Boulevard of Broken Dreams

I Walk Alone

"What in the hell is wrong with her?" My father's voice hollered in the distance.

"I'm not sure, sir. She just had another episode."

The sound of feet flustering across the floor shook me into reality. My ears perked up but my eyes felt glued shut.

"She did not just faint twice in one day!"

"Well, that seems to be the case. She's hiding something from you, Mr. Storme. There has to be a defined reason for all of this."

"You're the doctor! Don't just bullshit me with excuses. Come up with an answer, damn it!"

"We have to run tests, Mr. Storme. She'll need to be—"

I let out a slight groan and instantly the attention was brought to me.

"Layla?! Honey, are you okay?" My dad freaks out.

"Mhm. I'm fine," I mumble. "Can I go now?"

My mom smiles nervously. The nurses are working around me, trying to keep everything fresh and updated.

"Layla, how you feeling?" The doctor directs to me.

"I'm fine. I'm great actually."

"Can you sit up?"

I sat up in my cot and tried to shake off the jitters I was previously feeling.

"I can stand too," I smirk.

"That's good. Layla, take this." He hands me a drug test cup. "Do you need further instructions?"

My cheesy grin completely collapsed when I realize I had to take the test. I hadn't taken any recreational drugs, but there was definitely going to be drugs in my system. Shit.

"Uh...I'm all set," I reply while taking the cup and making my way to the bathroom.

A few minutes later I made my way back to the room.

"Your parents want a few minutes to talk with you alone," the doc tells me.

I nod in acceptance and watch as he leaves.

"Layla."

"Father?"

"What the hell is going on?"

"What do you mean?" I ask innocently.

"Don't give me that, I know you know why you're here."

"Dad...I don't get what you're trying to do here..."

"Be easy on her," my mom directs to him.

"Don't you get it sweetie? She knows why she's the way she is, and she refuses to tell us! There's something going on and she won't let us know!" He looks me in the eye. "We're about to figure it out, so whether or not you tell us won't matter."

"Don't you think if I knew what was going on, I would have told you already? Maybe I would have fixed it by now? Do you really think I'm that stupid that I'd let a demon terrorize me if I had what it takes to stop it? Come on dad!"

"Layla, please tell us what you do know. Please? It's for your own sake. Don't lie." My mom was trembling with anticipation.

I sighed heavily and looked them both in the eye. Okay. I might as well tell them.

"You want to know the truth? Fine. I'll tell you what I know, but I don't know a lot. I know just enough that when I say it out loud, I sound like a lunatic."

My parents stared patiently. So I told them. I told them about Billie. I revisited the story of Boston and how confused I was by the end of it. I told them about how I saw him the next day, and how he is just as victimized as I am in this situation. I told them about the visions, and how this wasn't the first time I had passed out. I told them about the text messages. I told them pretty much everything. Except for the drugs, they'd find about that tomorrow.