Ben's story

Chapter 2

I wake up the next morning and I'm covered in my own urine. I don't know how to control my bladder. I hate the feeling of my clothes sticking to me so I take them off. I go over to my door and I hit the alarm button that lets my mom know I'm awake. Soon she will come let me out of my room. I didn't always have this alarm on my door. My parents recently just installed this. I don't sleep very well at night even with the sleeping medicine I take. One night I woke up during the night and I wanted to go to the playground. Nobody was awake to take me so I went on my own. I know how to walk there. It's not far from my house. When I get to the park it is empty. I love going to the park when nobody else is there. I don't have to share the red swing, there aren't any crowds of people, and no crying babies. I run over to the red swing and start pumping my legs. I'm swinging so high I feel like Buzz Light Year Flying through the galaxy.

Now I hear a siren in the distance. I put my legs out and drag them across the woodchips to stop myself. The sirens are getting louder. I don't like this sound. I think maybe getting in the tunnel slide will help eliminate the sound. I jump off of the swing and run over to the tunnel slide. I crawl up inside of the tunnel swing and wedge myself in place. It helps reduce the sirens a little but not enough. I cover my ears and start to hum to drown out the sirens. Now I see flashing bright lights. I don't like these lights. They are blinding me. I shut my eyes really tight to try to make the lights disappear. It's not helping they are still too bright. I hum and screech even louder. I don't like this. I should have stayed home. "Ben! Ben? Where are you?" I hear my mother call. I screech to let her know where I am. She looks up into the slide. "Benny. You're safe. Come here baby. Lets go home." I don't understand what she said. I wish I did. I'm so frustrated. I start to bite my fingers. "Don't bite. Ben it's okay. Mommy is here." She reaches out and touches my leg. My brain is too stimulated trying to process all of this. I don't like her touch. I let out a scream and start crying. I start kicking my legs and throwing my arms every which way. Then I hear

"Come stop your crying

It will be alright

Just take my hand

Hold it tight

I will protect you

From all around you

I will be here

Don't you cry."

It's my sister singing. She is walking cautiously towards me as she keeps singing. I turn my screeches into humming in tune with her singing. I stop throwing my arms around. I stop kicking. My mom starts singing with my sister. Then my sister comes into the slide with me. She reaches out her hand and I take it. She helps me out of the slide. Mom rushes over to me picking me up, hugging me tight. I don't like this. I start to squirm away. My mom looks at me with tears coming down her face. She says "Don't you ever do that again. You scared me so much. I don't know what I would have done if something bad would have happened to you Benny" More tears fall down her face. I wish I know what she was saying. My sister looks at me and wraps her arms around herself then points to mom. I gave my mom a hug which made her cry even more.

I hit the alarm button a couple of more times before my mom comes and unlocks. I go right into the bathroom and wait for mom to come and start my bath. She gets the water temperature adjusted just right and then helps me wash the smell of urine off of me. While I sit in the tub mom goes into my room and grabs my urine soaked bedding that needs to be washed. Mom has to wash my bedding every day. Those are the only bedding I will use. They have my favorite disney charecters on them and I can't sleep without them. One time she bought me a similar bedding set but it was missing The Aristocats on them so I couldn't use them. After she starts the washer with my bedding inside she comes back into the bathroom and helps me out of the tub and assists me in getting dressed. I head out to the kitchen to wait for breakfast.