Room 14's Secret novel · Chapter 6 of 24

Chapter 6: The Episode

At eleven on Thursday morning I decided to be the patient the doctor had been writing about.

I had never raised my voice in a public place in my life.

I sat in the day room in an armchair with a puzzle of a lighthouse in front of me and one piece in my fist.

The doctor stood at the nurses' station with a clipboard, a few feet from me.

His keycard hung from his belt on a black clip.

Zachary was across the room, wiping a table he had already wiped.

He looked at me once.

I nodded.

I threw the puzzle piece at the television.

It bounced off the glass with a small hard sound, and every head in the room turned.

"Where are my children?" I said.

My voice cracked.

I let it crack.

"Where are they? What did you do with them? I want my babies!"

The younger nurse took a step toward me.

"Melinda, it's all right," she said. "Sit down, honey."

"Don't touch me!"

I stood and the armchair went over behind me.

A man at the far table began to hum loudly.

"They took her," I said. "They took Posy, they took the baby. I know what you're doing. I know all of you!"

It was all true.

That was why it was easy.

I had three months of terror stored in me, and I opened my mouth and let it out.

The doctor crossed the floor with his clipboard in front of him.

"Mrs. Teel. Mrs. Teel, look at me. You need to calm down."

"My name is Melinda!"

"Melinda, we're going to help you."

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