From Zero To A Hero

It's a bright summer morning and the birds are chirping, the cool breeze blows across my face and suddenly the ground starts to shake. I'm in my room, by the window. I hurriedly rush under the table and duck, I silently wonder why my mother isn't yelling, why she isn't going ballistic. The window breaks, and I taste blood in my mouth. I cry for my mom but no voice comes out of my mouth. There's a lump in my throat and I feel like crying and I don't know why. I close my eyes and count to 87 60, telling myself to calm down. I get flashbacks. Flashbacks from 25 years ago. I'm around 12 years old and I see my mom in a fire. I realize she left me alone to deal with the world all alone, she deserted me. The click of the door opening allows me to snap back to reality. I open my eyes and the first thing I notice is the paramedics helping me get up. I faint. I wake up again in the hospital, and the doctor next to me tells me to relax and that I'm safe here. He tells me I should rest and that I'm hospitalized for 2 whole weeks. I slowly heal using drugs prescribed by a well-experienced doctor. I patiently wait and follow the same boring routine every day. I wake up, I use the restroom with the help of the nurse, and I eat the same boring food every day. I'm not even allowed to go for walks without supervision. I'm treated like a child and I'm sick of it.

I still wait patiently. On my last day at the hospital, the doctor told me he had some bad news and that I had to brace myself for it. I said it could not get any worse. And guess what? It did get worse. He revealed that I was diagnosed with Schizophrenia. More than 70% of people with this illness get visual hallucinations, and 60%-90% hear voices. But some may also smell and taste things that aren't there. I was Traumatized. So all those flashbacks about my mother passing away were fake? He hesitantly replied 'yes Celia it was all fake'.What about the window glass breaking and the blood I tasted in my mouth? I fearfully questioned. He grimly said, " no window was found broken and the blood in your mouth was just your mother making you drink some water."Finally, I asked, " and the shaking ground?"I'm sorry but it was your brother dribbling the basketball"I burst out laughing reminding myself I'll always have people by my side to cheer me up.