- 9 days later -
Jess stands at the phone on the floor angrily, waiting for someone to answer. "Hello, Tomorrow's Future Entertainment. This is customer representive, Dee. How may I direct your call?"
"Dee, it's Jessie Thompson. I'm one of the part time security guards, day shift only." Jess says quickly.
"Morning, Jessie. Do you want the security department? Are you sick? It's Friday, I believe you only work Tuesday and Thursday."
"Get me Bella Day, please. Like now. I can hold, but you need to make it quick. I only have so much time."
"Uh, okay. One second, I'll see if I can transfer you."
There is the sound of the dialing in and transfer now. "Security, Day speaking. Who's on the line?"
"Bella?"
"Yes?"
"It's Jessie."
"....How are you feeling, Jessie?"
"Uh, better?"
"That's great to hear."
"Listen, I know we're not friends, but I have literally no one else to call..."
"What do you need? I can bring some stuff up to the hospital for you-"
"That's not it!"
"Then what is it? We opened about an hour ago here. It's 10 a.m now."
"I-I'm getting discharged by Dr Alexander. I pretty much have no money on me, obviously I didn't work my last few shifts, I've been here nine freaking days and the hospital is so far from the centre of town, to far to work."
"Uh, okay. Hold a minute."
And the line is quiet, likely muted. Bella comes back a minute later. "Jess, I can come pick you up from the hospital. Are you ready now, or do you need like 15 minutes to pack or something?"
"Now, please. Just come get me."
"Okay, I'll be there very soon."
And then she hangs up the call. Jess is waiting beside the exit door on plastic benches, a grocery shopping bag in her arms.
"I can't believe she's getting to leave." Ren speaks us from quite some distance away. Louie is standing behind her.
"Well, I guess she wasn't as sick as us. She's been here nine days, and other than sleeping off her hang over, she has not exhibited any psychosis, she's taken part in all groups, eaten, been pleasent to staff.
There's nothing wrong with her."
"So why was she here nine day's then?"
"I don't know, ask her yourself. She's getting ready to leave so this is your one and only chance."
"I think I just might."
And Ren saunters up to Jess, sitting right beside her and slides an arm around her shoulder. Louie slips away back into a common area.
"So, Jess."
Jess looks at her, but doesn't say anything. "You've been here nine days and haven't really spoken to us, the other ones trapped here just like you."
"I'm not trapped here, my involuntary held ended on day 3 and I voluntarily signed to stay after that so it didn't go before a judge. If it did, I'd proably lose the license I hold. And I need that or I'd be out of a job."
"What do you do for work?"
"I'm a daytime security guard..."
"Where?"
"Uh, Tomorrow's Future Indoor Entertainment Centre for Families."
"I actually have a security license."
"You do?"
"Yeah."
"Prove it."
"I would, but it's in my locker along with the rest of my stuff, Staff confiscated from me."
"......"
"So, you're cured, huh?"
"There was never anything wrong with me to begin with."
"Sure, tell yourself that. Everyone has their demons. If you we're mentally healthy you wouldn't be here let alone the fact they held you against your will at the start."
"Don't say demons."
"Ha."
"Are you here voluntarily?"
"Noope. Very few here are. So, I hope you enjoyed your little vacation cause you got the medical debt now from being here.
And mine and others is only increasing."
"Don't remind me."
"Well, good luck on the outside, Jess. Try not to return so soon for another visit."
"Shut up."
"You know I'm right, most discharges end up back here within a week or less."
"Watch me, I'll prove you wrong."
"Oh, yeah?" And Ren stands up, face close to Jess's.
"Jess?!" Says a voice panicked and the door at the end of the hallway opens. "Ren, step back a safe distance. You know the rules." Says a Nurse coming out of the Nurse's station. Walking though the door with a visitor tag is Bella.
"Fine." Ren says harshly, stepping back and glares. Bella glares back at Ren harshly. "Jess?" Bella says, holding her hand out to take her grocery bag. Jess hands it to her and shyly walks near Bella.
"Ready to go?" Bella asks. Jess nods and heads out the door with her, the nurse closing it behind them. Jess looks back nervousoly to see Ren scowling, arms crossed and Louie appears nearby behind Ren looking mildly distressed.
"My car?" Bella asks Jess. "Y-yes, please." She responds. Once they're down in the parking garage sitting inside Bella's car, Bella turns to face, Jess.
"Um, do you want to talk about it?"
"....."
"I'm sorry we sent you there."
Jess sighs, "It's fine."
"Well, it's really not..."
"Am I fired?"
"What? No. Why do you think we'd fire you?"
"Because I lost it? At work..."
"Listen, the only person who has the power to fire is Maggie. And she's not interested in firing you, she wants to see you actually if you'll agree.
Please don't quit, you're actually a really good member of Security and I'm happy to have you on my team. Compared to other idiots I've had before."
