Whats Normal

Chapter 1 - Olivia

They told me I was crazy, they said I was a sociopath. That can't be true... right?

My name is Jane Doe. I have been in the hospital for about a month now, no one showed up to "claim me". I have a tumor in my brain, they called it Glioneuronal. I'm not sure why they would give it such a strange name though. Apparently I had a seizure and ended up falling down a cliff. A hiker found me on her way down the path. The doctor said I was lucky to have survived the fall and that the woman had found me... I don't feel lucky though.
    I only remember bits and pieces of my life before the fall. Nothing in big chunks like they described I would. I wonder what my life was like before, I wonder if I will ever get to be normal again, or anywhere close to normal. Whatever normal is...
    The woman that found me told the doctors that she would take responsibility for me and will be a mother figure to me until someone else shows up for me. I don't really understand the reason for it, but I'm glad to have a sort of mother figure. No matter what that was, I am glad to have it.
    A bright light hit my face as my eyes opened, a blurry figure leaning over me "Don't worry dear, you'll be fixed up in no time... then we can really get to work." I could see pearly white teeth, and an uneasy feeling washed over me.
    Sounds of a beeping machine blares in my ears as doctors rush to my side. I'm shaking uncontrollably and my eyesight starts to turn black as I pass out again. Waking up, my throat was dry, grainy even. I hated that feeling, I wanted to chug a gallon of water... but even that didn't feel like it would have been enough to wash away the stickiness of my throat.
    I turn my head to the right, looking for anything to satisfy my thirst. There. A single glass of water, warm probably. I reached over, something tugging on my hand as I do, touching the glass gave me chills. I brought the cup to my lips and drank it all, almost inhaling the last sip. I choked a little as I set the glass back down on the bedside table, relieved as my throat is not feeling so sticky anymore.
    "Jane, Olivia would like to come in, is that alright?" a small woman with a squeaky voice said, hovering in the doorway. "Yes," I replied, coughing a little as my voice was raspy. "She may come in." The doctor nodded and stepped out, the door closing on the way. It shut with a quiet buzz at the end as the door locked. I pressed my lips together as I felt the sound vibrate my bones. Olivia entered the room, she had a beautiful lilac blouse on. It reminded me of something... maybe someone?
    "Hi Jane," Olivia said with a smile pulling against her lips. "I'm Olivia, the woman who found you." I smiled back, the warmness of her voice was almost thrilling. "Yes." She was a little taken back by my response, I don't understand why. It was as normal as any response... wasn't it? ...too many questions... something whispered in my mind. I felt like I had heard this voice before though. My face had to of change when I heard that voice because Olivia looked like she had seen a ghost. She was a little pale and her make-up looked unnatural against her skin. "Jane?" a voice whispered and I fell back, blacking out.
    There was screaming around me, or yelling... maybe talking? Just whispers...
TOO MANY QUESTIONS... I felt hushed as the voice inside me screamed. This is unnatural, uncommon... not normal.
Emmaline... Come back... now, please? Who was Emmaline? Was that me? Or a friend? A neighbor, daughter? No... I'm too young to have a daughter. I remember I just had my 16th birthday that day... wait... 17th?? Stop.

    "Jane!!" a voice screamed out, hands shaking me harshly. "Wake up! Please... I know you're there."...My eyes drowsily lifted up, seeing a blurry face in front of me and an involuntary choice of words shooting out of me "Get away from me! I'm not a test subject!!" my eyes shut again out of fear.

   Questions... questions, questions.

    "Stop!!" Hands grabbed my head as someone screamed... I screamed. I was the one screaming, I was the one holding my hands against my ears. I, me, myself... Emmaline.
    "Jane..." Cold hands are on my cheeks, my eyes shoot back open. My eyes locked contact with Olivia's pristine green eyes. "It's Emmaline," my lips were pulled by my skin into a smile. "My name is Emmaline."
    The doctor came into my room, checking my breathing and my heart beat. "You're sure you're okay right? Nothing hurts." the doctor stated that question like a statement, but I nodded firmly anyways. "I'm perfectly fine." I glanced over the doctor's shoulder, seeing Olivia standing in the doorway. The doctor picks up a binder and walks towards the door, whispering something to Olivia, then that doctor passes her by and hurries down the hallway.
    "I'm sorry I startled you earlier." My own voice didn't quite sound like me. She watched me carefully, deciding to step closer. "When they release you, would you like to go home with me?" Home. That's a strange word. "What's a home?" I replied without thinking, might as well assume that she will think I sound crazy.
Instead, Olivia beamed to answer my question. "A home is wherever you feel safe, or whoever you feel safe with!" she went on describing the word to me, her eyes lit up as she talked about it. Personal interest, I thought to myself, she likes to explain things to others. I zoned out as she was talking, wondering what home would feel like to me. How will my home treat me? Will this home make me happy? Will this home make me normal?