Sanity

Chapter Two: Realization Part One

I opened my eyes and found a room of people staring at me: family, doctors, nurses, and technicians. My parents both at my side, relief filled their faces. I was in a hospital, IV's and cords running from my body to the extensive amount of machinery beside the bed. My head felt heavy; I was dizzy and felt pain pulsing through my body.

"What happened?" I muttered as I tried to sit up.

"Try to rest you're still detoxing." My mother said hands rushing to my shoulders.

"What were you thinking Samantha? You could have died." My father hung his head low. "Thank God that young man found you." He continued.

"Wait you mean Brett?"

"Who honey?" My mother looked confused.

"Well, I met this guy, and he was taking me out to dinner. This thing jumped out in front of us. Mom it was an animal but then it wasn't, and another..."

"Honey, you had an overdose. You have been unconscious for three days." My mother interrupted.

"No, I mean I toke some pills, but we were attacked. We were on Hillson Road, in Brett's car, and these things came out of nowhere. "

"Samantha you were found in the woods behind Silver Estates. A boy in your class found you and called 911. He saved your life Sammy. You...." She started to cry.

"Samantha, you had us worried sick." My father added as he put his arm around my mother's shoulders.

I didn't understand; none of what they were saying made any since. I wasn't in Silver Estates (the rich neighborhood); I was with Brett, and I didn't overdose. I toke some pills yeah, but I did that all the time. Had it really all been in my mind? Had I dreamt it or worse yet hallucinated it? There was only one person that knew what really happened. "I needed to find Brett" I thought.

***

I had to wait a long three days before I was released, and an even longer week after that before my parents would let me out of their sight, but the first thing I did was go to the hotel Brett and his friends had stayed at, but the receptionist had no record of any Brett staying at the hotel. I then continued asking if she had a record of a Gray, Morris, or Jake. She politely asked me to leave. I did as she asked knowing if she had to call the police I'd end up back in the hospital to be drug tested and my parents would never let me leave the house again.
I was starting to think I had overdosed. I couldn't find any trace of Brett ever existing. I hadn't told anyone I was going out for dinner with him, or that I had even met him. Before giving up on the search completely, I thought about Wit. Even if it hadn't been real, I wanted to tell her about the tall, mysterious stranger that had captivated me. I started the walk down the main road from the hotel past the diner, past where the party had been, past richville to the trailer park. I got half way down the small street Wit lived on before hearing fast foot steps behind me. A tap on my shoulder sent shivers down my back. I stopped dead in my tracks who was it or what even; I didn't know what was real anymore.

"Sammy it's just me." Mitch said shocked by how rattled I became.

"Oh hi, what's up?" I asked pulling myself together still thinking of the mysterious creatures from the accident.

"Just wanted to see if you're okay. You use all the time what were you thinking taking that many pills." He gasped a worry deeper than anything I had ever seen came over his face. I had never seen this side of him. It made me feel comforted and ashamed that I didn't care for him the same.

"Sammy?" I had been taken back by his emotion so much I had forgotten to answer.

"I didn't. Mitch, I don't remember anything but what... was I fine when you left after the
party?" I asked not wanting to make a fool of myself by telling my story again.

"Yeah you were asleep. What's going on Sam?" He asked concerned.

"I met this guy on my way to the diner. He told me someone wrecked their car, and I shouldn't go into town because police were asking questions. I went to his hotel room and showered and met his friends before he drove me home. By then I was sober and nervous because he asked me out so I toke a few pills before we left to curb the nerves but that's it. And I think something happened when we were on our way to dinner, an accident, but I...." I started to cry. "I don't know what's real Mitch I can't find the guy anywhere, and I didn't take anything from him so he didn't drug me and.." I couldn't find my breath.
"Sammy, calm down and come here." Mitch said holding his arms out. I collapsed in his embrace realizing in my hysteria that Mitch had never hugged me more than a hello or goodbye, but I felt safe with him. "Don't leave." I pleaded as he held me there on the side of the road.
We stood like that for a while before he walked me home. I pled with my parents and they let him stay with me for the night. We had made the climb to my room on the third floor, the old stairs creaking under our feet. I asked him, "Why the sudden change." He looked at me for moment before answering, "What do you mean exactly?"

"Before you didn't do this, you didn't stay with me. You didn't even hug or kiss me or anything without a drink or something. Why now?"

"Sam, I almost lost you and...." He stopped. I could tell he was having a hard time. Even though he never spoke about intimacy or his issues with it, I had known of his insecurity.

"You can tell me anything, Mitch."

"I know I just don't think I'm ready, but I've realized that we don't have forever, and I love you."

He said the words with such power and definition in both them and himself. I was shocked and delighted and confused all together. Mitch, the guy I had slept with and partied with and had been friends with all through high school told me he loved me.

"I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything just think about it, okay?"

"Of course."

He leaned in kissing my lips lightly squeezing me tight in his arms as we laid in my bed in the quiet dark room. For the first time since I woke up in that hospital, I knew one thing with all certainty Mitch Green loves me.