Anything But Ordinary

I screamed myself awake the next morning, jolting upright. I looked around frantically, seeing a man run into what seemed to be my very own bedroom. I cried out again as he drew near, throwing my arms up in front of my face and cowering.

“Eva, calm down. It’s me! It’s Jace. Baby, look at me.”
Lowering my arms slowly, I looked up at him. My lip began to tremble, tears threatening to spill out of my eyes, and he gathered me slowly into his arms.
“I’m so sorry, Eva.” He murmured, rubbing my back in slow, soothing circles. “I never should have left you alone. You were sleeping so peacefully, though, so I thought I’d make breakfast. I’m so sorry. Please don’t be upset. Everything’s okay, I promise, I’m here.”
When I had calmed down enough, I pulled away and looked at him. “Don’t apologize, Jace. I think it’s gonna be like this for a while… Awful dreams and random freak outs may become the norm. I’m the one who’s sorry.”
He leaned down and kissed the top of my head. “It’s not your fault, honey. But everything’s going to be okay. That madman is behind bars, hopefully for good.”
It was Jace who broke the silence a moment later. “Do you think this is the guy from four years ago?”
I shook my head. “I have no idea. I guess the police will find out.” I looked at my bandaged hands, folded in my lap. “Can we go see Liam today?”
“Of course, baby.”

Several hours later, after discovering that the pancakes Jace had been working on had burned and stopping at a café for coffee and bagels, we were going through the usual routine to get into Liam’s treatment center. We had to take off our coats, belts, and shoes to go through the metal detectors, and upon seeing my bandages, one of the security guards pulled me to the side.

“Sorry about this, Eva.” He said, beginning to unwrap one of them. “It’s procedure.”
“That’s okay, Gary.” I sighed, blushing and looking down. “I understand.”
“Good Lord, girl! What happened to you?”
“She got attacked by a lunatic last night.” Jace interrupted, looking on protectively while Gary rewrapped the bandage.
“I’m so sorry, Eva… If it helps any, Liam actually ate his breakfast this morning. I was the one who took it to him.” The old man’s chest swelled with pride.
I smiled. “That’s great! Have a good day, Gary.”

Jace consented to wait outside, leaning against the wall, while I visited my brother. Liam was lying listlessly on his bed, staring out the window. The room was so sparse - completely white, with one window and only the bed and two chairs for furniture. Sometimes, on good days, the orderlies would bring in a TV. When I pulled up a chair and sat down, he barely looked up.

“Hey, Liam!” I said, trying for a cheery tone. “It’s me, Eva. How are you today?”
He blinked.
“Well, Gary said you ate some breakfast this morning! That’s good!” I waited for a moment, and then continued. “Yesterday was my birthday. I’m twenty-one now! Of course, it wasn’t much as far as birthdays go… but they never really are for me.”
Liam turned his head, looking at my bandages. After a second, my brother looked me in the eye for the first time in four years, and he looked surprisingly lucid. And then he spoke, his voice rusty and hoarse, making my heart soar. “What happened to you?”
Maybe things were going to be okay after all.