𝐴𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑,𝑁𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑡

Youth

I enter my room, locking the door from behind. I hear a door open. Yes! My mother is home. I hear my brother run up to her. I open my door just a bit. He's crying in her arms. He then starts to explain what happened when she was gone.

"Don't worry, Taffy. I knew. A long time ago I knew." She pats him on the head, "But I have nowhere to stay..Your real father went missing years ago. There is a reason we are staying here. There is a reason why he's gone.."

I unlock my door completely and go downstairs. I randomly got thirsty, my mouth dry and all. My mother stares at me. I look at her. She whispers something to Taffy. He nods. She runs up to me and hugs me. I stand stiffly.

"Licorice..." she sobbed. Everything she says is scrambled, mixing and forming words in her mouth.

"I just wanted water-" I said, calmly.

"Licorice, I didn't know you would do that for me. You protected me." She cries. Something in me feels like throwing up. This doesn't seem right.

"Ehh, It just, uh, seemed right y'know?" It didn't. She's still crying and I can't move. Next thing I know I black out.

I wake up laying in bed. What the heck? Why is everything spinning? I carefully get up. I'm still wearing my robes. I trip on a book, but since everything is spinning I can't see what it's called.

I head downstairs carefully, everything still spinning. My mother sees me and asks me if I'm ok or not.

"Uhh, if everything is spinning is that ok?"

"Licorice, we need to take you to the doctors office."

"No, I can survive-"

"Come eat, Licorice." My mother grabs onto my hand and guides the way to the kitchen. Everything may be spinning but my gut feelings feel as if something is wrong. Very wrong.

"Where's dad-"

My mother is staring down at the floor. "He left yesterday."

"Didn't you say he wasn't my real father?" I mumble.

"How'd you know?! I only told Taffy-" she looked shocked.

"I..I don't know-" I lied, "Can someone explain why I blacked out yesterday?" Taffy comes downstairs.

"Licorice you survived?" He asks.

"Survived what."

"Yesterday 'dad' hit you with a pan on your head." Taffy said, arrogantly.

"Whatever." I go and sit down and wait for my food.

Two hours later.

Well, I'm screwed.

"Licorice," My mom said, "Do you wish to know the truth?"

I swallow. Do I really want to know? I turn my head, somewhat sweating. I look out the window to see I'm not at home. Am I hallucinating?

I blink and next thing I know I'm laying down in a hospital bed. I look to my left, there's a window. I see children playing down in a playground. They're laughing at something- Or someone. I try getting up but there are wires attached to my brittle cookie arms. I carefully yank them off and walk to the window. I look down at the young cookies. Looks like one is being made fun of. I squint a tiny bit. Poison Mushroom!? My heart sinks. They shouldn't have to go what I had to go through. I hear a door behind me open. I turn around and a nurse is standing behind me.

"Oh, what are you doing out of bed?" The nurse asks.

"I umm..Wanted to look outside. It's such a beautiful day today." I mutter.

He takes out a pen, "Do you remember what happened?"

"My parents got into a fight maybe a day ago. Something hard hit my head and I blacked out." The nurse scribbles something down.

"Okay. You're clothes will be delivered soon." He tells me, "Plus, what day do you think it is?"

"February 13?" I said.

"It's been 5 weeks. It's the 8th of March."

Time really went by that fast didn't it. Some random guy left my clothes on my bed then he left, and I quickly put my under clothes on then over that my robe. I am not going to pay the bill. I quickly run out making sure nobody realizes. I make it to the exit and run towards the playground to Poison Mushroom. They will pay.