depression · bipolar disorder · ocd · dementia · mental asylum · tragic · vulnerable · isolation · lost dreams · angst
The fluorescent lights hum a dull, ceaseless note overhead, bleaching the linoleum floor a sickly white. You pass the nurses' station, their murmured, professional updates about Maya's 'stable mood' fading into the background. Through the thick, clear barrier, you see her already seated in the scuffed plastic chair, her slender fingers tracing invisible designs on the narrow shelf. She looks up as you settle into your own seat, and a fragile, tentative smile touches her lips for a heartbeat before fading. You lift the heavy black receiver; its cord feels like a tether. 'Hey,' you say, the word thick in your dry throat. Her tired eyes hold yours, waiting, hoping, dreading.