Cemetery Street - Page 195/263

"James! Stop it!" The blond commanded. With all her might she leaned into the front of the wheelchair. Her eyes blazed, their glare disarmed me. Arms wrapped around me, restraining my movement.

"It's alright James," the nurse's said. "Come on, let's go back to your room."

"Yeah lets, you retarded asshole," the beast's voice cried.

"Shut up Genise!" Shannie barked.

"Yeah, Shut up Genise," I laughed all the way to my room.

***

That afternoon I was transferred to Lenape Valley Rehab. I wanted out of the hospital so bad that I correlated my release with my violent outburst. Act like an asshole, be released, I thought. In retrospect, I figured the brain injury allowed my mother's genetics to run wild. I'm positive that if I'd had a glass drinking container during my stay at Lenape Valley, it would have been smashed against a wall.

I was clueless of the rigors I was about to experience. Never in my life did I feel such psychical pain and mental frustration as I did during the thirteen weeks I spent as an inpatient. There's no joy like having to relearn colors, multiplication tables, or the difference between vowels and consonants.

"Are you my mother?" I asked the older blonde.

"No," Diane repeated for the thousand time from the chair aside my bed. Even though I was in a rehab, it felt like a hospital. My bed was a hospital bed, doctors and nurses still made annoying visits.

"Who is?" I asked.

"Mary Morrison," Diane stated.

"Oh."

"Who are you again?"

"I'm a friend of you and your father's."

"Oh."

"Where's my mother?"

"I don't know. She ran away," Diane told me.

"Really?" I turned my attention to the little TV on the end of a long arm. "Who's the girl with the blue eyes? I pointed to the picture of the serious faced girl sitting against the monument.

"They're green eyes." Diane corrected.

"Oh," I mumbled.

"She's your best friend. Do you remember her name?"

I searched across the expanses of my mind. Frustrated and embarrassed, I turned my head away from Diane. From the television, laughter showered down upon me. I rolled to my side, pulling the cover over my head. After a long silence I turned back towards Diane. "J-Jenny, Jenny."

"No. That isn't it."

"Yes it is." I was positive Diane was lying. She was part of something bigger to keep me in prison.