The Unnoticed, Noticed

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Chapter Twenty-Six

It was official. She was lost. In the dark. With no idea how to get back.

You should have paid more attention to the tour Candice gave you, Melody.

In my defense, things look different in the dark.

She huffed and made another left turn. By now she was walking around in circles like a lost cat, already five minutes late for her appointment. She turned left, then right, then left again until she finally found it.

Not the building.

A sign directly from the heavens above. And it read "Ward A".

Melody blew out a breath of relief and stood at her starting point. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Okay," she opened her eyes and took a right turn instead.

And there it was.

"So, all this time all I had to do was turn right?!" She shouted to no one in particular.

She massaged her temples and groaned. "I'm losing it. No wonder I'm here," she muttered and walked into the main building.

The lady from before at the main desk escorted her to her psychiatrist's office and she sat on one of the couches.

A short woman walked out of a closed door and smiled at Melody. She had very light gold, messy, stringy shoulder-length hair and silver glasses that framed her grey-green eyes. Her teeth were pearly white and curved around the edges under her thin, flat lips. Her cheeks had deep lines running down the sides of them on both sides, though they were almost non-existent when she smiled.

"Melody," she said kindly.

Melody stood up and the lady gestured that she go inside. She sat on one of the chairs opposite the desk and the lady took the seat in front of her.

"I'm Dr. Isla Demure and I will be your psychiatrist. Your assigned psychiatrist is currently on holiday but when she comes back you can decide whether you want to continue with me or switch to her. But never mind that because we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," she smiled softly in a motherly way, like she knew her pain.

"Okay," Melody nodded and changed her position to sit with her hands tucked beneath her thighs. She always sat like that when she was not quite comfortable with her surroundings.

"Your mum told me about your life so far and I have to say, you've been through quite a lot for a thirteen-year-old. I'm impressed that you've made it thus far and I think it's a great achievement," Dr. Isla said.

"I didn't come out unscathed though," she mumbled and looked at her lap.

"Melody, it was one of two choices. You would have either come out of that situation feeling depressed and be here where we can fix that, or you would have come out feeling nothing at all and be a psychopath. Those are the mass murderers and serial killers who are locked up in mental asylum. We both know that's not you."

"I guess I'll take the best of the worst then," she sighed.

"How do you feel right now?"

Oh, I'm just peachy. That's the exact reason why I'm in a mental institution.

"I only have three emotions. One, anger at everything and myself. Two, sadness, depression and despondency. And last but not least, complete and utter numbness. Then you get the rare combination of one and two and that's kind of where I am right now," she gave her a blank face.