The Wrong Sister

I was having trouble getting to sleep that night. It was incredibly frustrating. The last thing I wanted was to be tired the next day… the day I would hopefully escape from Lisa forever. I tossed and turned, trying not to think of all the things that could go wrong. When I really thought about it, the only thing that could go wrong was that they would discover that “Sara Anderson” had never visited anyone before, and therefore wouldn’t let me out. The next question was… if I got caught and explained why I was trying to escape in this manner, what then? Who would be willing to help me, and how? And then there were other questions. If I made it to the library and met Doctor Lacayo’s son, where would he take me, and what would happen next? I drifted off in the wee hours, and morning came all too soon—but never fast enough. I wanted to hurry and get it over with, but I also never wanted that moment to arrive. Each hour I spent safely locked away in the hospital—despite the shitty food and lack of privacy—was a moment safe from Lisa. Even if I angered her during a visit, she wouldn’t act in front of others. No, that was reserved for the privacy of our so-called home. I knew I had to make sure I was never alone with her outside the hospital, even if it would be easier to go home and let her slowly kill me. At least then I’d have food, shelter, and sex while still alive. Uh-uh. No backing out now. I was fully committed. If I got caught, I would no longer let fear bully me into remaining her victim. Each hour that Lisa failed to show up before lunch made me more relieved. My real sense of hope came when it was announced that lunchtime had arrived, and she still hadn’t shown. I tried not to let my nervousness show as we filed into the elevator and headed down to the cafeteria. “Keep calm,” I told myself, trying to remember everything Stacey had ever taught me about managing anxiety. The trip down seemed to take forever. Finally, the doors parted, and we entered the cafeteria. We proceeded to take our trays. Patients from another floor were eating in the far section. Their heads briefly turned toward us, and I wondered if they were psych patients or there for physiological reasons. After selecting my bland food, I made a point of taking a few bites at one of the tables. I had no way of knowing when I would eat again, and I thought it might look odd if I asked to use the bathroom too soon. Half a tuna sandwich later, it was now or never. I asked the staff member assigned to us if I could be excused to use the bathroom. She gave a quick nod and returned to her discussion with others about who might be the next president. Trying to act natural, I exited the cafeteria, then quickly headed in the opposite direction from the bathrooms. I hoped no one noticed me through the glass doors. I yanked the visitor card out of my pocket and clipped it to my shirt. I walked as quickly as I could—without drawing attention—down the long hallway I’d been instructed to take. I was lucky. The corridor was deserted. The exit sign at the end never looked so good, even if I had no idea where I would end up after meeting the doctor’s son or how I would survive. Just getting away from Lisa was my only goal. I went through a set of doors into a small reception area. A chubby girl in her early twenties looked up. “Can I help you?” “Just leaving,” I said with a casual smile. “Have a great day.” “Wait! You have to sign out,” she said. Shit! I’d forgotten about that. “Oh, yeah. Sorry. I’m just in a hurry to meet someone for a late lunch.” “No problem.” She looked up. “How come I don’t remember signing you in?” My heart fluttered. “I don’t think it was you who signed me in.” “No?” she asked, confused. “You must have been on break.” I thought of a generic description to give her if pressed, but fortunately, she didn’t ask. “What time did you check in, ma’am?” “I don’t remember the exact time.” She picked up a clipboard. “Hmm, I don’t see any Sara Anderson listed.” “Really?” I leaned over as if I could magically find the name. “Interesting.” The phone rang, and she quickly handed me the clipboard. “Just sign out, Sara.” Thankful for the distraction, I took the clipboard with a smile. I decided to be a bit mischievous and signed out using Lisa’s name. At least I hadn’t lied about the surname! I pushed through the front door before she could notice the switch. Outside, it was cloudy and chilly. I could’ve used a coat, but the temperature was the least of my concerns. I had to get to the library that the doctor had mentioned. I began to panic as I struggled to remember the way. Pretty sure I’d been told to head left, I started jogging in that direction. Then a voice called my real name. Lisa! I glanced behind me long enough to see the sexy detective pursuing me. It was too late to play dumb. She knew I’d spotted her, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was that I got the hell away. Lisa might be stronger, but I was in better shape. I had no chance in a fight, but I could outrun her. She might sprint faster initially, but she couldn’t match my stamina. I had a good head start and figured she’d tire before she caught me. “Stay away from me, you sicko!” I screamed. I could hear her footsteps slapping the pavement behind me. “Shay, STOP!” I ran as fast as I could down the street—so fast I couldn’t stop in time for a car darting along the side street I was about to cross. The impact knocked the wind out of me. I fought to get back on my feet and continue running, but darkness claimed me instead.