to send her to the hospital, Dad left to go get drunk, he just never stopped. Mom won't leave her room because she knows she's to blame for Sydney being gone. As for why I couldn't look at you and why Dad thinks you're Sydney. well you look exactly like her, except for your eyes, Syd had intense blue eyes. They always showed her emotions, no matter how hard she tried to hide them."
The two sat in silence both deep in thought. "Why doesn't she come back?" Page asked.
"Mom won't admit she's done anything wrong, Dad's too drunk, and no one will tell me the hospital because they don't want me to see her," Mark said miserably.
Page smiled, and Mark looked at her, perplexed. "Well, I guess it's up to me to find out where she is so we can go visit her," she said, like it was so simple.
"What?"
Page rolled her eyes at her brother. "The hospital would have to send letters to Mom and Dad, reporting how Syd was doing. All we have to do is find them," her smile broadened, "I bet they're in the attic."
"How do you know?" Mark asked, not knowing how Page had any idea.
"Does anyone ever go up there?" Page asked exasperated.
"No."
"Of course not! They would never expect us to go up there! Get a clue Mark!"
"Okay, we'll look tonight after Mom and Dad go to sleep," Mark said trying to sound confident.
"Yea, ok Mark."
Mark left the room and Page picked her teddy bear back up. Mark was a real nice guy, a little slow, but nice. 'I'm glad he's talking to me now,' Page thought happily, 'Maybe things will change around here.'
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June 1898. St. Mary's Mental Hospital. Virginia
-----------------------------------
"So, Sydney Everfield, what do you think about Ms. Peel?" the councilor asked from across her large oak desk.
"She was nice, I guess. I don't understand Ms.?"
"Mrs. Montano."
"Right. As I was saying, I don't understand why I have switched from Ms. Peel, to you. Don't get me wrong, ma'am, but it just seems unnecessary," Sydney said politely.
'I don't know why you're talking to her Syd. This is a waste of time, there's nothing wrong with you now tell her to fuck off,' Christi said bitterly.
"Well," Mrs. Montano said, "Ms. Peel is a councilor for our more serious patients, and the staff has agreed that your case isn't as bad as your mother said."
Sydney smiled, "Funny you should mention my mother. Now I never told Ms. Peel this, but I feel that you are more trustworthy than her."
"I thought we weren't going to trust anyone anymore. Remember what happened with Mark?' Christi said as Sydney continued.
"Well my mother, was an alcoholic, and, and she hated me!" Sydney exclaimed in a fit of fake sobs, "She didn't know what to do with me, so she said I was crazy and sent me here!"
Mrs. Montano looked at Sydney skeptically, then down at Sydney's files. "I see," she started, "But it says here, that you proceeded to talk to an imaginary person."
"Mrs. Montano," Sydney interrupted, who had stopped crying, deciding to take another approach "I admit that when I came here I did talk to an 'imaginary person'. May I clarify that when I came her I was merely 5 years old, and most 5 year olds have imaginary friends, am I right?"
"Umm. Yes."
"So either I am a normal, healthy person, or every 5 year old child is crazy. And I would also like to say that just like every other person in the country with an imaginary friend, I have outgrown mine."
Mrs. Montano looked at Sydney, trying to tell if she was lying, but quickly gave up and wrote something down. "I believe you and I will see that you get released as soon as possible. These ten years you have spent here were a waste. You are clearly a healthy young girl. You may go."
Sydney smiled and rose from her seat but hesitated for a moment before speaking again, "Mrs. Montano? Would it be okay, if instead of going home, I could go somewhere else. Maybe an orphanage where I could maybe, find parents that really love me?"
Mrs. Montano smiled; Sydney was a good girl caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. "Yes Sydney."
"Thanks," Sydney said smiling, as she left the office to her room.
'My goodness Syd! You're a genius,' said Christi, 'we should start giving you more credit.'
'Yea, that would be nice,' thought Sydney, 'I can't believe I convinced the ugly brute that you were simply a imaginary friend.'
'So why the orphanage, Syd?' Christi asked bewildered.
"You'll see," Sydney said smiling.
"I'll see what?" a boy sitting in the visitor center, obviously nervous to be there.
"I wasn't talking to you."
The boy looked around the deserted room, and shrugged. 'I am in a mental hospital after all,' the thought as Sydney walked away.
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A/N: I hope this makes sense to you guys! When I read it I know what's going on, but then it's me, so for all I know, this story might not make any sense to the outside world. Please review! I want to hear (read) if you like it, hate it, or anything else you may want to tell me. Any hopes, dreams, aspirations? Well push that little button down there, and do your thing! Thanks!