Waking up had to be the scariest thing I did so far in my thirteen years of life. I had no clue what to expect when my olive eyes opened to the world around me.
Was my previous life all a dream? Was a happy home, a happy family waiting for me?
Was it all real? Would I just keep living my same life as I always have?
Or was Papa right? Have I really died?
No matter what, I would have to open them eventually, so I took a chance and let the world show me what my life had become in my sleep.
The room was white. Flowers were by my bed. A teddy bear was right next to me. Mama was in a chair next to my bed, crying, while Papa had his head hung and a hand on Mama's shoulder.
"What… Happened?" I managed to say, blinking away sleep.
"Maka!" my mother cried, hugging me.
I looked at my father who simply had a look of shock and happiness on his face.
"What happened?" I asked again as Mama released me.
"You took almost a whole bottle of Lunesta, Maka." Papa said, "But me and your mother found you and called for help just in time."
Mama was still crying, so she couldn't speak.
"So it wasn't a dream…" I said, staring down at my hands.
"What was-" my dad was caught off by a lady at the door.
"Oh, Maka Albarn, you're awake!"
She definitely wasn't a nurse or doctor since she was in regular clothing, so who was she?
"Who are you?" I asked, cautious.
"She's just here to ask you some questions, baby girl." Mama said, sniffling and wiping her eyes.
"Questions? No one tried killing me though!"
"Yes, Maka, we know." the lady said, smiling at me.
"Then, why?"
"I'm the children psychologist here at the Death City Hospital. I get called in in cases like yours, just to make sure the child is alright mentally."
"I'm just fine!"
"Yes, of course, Maka, now just let me ask some questions to make sure. Mrs. and Mr. Albarn, could you please give me time alone with your daughter?"
Mama and Papa nodded and left as I kept crying out for them to stay. I didn't want to be alone.
"Please calm down, Maka." the lady commanded softly, "I'll have to ask the nurses to strap you down if you keep this up and we both know that you too good of a girl to have to be restrained."
I stopped my pathetic attempt to get my parents back in here and just glared at her.
"Now, is there any specific reason you decided to take all those pills?"
I stayed silent.
"Maka, please, answer me. It won't help you at all."
"There was no reason."
"I can tell that you're lying. If you don't tell me, you can't get help."
I stayed silent briefly, mauling over my options, and then I decided to speak, "Mama and Papa were fighting again. Papa had gone off to Chupacabra's again and gotten drunk. I didn't like it and I couldn't stand it anymore. I thought if I went into a long, deep sleep, it would all just be a dream."
"I see. How long has this been going on for?"
"A few years now…"
The lady nodded, "Have you thought of doing this before?"
"No… Yes… Maybe…"
"Which is it, Maka?"
"Yes…" I said, looking away in shame.
The lady touched my hand and I looked at her. She was smiling at me.
"You don't have to be ashamed, Maka." she told me softly, "Lots of kids have the same thing happen."
"Really?"
She nodded, still smiling kindly.
Just then, I felt more assured that I wasn't alone. Lots of kids go through this. I wasn't the only one feeling this way…
The lady got up and said, "Thank you for telling me, Maka. I'm going to go talk to the doctor and then they will take you to the other hospital."
My stomach twisted. "Other hospital?" I squeaked.
"Yes, you're going to be Baker Acted."
"What?"
"It's just a precaution. It's so we can make sure you're better."
"No… No… I have a Math test tomorrow!"
"It's standard procedure."
"NO! I CAN'T GO! I WON'T! MAMA! PAPA! TAKE ME HOME!"
The lady pressed the nurse button by my bed and two nurses came in to restrain me as I kept crying to go home with Mama and Papa. When I refused to stop, the nurses injected me with a sedative and I soon went back to sleep.