Becky's Doll

Chapter 1

"THIS WAY, MISS JAMES," the nurse said softly as she led me through the narrow hallway.

I followed her absentmindedly, watching the pale yellow painted walls turn white and bare as we neared the psychiatric ward. White and bare. Dull and void.

Trying not to fall flat on the slippery floor, I concentrated on my walking. The petite nurse whose name I think was Rachel walked straight, her heels clicking away. She might have got used to the slippery floors because I had almost slipped at least a hundred times in my sneakers.

Rachel halted all of a sudden, the friction between my sneakers and floor being not enough to stop me, I lurched forward and knocked the middle aged nurse down.

"Aww," The nurse winced as she rubbed her sore back.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to... I lost my balance. The floor is very slippery," I apologised but more accurately rambled. The nurse gave me a sharp glare before she sighed.

"That's fine," She said through her clenched teeth and reluctantly grabbed my right hand that I extended to her.

"That is the psychiatric ward," She informed me as she pointed to a door that resembled a prison door. "Your sister is in room 237."

"So you are not going to take me?" I asked, hoping that she would. She scrutinized me, her hazel eyes turned beady as she stared at me.

"No," She replied in a flat tone.

"This is it?" I questioned.

"Yes, this is it."

"But the doctor asked you to take me to the psychiatric ward."

"Yes he asked me to take you to the psychiatric ward and that is the psychiatric ward."

I frowned at her.

"Well he didn't ask me to take you to your sister," She shrugged off.

"Please," I pleaded.

"Sorry, but the place gives me the chills," She said shivering slightly and she slowly took a step back. And before I could interrupt, she walked off with a pace that can't be considered as normal on four inch heels on slippery floors. Maybe she was experienced in abandoning clueless teenage girls who had little sisters with psychological issues at the door to the psychiatric ward.

"That was rude," I muttered as I faced the door and yanked it open.

I don't know why but my skin crawled and my heart pounded. I walked and constantly checked the numbers on the doors. A blood curdling scream was heard which almost stopped my heart from beating. What is this place?

This was the psychiatric ward after all. Of course, it was inhabited by all the crazy people of the city.

"235..236 and that's 237," I murmured as I approached Becky's room. I opened the door slightly and peeked in.

A blast of air hit my face and felt unusually cold on my temple. Becky sat on a hospital bed, looking out of the window and frowning deeply. Her blonde unmanageable curls were secured in messy pigtails. She had her favourite doll in her arms and she was all alone. Her eyes were empty and dead. Was this the little girl who used to have a toothy grin permanently fixated on her face displaying her slightly uneven teeth? Was this the little girl who constantly babbled on Disney princesses? Was this the little girl who always made me smile? Was this the little girl who made me feel loved?

My heart warmed on seeing her slight figure all hunched up in deep remorse. She was clad in a crumpled grey shirt that was two sizes too big for her. Opening the door wider, I stepped into the room. She hadn't noticed me entering.