Page 1 of Fractured Mind
CHAPTER
ONE
MIA
Brown eyes,so dark they look almost black, stare back at me. A boy with shaggy black hair smiles, his smile so infectious I can’t help but smile back. I lean in closer and rest my head on his shoulder as we sit on a blanket and watch the sunrise bathe us in a warm golden glow.
The shrill of an alarm makes my eyes fly open. I rub my chest. The dream is vivid. It’s always the same dream. He never speaks; we just sit in a comfortable silence, but I’m happy. I’ve always wondered whether, or wished that, it was more than just a dream—a memory.
As I look up, bits of peeling paint fall from the bedroom ceiling and flutter to the ground like snowflakes. Brown patterned swirls from water damage and black specks of mold cover the ceiling and walls. Repairs is just another thing we can’t afford. It’s a stark reminder that this is my reality.
The alarm on my phone still screeches, so I reach out, pulling my phone closer, and press stop. It’s time to get ready for school. As I lower my legs over the bed, pieces of paper scattered onthe nightstand catch my attention. A lingering sense of dread washes over me at the overdue bills I haven’t paid.
I choose the shirt and shorts with the fewest wrinkles from the clean clothes basket and get changed. As I walk past Mom’s bedroom, I can’t stop myself from peeking inside. The bed remains untouched—just the way I left it after washing and replacing her sheets.
Knock knock knock.
I turn in the direction of the front door, and for a second, I wonder if I imagined it because Mom is never awake this early in the morning.
Knock knock knock.
“I’m coming.” I hurry through the house.
When I open the door, two well-dressed elderly people are standing outside. Their eyes bulge when they see me. Behind them, I notice the limousine they had arrived in. With furrowed brows, I ask, “Can I help you?”
The woman’s hand trembles as she touches her cheek, yet her body remains motionless. The man gives me a warm smile and asks, “Can we take up five minutes of your time?”
I pause. This is strange. “Sure,” I answer, and step back and open the door wider so they can walk inside.
The woman walks in first. I wait for her face to scrunch up in disgust at the state of the house, but it doesn’t. She wipes her eyes instead.
“Carmen, are you all right?” the man asks.
She shakes her head. “Wayne, stop fussing over me and let me talk to my granddaughter.”
Something between a gasp and a choke rips from my throat. I’m paralyzed with shock.
“You have so many of your mother’s features,” Carmen points out while scanning my face. “They are more pronounced now that you’ve gotten older.” Wayne clears his throat, pullingher out of her trance. “I’m sorry,” she whispers with a sad smile. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you... I’m your nana.”
I search her face to see if she’s lying. “But I have no other family.”
She sighs, her shoulders slumping. “Yes, you do. You have me. Your mother called and informed me that she got arrested for a DUI. However, since it was her first offense, we managed to get her into a rehabilitation clinic.”
“Mom is in a rehabilitation clinic?” I repeat, unable to keep the surprise out of my voice. There’s a flicker of relief in my chest—it’s the first time she’s gotten help.
“You’ll stay with me until your mother gets better.”
“Wait, what?” I’m still trying to process everything. None of this feels real.
Pain flashes in her eyes as she looks around. “If I knew it was this bad”—she gestures toward our rundown home—“I would have been here sooner. I’m sorry I failed you. According to your mother, the two of you were doing well.”
“Mom can make anyone believe anything.” She said she would get help for her drinking problem but never did.
“Why don’t you pack some clothes, and I’ll meet you in the car?”
I nibble on my lip. “Is Mom okay?”
“Yes. Hopefully, it will serve as a wake-up call for her.”