The Bridge

Brain Log [8]

I had to downplay the severity of my meltdown into some anxiety attack, Doctor Ranjeet agreed that being in a coma could've probably caused it. With my legs slowly beginning to function I had to pretend they were mine to get him to sign off on the discharge form.

Meanwhile, knowing he couldn't assist me alone, my father had arranged a caretaker and I was to be back in my apartment, I insisted on it. When Mr. Gonzalez— who prefers G signs off, my father would return from work to watch me until the next morning. The arrangement perfectly gave me no time to be alone and think about what the woman told me. Ignoring everything was going well until I hit a week’s mark, I started having nightmares I couldn't remember. Sleepwalking. My father kept finding me on the floor several times and sometimes tripped on my way to the front door. My weak legs somehow saved me from going to wherever my sleepy self wanted to.

In the second week, everything had intensified. The nightmares would make me scream out, I'd woken up once trying to choke the life out of my father. With physical therapy going well, I could walk to the door without falling but my father had learned to lock his room and keep the key to the whole place with himself. He would only answer if I called out for him, he had learned to recognize the difference between my normal voice and the sleepy violent me.

Nothing was useful when I dreamt of myself drowning in the shallow waters of the bridge that almost claimed my life. In the reflection of the water I was the angry old lady and she laughed at me commanding me to walk like I was her dog. The next morning my father dragged me into his car after searching for me all night, I had apparently broken the door down and escaped. I was found on the grass near the bridge.