Chapter 1(-Claudia-)
I hop into the El Camino and dart the car out of the deserted area. I knew the ride to Univille was quick, but that didn't stop the thoughts from running through my head.
As I'm driving, I look into the rear-view mirror and I see ARTIE running out into the dry terrain. That stung. ARTIE WAS RUNNING! The tears sprang into my eyes, but I kept driving. Once I was out of the dirt and onto the highway, I pull over and bawl my eyes out.
"YOU'RE SUCH A SCREW-UP, CLAUDIA! YOU TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, DEMENTED FREAK! YOU KILL EVERYONE AND YOU MESS EVERYTHING UP!" I scream as I bang my fists on the steering wheel. I grip it as my body goes rigid and the sobs come out in screams. I sit like this crying and screaming until someone knocks on my window. I wipe my cheeks and sniff in as I unrole my window.
"Hello?" I ask, squinting in the sunlight. The person shifts on their feet and it blocks the sun. I get a good look. It's the grouchy sheriff.
"Miss Donovan? What are you doin' out here? Are you... Is the great and badass IRS agent crying?" he says as he folds his arms.
"You didn't see me. I'm leaving. If any of the IRS workers ask where I went, YOU NEVER SAW ME!" I yell as I turn the car on and zoom off, leaving him the dust and dirt. I drive forward and never look back.
X.X.X.
Univille was fast. It was short and quick. Perfect. As soon as I was out and onto the interstate, I headed towards SDU to use their recourses to find the closest psych center. Yes, I said it! I'm checking myself into a psych center! It wasn't a long drive or check-in.
"Hello. Please fill out these forms and I'll have a doctor see to you when they're available." a kind woman with salt and pepper hair says. I take the forms on the clipboard out of her hand and sit criss-cross in a chair. I filled it out quickly:
Full Name: Claudia Glenn Donovan Age:20 (Why are they asking such useless questions?)
Have you ever had suicidal thoughts?: YES! Have you attempted it?: Sadly, yes.
If yes, how many times?: 3 How?: Drugs all 3 times
Have you ever self harmed?: Yes How did you harm yourself?: I cut my wrist and thighs
I skipped a bunch after that, with the occasional check of yes or no, because they were pointless and irrelevant. Then a cluster of questions caught my eye:
If you're feeling depressed, why?: Why? WHY? Thats why I'm here. I cant understand it myself
What has caused this depression?: My work partner, Steve, was murdered. Some jerkwods who hated us attacked where I worked and killed my partner. He was my best friend and he just left.
Why should we admit you to our facility?: Because you don't want your 5 star reputation of a clean suicide streak.
I signed the bottom and stood up. I walked over and dropped the clipboard on the desk. I was heading back to my seat when I ran into someone. We both fell to the floor in a heap.
"Ouch," a girl moans. I sit up and look at who I ran into and nearly have a seizure.
"Oh my God! I took your arm off!" I shriek. Her arm was laying about three feet away from her. Her left arm. She just laughs and scoots back on her right arm and flops her legs around. But they weren't legs. They were stilts. Velocity stilts. And her arm wasn't and arm. It was a prostetic but it had a bunch of wires and screws and bolts and cords and...
"It's fine. Truly. They're all prostetic," she says. I get up and dust the dust off the back of my jeans. She struggles to get up.
"Uh... Need a hand?" she chuckles and waves her prostectic arm at me. "Sorry. Funny choice of words. Need help up?" She nods. She tucks her prostetic under her good arm and lifts up what she can so she doesn't drop her arm. I grab her arm with both hands and lift her up. She smiles and brushes her strawberry blonde away from her face. The first thing I noticed was a long, arrow-shaped scar running horizontally across her face. I felt heat rising up my face and dropped my head. My faded black streak fell into my eye.
"Hey, don't be embarrassed. Everyone stares at it. It's cool. I'm Alicia. And you are?" she sticks her hand in front of me. I shake it.
"I'm-"
"Claudia Donovan?" a nurse says. I stick my hand up. "Oh, Alicia! Again?" the nurse comes over and Alicia shrugs with an innoccently devious look on her face.
"Welll..." she says.
"Nancy, come hook Alicia's arm on again!" she calls and puts her arm on my shoulder. "Claudia? Claudia Donovan?"
" Yeah. Can you help me?" I ask quietly. The nurse smiles.
"Come along now, dear. I will help you." I follow her into the back past some doors. The last thing I hear is a gorgous laugh. I turn and Alicia is laughing as Nancy the Nurse clips some wires and cords on the prostetic to some coming out of a gaping hole on a stub where her left arm should be. With her head thrown back and the smile across her face, she looked breath-taking.