The fear was becoming worse.
She hadn't realized, at first, until her mother stopped by her hospital room, as she usually did. Only, this time, Liza didn't find calm in the woman's presence, as she had previously. Instead, she watched her mother closely, reading into every word and movement, inwardly questioning if there was another motive behind each action and statement.
"You'll get through this," her mother would say, and Liza would squint at the woman with distrust.
How did she know that? Liza didn't even know that! What did her mother know that she didn't?
"I'll bring you some food from home," Mom would insist, but when she showed with chicken-pesto wraps that had once been Liza's favorite, Liza would stare at the food but not touch it.
She hadn't seen it be made. What if her mom had put something in it? What if there was a drug in it? What if it knocked Liza unconscious and left her vulnerable?
No, no touching any of that.
"Won't you eat it? Even just a bite?" Mom would ask, but the question would only make Liza more suspicious. Why did the woman want her to eat the food she brought so very badly? What was she putting in it?
Soon enough, Liza wouldn't say anything at all when her mom was in the room. She didn't know the woman's intentions, and that scared her.
Just like everything was scaring her. She needed to get out of this room, and out of this hospital; she needed to find somewhere safe, where it was just her, and no one else.
Only then, when it was just her, would she truly, finally, thankfully, be safe.
YOU ARE READING
The Expansion of the Universe
Romance"My name's Elijah, by the way. It's nice to meet you, window-girl." She liked that name: Elijah. "I doubt you're even listening, but, look, I'm not here to cause problems, you know? I'm just here to chat. It can get lonely when we segregate ourselv...
