Page 68 of Little Twisted Things

“You know my name?” My brows furrowed.

“Everybody in here knows when someone new arrives.” She smiled. “I’m Evelyn.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Evelyn.”

“I’ve been stuck on seventeen across for,” she glanced up at the clock, “almost an hour.” She turned the crossword toward me.

“Flowers that bloom in clusters.” I smiled. “Hydrangeas.”

“Yes. That’s it!” Evelyn’s face lit up. “I knew it started with an H, but I couldn’t quite remember the word.”

We talked for a while, and some of the other patients walked over and joined us. They all seemed nice and content. Maybe this place wasn’t as frightening as I thought it would be. Another woman walked over with a puzzle box and dumped all the pieces onto the table.

“Can you help me with this?” she asked.

“Of course.”

When I reached for a puzzle piece, I looked up and out the window. I saw Sydney, who sat beneath a tree with a sketchbook balanced on her knees. She looked up and saw me staring. She looked frightened and then continued drawing in her sketchbook. I was confused. What was she doing here? I looked away for a second, and when I looked back, she was gone.

It was three o’clock when George came and got me for my therapy session with Dr. Bondi.

“How did you like the day room?” he asked as we walked down the long hallway.

“I liked it. Everyone here seems nice.”

“Most of them are. But then there are those,” he paused. “Just be careful who you befriend.”

40

Dr. Bondi grabbed her recorder and sat in the chair across from me on the couch.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Did you visit the day room today?”

“I did. I helped Evelyn with her crossword, and I helped Joani with her puzzle.”

“I’m happy to hear that.” She smiled.

“I saw Sydney today when I was in the day room,” I said. “She was sitting under a tree in the courtyard. She had a sketchbook on her lap.”

“What was she doing?” she asked.

“It looked like she was drawing.”

“Did she see you?”

“Yes.”

“Did you speak to her?”

“No. I couldn’t. She was outside. But she looked frightened. I looked away for a second, and when I looked up again, she was gone.”

“Did seeing her make you uncomfortable?”

“No.” I shook my head. “If anything. It made me feel less alone since the others went silent.”