"Honey, who are you talking to?"

*Trigger warning! Self-harm; mental issues; depression; nightmares; blood description

“C’mon Xaphan! Vamos Zarie!” “Coming!” A little girl, with brown hair, and chocolate skin, dressed in a sweatshirt, and sweatpants comes down the stairs.

“Ready! Come on Z! We’re going to be late!!!” “I know.” A quiet yet loud voice says as another girl with Black hair, and chocolate skin, dressed in a pale pink dress, with silver shoes, comes down. “I’m ready now!”

A knock at the door. “She is here. Let’s go girls.” The mother walks to the door and opens it. “Hello, Patricia!” She says to the other woman, now standing in the doorway. “Hello, Mary! Are the girls ready?” “Yep. Their right here!” The woman named Mary turns to the two little girls. They run to the other woman- Patricia. “Hi, Patwissa!” The two girls say. “All right, ladies. Behave!” Mary says as the two girls and Patricia walk out the door, and the scene fades.

Everything goes quiet. The faded pink fills the room. Shelves with doctors’ notes and tons of bottles and caps filled with pills and tablets. The doctor would be sitting in a chair behind something. But soon the doctor stands up and says “All right Xaphan. Off to bed.” A girl at a table sits up, thanks the doctor, and walks out. Xaphan paces into her room, she sighed as she saw the pile of stuff in the corner and old posters on the floor. A tear would rush down her cheek, as she curled onto her bed and fell asleep.

The morning comes softly, and Xaphan awakens. Drowsily arising to her dresser, changed into her moody clothes, put up her hood, and walk out silently. A few other kids pass by, running, laughing, chatting, some even doing acrobatics. Kids of all ages run around, some sitting, some dancing, some sticking feet out to trip others, or playing well ‘ol pranks on each other. Xaphan chuckled to herself as she walked through the madness and to the cafeteria. Mainly teens were sitting down, stretching, talking, and hitting.

Her head hangs low as someone comes up behind her, "Hey Cap!" A brassy girl says, black braids swishing, complementing her greyish-white outfit. "Hey, Zarie." Xaphan smiles. "You should've been up an hour ago!" She says, smiling, teeth showing. "I know. I just wanted to get up right at breakfast." "Excuse me? What would you like?" The lady says behind her, "what?" Xaphan says, whipping around. "What would you like." "I'll have pancakes and OJ please," Xaphan says, as the woman fills her plate. Zarie calls, "Come on Xaphan!" Xaphan rushes over to sit by her sister. She sees her sister, waving her over, and she sits down at the table.

"Hey, You good?" Xaphan says, concerningly. "Yeah... it's nothing." "Okay..." Xaphan says, uneasily, "You know if you want food you can just ask for it," Zarie's hand reaches for a piece of pancake. The bell rings signaling the end of breakfast. Zarie says, "I need to meet with some friends. See ya in the room?" "Yep. See ya." Xaphan waves as Zarie jogs off. Xaphan puts her hands into her pockets and paces towards the hallway, to her room. Once she gets there, she passes the time by taking naps and reading. Zarie pops her head into the room.

"Hey Lazy, how was your nap." Zarie laughs. "Hey, buster." Xaphan smiles, "How was your meeting with friends?" "Good, How was your time in here?" "Naps aplenty." Xaphan and Zarie chuckle. "You know, you really look like a flamingo when you stand." Xaphan remarks, "You know if we just keep on trading these remarks at each other, and they get worse, I just have to put my foot down." Zarie says, struggling not to laugh as she says the last part. Xaphan tilts her head in confusion.

"A flamingo always has at least one foot up. So if I put my foot down, I stop acting like a flamingo." Zarie explains, "ohh... that makes a lot more sense..." Xaphan admits. A nurse walks by the door. "You know, you gotta stop hiding from them," Xaphan says, seeing Zarie beside the door, closing her eyes, and holding her breath. "But how?" Zarie says, her voice wavering. "All they do is just poke and poke."

Xaphan walks over and grabs Zarie by the wrist. "C'mon." She drags Zarie to the other side of the bed. "Sit." "Why should I?" "Please just sit." "Fine." Zarie says, "Now. What did mom say to say when we are scared?" "Calm yourself, notice the details, and relax." "Good." Xaphan affirms, "Now do it." Zarie's face relaxes and she says, "They are just trying to help." "Good. They are just nurses, Zarie. Nothing to be afraid of." "Same to you Xaphan..." Zarie murmurs, still looking at her sister. "Alright. Now, don't you feel much better?" Xaphan says, "Yes. Now let me go." "What?"

"Who are you talking to?" A voice says behind Xaphan. She whips around. A Doctor standing in the doorway. Xaphan replies, "Zarie" "Who's Zarie?" "My sister. She's right-" She points as she looks. No one. Just Xaphan sitting on the bed, arms out to where her sister was. She closes her eyes, tears running down her cheeks, and puts her hands into her pockets. She squeezes her hands...

Slowly, her pocket becomes red, and Xaphan's face doesn't change. She brings out her hands from her soaked pocket. Dripping with blood, she charges at the Doctor, who runs and slams the door. Xaphan stops a little too late, her breath taken away, and everything goes black. Her head nauseates, her stomach wanting to twist and churn, but her body doesn't listen.

Xaphan wakes up from her bed, drowsily sitting up, and looking over at the other bed beside her. She sees blankets wrapped around a body, over the head tightly. She yells for the Nurse, screaming, "What did you do to her?!" "To who?" the woman says, rushing over to Xaphan, "My sister!" Xaphan points to the tight bed, "There is no one in the bed, honey." The Nurse says, turning Xaphan the other way to face her, "There is no one in the bed." "Then where did you take my sister," Xaphan says, sternly. The Nurse's eyes water and she finally says, "Honey, She died five years ago..."