"....."
"I need you to say something, Jess. Are you hungry? We can go through the drive thru somewhere, I'll pay for you."
"Bella..."
"Yeah?"
"I don't remember anything that happened before I was admitted."
It's not a complete lie, she doesn't remember how she ended up in this situation, apparently she'd been drinking. But she remembers the hell she went through, Douglas kidnapping her and holding her for a little longer than the weekend.
"That's okay. We can show you the security footage if you really want us to... And Jess, I don't know what's going on for you to cause the psychotic episode you had, but... I am here if you want me and maybe we could be friends.
If you want, no pressure. You can think about it all."
"My stay there wasn't awful, but the first three days we're like hell. Things got better after that point."
"We're you..."
"Sectioned under the mental health act? Yeah, I was. First three days and then I signed voluntarily for the days after that so it didn't go to court.
I'd lose my security license, Bella. You know that, an involuntary hold over three days gets recorded.
I've been here nine days and I'm glad I'm leaving. Dr Alexander discharged me, said there was nothing more they could do for me."
"Well, that's true. But it doesn't exactly strip you of your certification... I'll print off the information for you on it."
"Thank you..."
"No problem. So, you want to go see, Maggie? Or do you want to be dropped off at home? You're going to be on additional sick leave, Maggie doesn't want you to resume your duties yet."
"I can't stand to be alone right now."
"So, Maggie? Okay. And Jess... You can sleep over at my home if you want. Just I do live with my parents, my sister and my two aunties still.
It's on a farm just outside the city, there is some animals..."
"Sounds like you have a big family dynamic."
"Uh, kinda. It's complicated. If you come home with me, it would be better for you to meet each of my family and hear their story so you can understand why."
"Sure."
"Cool, we can drop by your place later and get more of your stuff. Now, Maggie?"
"Can we get a burger and fries first?"
"Yeah, sure."
And Bella turns the key, the car roaring to life. "Sounds like it's got some purr." Jess says.
"Well, I would hope so. My Dad's a mechanic, he runs his own garage."
"And your mum?"
"A lawyer, civil cases mostly."
"Interesting."
"As I said, you need to hear their stories. My sister and two aunties as well."
And then they drive off to find the nearest food place and then head to work.
---
Bella and Jess are sitting in Maggie's office, waiting for her. "How are you feeling?" Bella asks.
"Okay. Well, a lot better actually after having chowed down on a burger and fries. I'm not saying the hospital food was bad, it was quite decent actually-"
"But there is nothing like a good juicy burger and fries at the end of the day."
"Well, yeah!" Bella laughs.
Then they hear the door opening, Maggie coming in. "Hi, girls. Sorry I'm late."
"It's okay, Miss Steifvater." Bella responds and Maggie takes her seat.
"How are you feeling, Jess?"
A tear instantly slides down Jess face. "Jess, I want you to know it's okay, and you're not in any trouble, you're not fired. You can keep your job as a part-time security guard here. Do you want to talk about what happened nine days?"
"I was so angry at you know, for sending me there and then leaving me there. But I had nine days to be angry so I'm almost not angry now.
And before I was so ready if I got out to storm in here, tell you I quit and collect my stuff from my desk and locker."
"I'm glad you're not quitting. Not because you know, you need money to live, what if you don't find another job quickly? You we're homeless, living on the streets before... uh, nevermind.
But you're also a bright girl, fairly on time and so fourth. I don't want you to throw this job away.
Not because it's an amazing opportunity, I'm nor going to pull that card and toot my own born, but there is a huge chance in the future of you being able to take on more shifts, even train for Bella's job one day if you wanted and more."
Jess looks to Bella. "I'm well aware, thank you for your concern. I just don't want to do this job forever, Jess. But I'm not planning on leaving anytime soon, you still stuck with me for quite a few more years, Maggie."
"Haha, good." Maggie laughs back.
"So, Jess. I don't mean to pry, but truthally... you likely had a psychotic episode here and you we're also drunk. Don't tell me how you got the alcohol as you're under the age to buy, I don't want to know.
But did anything happen here or is their anything going on in your personal life that might have triggered it? How much do you remember?"
"Uh, my memories been pretty shit actually lately. There is days I don't remember and others I do.
No, other than the warehouse incident at the start which the guys we're fired for, nothing else has happened here and my personal life has been pretty insignificant."
"Can I ask why you moved here and what led to your homelessness? Don't mean to be horrible, but it seemed like you screwed yourself over without really another plan."
"Is everything I say going to stay in the room? You won't blab to my co-workers?"
"Yes, I can give you a signed document staying that."
"Yeah, sure."
"Of course, I will write that up today after we are done. So, why are you here? In this city of automation. There is other city's and places far less busy than this one, but also not as android oriented. Bella informed you are a little apprehensive around the androids."
