The Monster They Made Me A Family's Reckoning

Because I could always see monsters, Mom and Dad locked me in a psychiatric hospital.

Through the window, with red-rimmed eyes, they promised, "When you get better, we'll bring you home."

To go home sooner, I desperately swallowed those pills that made me stupid—until I overdosed, foaming at the mouth.

When my soul drifted back to that home, I saw my younger sister win a big prize using the monsters I had drawn, and Mom and Dad were smiling proudly beside her.

They were happy.

But I became a real monster.

1.

I don't like it here at all.

The walls are white, with no color. The floor is cold—when I step on it, it's like icy hands grabbing my ankles.

So most of the time I hide on the bed.

Today's lunch had an apple. I ate until only the core was left, but I couldn't bear to throw it away.

Because it came alive.

The apple core turned into a heart—thumping, thumping as it beat. Tender green sprouts grew out, slowly winding upward, and bloomed into flowers.

When the flowers opened fully, a snake as thick as my thumb but with gorgeous wings burrowed out from the stamen. Its scales were rainbow-colored, each one like a tiny gemstone.

"Who are you?"

I asked it softly, curiously touching its gorgeous wings with my finger.

"Give this to me."

Its body coiled around my finger, icy cold.

"Are you the one talking? What do you want?"

"302, give me the apple core!"

The voice wasn't from the little snake. It was the head nurse.

"Did you skip your meds again? What crazy nonsense are you mumbling at an apple core!"

Head Nurse Patterson walked over and snatched it from my hand, her face full of disgust.

"It's not an apple core, it's—"

I wanted to explain, to point out that beautiful snake. But when Patterson reached out, it got scared and burrowed back into the fruit flesh. The flowers withered too, turning into an apple core oxidized like rotten mud.

"What is it? A demon? A ghost?"

She snorted and tossed it into the trash can. "Your parents are here. Wipe the drool off your mouth, and don't even think about tattling."

Hearing Mom and Dad had come, my eyes lit up.

In a flurry, I wiped my mouth with my sleeve, tugged at my patient gown, and stood on tiptoe as I got down onto the floor.

The visitation room had a thick layer of glass. I really wanted Mom and Dad to come in and see me, but they said there were rules here. Every time, all I could do was stare longingly at them on the other side.

Mom put on makeup today, and Dad wore a suit too; both of them looked energetic. What surprised me even more was that my younger sister came too. She was very pretty today, in a white dress, like a pure little angel.

"Rose."

I called to her happily. But she hid behind Dad.

I felt a little disappointed. Just then, Mom called me.

"Lily."

Mom pressed both hands against the glass, tears falling like beads from a broken string. "Have you been doing okay in here? Have you been seeing monsters lately?"

I shook my head quickly. "Mom, I didn't see any… I really didn't."

"Liar!"

Dad's face was full of anger. "The nurse just told us—you were talking to yourself at an apple core."

"Lily Donaldson, can't you show a little backbone? To treat your illness, the family has spent all our savings. We've been scrimping and saving out there, and you're in here pretending to be crazy and acting like a fool?"

"Dad, I didn't mean to—" I panicked, tears bursting from my eyes. "I just want to go home. It's so cold here. I want to go home."