Peter (The Devil On My Shoulder)

Bring You Home

Eli lay in bed, staring blankly at the hospital window. The day nurse always opened the curtains for him in the morning and gave him a sympathetic smile. He would often over hear her speaking with the other nurses about how she believed a beautiful sunny morning would one day inspire him to get out of bed and out of the hospital. Or at least talk to someone.

But she was wrong. You can't inspire someone's feelings when they no longer have feelings to inspire. Eli was empty. He was a hallow shell that felt nothing and that never wanted to feel anything ever again because emotions only ever hurt him, and he couldn't handle any more pain. 

Outside of his room, unbeknownst to him, stood Peter and Daisy, arguing with the nurse to let them both in. 

"Only one person is allowed at a time, and only family members, unless he specifically asks otherwise, which he won't." The nurse said. 

Daisy sighed in defeat and turned to Peter, "I know this is difficult for you, but you can do this. You don't need me to hold your hand, not when your brother needs you." 

Peter nodded his head and slowly approached the door. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. What was behind that door would change everything for him. Was it really Eli? Or did they make a mistake? Was he really alive? Could he live with himself if he wasn't? 

He swallowed the lump in his throat and opened the door. 

Peter recognized Eli immediately. He was different. He was no longer the fifteen year old kid, he was now the twenty year old man. He was no longer happy and worry free, instead he looked as if he carried the burden of a thousand wars on his shoulders. He changed, he was a lot thinner than before, but his features were unmistakable, and his green eyes stayed the same. It was Eli. 

Tears threatened to spill as Peter gasped, "Eli?" into the silence. 

Eli turned his head and stared at Peter in confusion. 

As Peter walked closer to the bed Eli screamed, "No!" 

"Eli! It's me!" Peter said as he neared the bed, but Eli refused to look at him and turned his head, still screaming. 

"Go away! You're not real! You're not real!" 

"Eli, I'm real! I'm right here-" 

"GO AWAY!" he cried, "please!" his face was red and tear stained. 

Daisy heard the screams from outside and rushed in, causing both of the men to look over at her. 

"What's going on?" she said, but neither of them replied as they stared at her. "Peter?" she begged for a response. 

"You can see him?" Eli gasped, his voice quivered, "You're not real either, are you?" he asked, his voice breaking as he started to cry. 

"GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!" he suddenly cried as he fisted his hair and curled up in his bed. "I'm not crazy I'm not crazy I'm not crazy-" he repeated over and over again as he shut his eyes. 

Peter looked from Eli to Daisy, helpless. He was frozen, crying as he stood at the edge of Eli's bed, afraid of making the situation worse. 

Daisy knew when the nurse told them Eli was in the psychiatric wing of the hospital that they would have a lot to deal with when seeing him. She knew that it would be hard. But she never expected this. 

"Eli it's okay." she spoke quietly, shutting the door behind her. 

Daisy slowly walked over to his bed and kneeled down so that they were eye level, as he was still curled up into a ball.