Chapter 27 – Breaking

Mandy's POV

It was late. Past eleven and Leo had just gone home. He wanted to stay but I told him I was so tired I would sleep the whole night anyway which was true I was tired. It was Tuesday exactly a week after the fire. Things were more or less back to normal. School was back though the damages were bad in some areas so they were being repaired, Leo still worried constantly about me though that's not anything new. My dad and Angus were still in Greenock as they had both got time of work, they planned to stay another few weeks which I was grateful for.

It was late I knew no one would be checking who was awake because everyone here is adults so they can go to bed when they want. I closed my door. We weren't allowed locks on the door for safety but I got a chair and put it against the door. Carers had to knock before entering if a door is closed but patients usually forgot that rule and just walked in.

I walked to the mirror in my room, I hadn't seen the burns yet I couldn't bring myself to do it but I knew I couldn't keep putting it off. I slowly lifted my top up pulling it over my head and then put it on my bed. I stood there in my bra for a few minutes to brace myself, and then I took a deep breath and turned around so I could see the burns.

They were worse than I thought. They were all down my back, red and raw skin. I touched them gently with my hand feeling the scaly feeling and wincing at a slight bit of pain. I couldn't bear to look at them any longer; I felt my eyes filling with tears as I turned to grab my t-shirt and pulled it back on then got in my bed throwing the covers over me.

Leo's POV

I got to the clinic early. It had just gone nine and I made my way to Mandy's room. I knocked on the door and was told to come on. Mandy's dad and her brother were already there looking worried as Mandy was lying in her bed looking miserable.

"Kirsty...is it pain?" her dad asked touching her arm gently

She didn't say anything. Mandy's shuts down if she doesn't want to talk about something and won't talk about anything until she is ready. Her dad was trying I will give him that he was talking to her gently trying to pry it out of her but she wasn't talking. Her dad sighed and got up.

"She has being like this since we got here, she won't talk to me"

"Don't take it personal she shuts down when she wants to hide something she will tell you when she's ready"

Angus was talking to her now, he was saying they cared and wanted to help her but she was just getting upset. She looked at me as tears fell but this made her family more worried.

"Come on talk to us Kirsty...we just want to help" her dad practically begged

"You can't help okay!" she replied angrily

"We can try to if you let us" Angus said

She got out the bed standing up she was crying bad now and I was worried she was going to have a breakdown. I didn't want her to have one and scare them off as it can get bad sometimes; I was just about to walk to her when she spoke.

"You can't help me because...I...I look like a freak and no one can fix that" she said before walking out the room I looked at the others.

"I think she has seen the burns..." I said

"Let me go talk to her" her dad said getting up

"No don't let her calm down she will just get more upset if you try talking to her now, she's in the clinic she can't come to harm"

He nodded and went and sat back down as the three of us sat in silence thinking over what she had said.