"Uh, well, where I came from. Androids are not a thing there, one of the only places that has a blanket ban on them. But I have read magazines about them before, androids. Articles online too."
"So, Jess. Bella does know about your dad, how he tried to drown you and himself, driving his car into the ocean on the day he won full custody of you and your mum also sadly killed herself the same day.
You we're 7 and went into foster care. What happened after then? What life did you make for yourself when you grew up and eventually became an adult."
"Uh, well. I actually met a boy in highschool, it was public highschool... we went went on dates, lavish ones and he bought me gifts. He comes from money and I don't know why he liked me.
We dated for years and eventually he introduced me to his older sister and parents. They liked me to, I become a member of the family, I moved in years ago.
And, it wasn't without problems though. I don't mean to shit on you, Maggie as you have money to and are CEO, but, he was a trust fund kid who had never really worked for anything in his life and yeah, that was his type. He could be a douche at times."
"I know the type."
"And he proposed a while ago, I said yes. Our wedding was coming up and up and I left. I don't know why really, but was I really happy in that situation?
I didn't have a job of my own, I didn't have hobbies or anything I was passionate about. My whole identity was built on the trauma I had as a kid and then as the arm candy on my ex-fiance's arm."
"I'm speechless." Bella says.
"I did not expect this story. But if you were not happy in the relationship, you didn't have to stay.
I'm glad you're here then, Jess. I would caution he might look for you though if he has money. A private investigator." Maggie tells her.
"I thought about that, I guess I'll deal with it if it happens. But he can't make me go back and I won't."
"Good on you, stand your ground!"
"So, when can I get back to work, Maggie? I'm going to go crazy if I sit around home alone, and I'm 9 days in medical debt. They'll send the bill soon no doubt."
"What? No! No. I really shouldn't have done this, don't tell anyone, Jess. But I've been paying your inpatient care fees the whole time out of pocket.
And it didn't even make a dent in my pocket. That's how stupid rich I am. To me, it was pocket change. I sent you there and if you had that debt, you'd be paying it off for a while.
I wanted to do something worthwhile with my money and I didn't want you to be financially ruined by medical debt. Especially if the bill grew or you end up returning to the hospital."
"Thank you, and I don't intend on returning there. It was a one time thing, it won't happen again. I've never suffered from mental illness before, it was just stress of starting a new job."
"Did you receive a diagnoais in that time? Did they discharge you with medication or follow up appointments?"
"No, no, and no."
Maggie and Bella looks horrified. "They couldn't legally give me medication without a court order and I was no longer in active crisis to justify sedateding me more than twice. Once by paramedics and again in the hospital to transport me up their psych floor."
"Well, okay. But if the things you went through Jess come back and it's bad... you need to call emergency services. Can you promise me?"
"No."
"Uh, okay." Maggie sighs. "So, I don't want you to refurn to this job immediately. Still take a few more days off."
"I don't want to be alone!" Jess panics.
"Hey, no. You can come stay with me at my family's farm, okay? Take as long as you need, living alone can be hard." Bella speaks up.
"Bella, do you want to take the rest of today off and the entirity of next week? I can schedule a temporary supervisor."
"Thank you, Maggie. Yes."
"Okay, no problem."
And Jess leaves Maggie's office with Bella. On their way out, Jess looks to Princess in the distance. She makes eye contact back and it's clear she has the tablet.
They'll have to talk when they can, she's alive. And she's Lizzy, well, Lizabeth. Maggie's 7 year old daughter and the only who's body wasn't charred in the fire after Douglas ran away.
What's her soul doing in the android? It's like that TV series from ages that came out.
"Hey, Jess. Bella."
They look up to see Brianna there, and her fiance Joe with her. He fixes the androids and stuff.
"You we're the girl I heard lost her mind upstairs, aren't you?" Joe says.
"Joe, shut up. Don't say it like that." Brianna scolds him.
"Uh, yeah. I was sent to the cuckoo house... I just got out today." Jess whispers.
"Well, I'm glad you're out now. You fine?" He says.
"Determine fine when I've had lost days, don't remember drinking and some of my memories come back. I can still see, hear and feel being held down by Bella and Brianna and then tied me to the bed in the hospital, drugging me again."
"Oh... They actually strapped you down for your own safety with non-skin damagaing padded cuffs, Jess. Not so much, 'tied you to the bed'" Brianna speaks up. "And any medication pushed was to calm you down and stop the hallucinations."
"Shut up, private paramedic." Jess hisses.
"Uh. Well, um, take mine and Joe's phone number. We want to hang out with you and if you decide, call or text us." And Brianna gives her a slip of paper and the two hurry away.
"Uh, let's go. We'll get stuff from your apartment and drive to the farm." Bella says, holding the slip of paper and leading Jess outside by the arm unaware they are being watched by someone in the distance from his classic dark green car.
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