Chapter 5

Dazed and Confused

*Meanwhile*

    The whole ride home, I sat in stunned silence. I couldn't talk and I could barely think. Yesterday was a normal day, in one day my whole life had been changed. I was barely listening to Steph as she talked about tomorrow would be like. 

    "... The nurse said that you didn't have to bring any kind of clothing except underwear..." was the only part of the conversation I heard during the whole car ride. 

    Steph pulled into the driveway, and since I was in a trance, came around and opened the door for me. I walked like a zombie into the house, up the stairs and into the room I was using. I crawled on the floor over to my bed, lifted up the skirt and pulled out the suitcase I used every time I moved. I filled it with a notebook, my favorite pen (Mrs. Bunny!) some books, my underwear, and two small rabbits, called Pinky and Minky, that my father had given me before he died. I zipped the suitcase closed and dropped it by the railing of the stairs. I went back into my room, stripped, and put on my brightly colored robe. 

    I walked into the bathroom, still unaware of what I was doing, took my robe off and climbed into the shower. The cold shower helped me to realize what was going on. Instead of the state of shock I was in before, I now felt great panic. I screamed into my hand, which helped relieve the tension in my body. I stood under the shower, which was now warm, and looked up at the ceiling, letting the water drip all over my face. I was now more calm.

    I went into "my" room and crawled under the covers. I pulled them up to my chin like a little girl would. I then tried, in vain, to fall asleep. I ended up singing myself to sleep. I didn't sleep that well, because I kept getting nightmares all about hospitals and sick little children. I was happy to get up at 8 AM.