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Running out of Time
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2022-08-24 11:20:34Related chapters
A Troubled Mind Confusion
"Cara, you need to wake up honey. Come on now. Wake up." Cara's mother called to her softly. Cara wasn't ready to wake up yet. She laid there stubbornly holding her eyes shut. "Cara, come on dear. It's time to wake up. You'll be late. Let's go, wake up now." Cara felt her mother gently push on her shoulder, but still she laid there refusing to open her eye's. She was tired. She wasn't ready to start her day just yet. Was it a school day? She couldn't remember. She thought it might be the weekend. But if it was the weekend, then why was mom making her wake up before she was ready? As tired as she was it had to be early? "Oh! If it's the weekend then it's my birthday!" Cara excitedly opened her eyes and sat straight up. But she was shocked to see that her mother was no where to be seen. She sat there on her bed looking around confused for a bit. Did she dream that her mother was trying to wake her up? Then she remembered that she had in fact had some crazy dreams all night. Something a
Last Updated : 2022-08-25A Troubled Mind When History Repeats
"Cara, honey, time to wake up! Come on, Cara wake up!" Cara's mother called out to her. For half a second Cara considered pretending she hadn't heard her mom. She knew it was early because she was still so tired. As she laid there holding her eyes closed and pretending to still be asleep she suddenly remembered the happenings of the day before. Her eyes flew open wide as she sat up and looked around. She was back in her room! She was in her own bed and again there was no sign of her mother. Cara didn't understand. How had she ended up in her own bed? She clearly remembered falling asleep at Kaylee's house. Slowly she pulled the covers from on top of her and saw that she was once again wearing her oversized t-shirt. She looked around her room trying to make it all make sense. Had she had a nightmare? A nightmare made more sense than what she had experienced had been real. Cautiously, she swung her legs over the side of her bed and allowed them to hang over her plush fusia colored rug
Last Updated : 2022-08-26A Troubled Mind The Hospital
Cara approached the entrance to the hospital cautiously. She was unsure of what to expect. But also excited that this was at least something new. She half heartedly pondered exactly how she had ended up on the opposite side of town. Nothing about what she had been experiencing made any sense whatsoever to her. She was afraid to get her hopes up, but she was silently hoping that someone would be inside the hospital. Cara's heart sank as she stepped into the main lobby. One look around the atrium and beyond and it was obvious that there wasn't another soul around. She continued to walk through the large area. In the middle there was a fountain surrounded by greenery. The hospital was six stories high. Here in the atrium vines and other plants ran all the way up to the top floor with a huge sky light above the fountain. Every floor had a railing which allowed the atrium to be viewed no matter what floor you were on. All around the atrium there were small waiting areas scattered here
Last Updated : 2022-08-28A Troubled Mind Not Alone
Making sure to maintain contact with the wall helped to keep Cara feeling grounded. She needed that tactile contact to keep her fear at bay as she navigated the darkness within the hallway. The steady sound of the beep drew her forward. It was steady and constant. Cara focused on the noise like her life depended upon the repetitive, unending noise. She slowly walked forward into the unknown sliding her hand along the wall slightly ahead of her. Ever so many feet she could feel the outline of papers or informational signs or door frames and doors. Once her hand ran across a key pad lock and she startled at the resounding noises made when she pushed the wrong buttons. After what felt like an impossibly long time her hand felt the corner of the wall. She believed she was now at the end of the hall and that this must be where another hallway began. Keeping her right hand on the corner she held up her left hand in front of her as she slowly attempted to turn down what she believed was an
Last Updated : 2022-08-28A Troubled Mind Autumn
Cara felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck, causing her to reach up and rub it as she opened her eyes. She began blinking repeatedly to bring everything around her back into focus. Looking around her she realized that it was a nice sunny afternoon and that she was sitting in her mother's rocking chair on her own front porch. Having nodded off, her head had been hanging in an odd way for too long causing the sharp pain. She slowly picked her head up and returned it to a more natural position. She had to move slowly because it was so stiff. Above her birds were chirping in the trees and a cool fall breeze was blowing gently through her hair. Cara loved evenings such as this. Autumn was her favorite time of year. Not just because of her birthday, either. There were so many other reasons. This time of year was still warm enough for so many different outdoor activities, but not as hot as summer. She loved pumpkin patches and craved everything pumpkin spice! Hay rides and fest
Last Updated : 2022-08-29A Troubled Mind Time to Think
Cara, felt so disoriented. She tried to close her eyes to shut out the white light. But it was as if her eyes were stuck wide open. When she tried to cover her eyes with her hands that didn't work either. At first she thought she might be tied down. But when she attempted to move her arms she didn't feel any resistance. She tried to move her legs, but it was the same as when she tried to move her hands. There was no feeling of resistance. As best as she could tell she wasn't bound up or anything. Instead it was almost as if she just didn't have arms or legs to move. She thought it was very strange that this thought didn't fill her with panic. Instead, she really didn't seem to care very much at all. She didn't know what it all meant. Maybe she was really dead. The thought of being dead didn't make her feel afraid, or sad, or even angry at having her young life cut short. Maybe a little annoyed, but again that was mostly because she didn't know how to navigate this place. So, because
Last Updated : 2022-08-30A Troubled Mind Another Off Day
Cara's eye lids felt so heavy. She wanted to open them, but was unable to do so. She tried to sit up, but couldn't. As she laid there trying to figure out her current situation she heard the sound of a door opening and closing somewhere near her. That was followed by the sound of sneakers on linoleum. She struggled to open her eyes again. But again she failed to do so. "Hey, I see you sis", a familiar male voice said from somewhere in front of her. She was trying to place where she knew his voice from when he spoke up again. "Mom. Hey, mom. Mom, wake up. She's doing it again." Cara scrunched her brows at his words. Who was doing what? Who was that guy? "Hey! She just... she just did it again! Mom! Look!" The familiar guy's voice called out again, more excited this time. Cara heard a chair slide across a floor and the noise was then followed by the sounds of footsteps approaching her. Once more she struggled to open her eyes. Once more it was impossible to do. "Cara. Cara, honey,
Last Updated : 2022-08-30A Troubled Mind Calm Down
"What? Tara? You're Tara? But how... how are you Tara? I saw you.You had the mask, the uniform...Your hair was BLACK! How are you Tara? Who even is Tara? Who are you?" Cara rambled on and on, unable to calm down. This was crazy. What was going on? Cara was so upset and confused. She started hyperventilating and began to feel light headed like she might faint. "Where am I? Why am I here? Where's my mom? I want my mom!" She screamed out at the now red headed young woman in front of her. She began trembling violently. And had to fall back into the chair to keep from falling off the edge of it into the floor. Tara, knelt down in front of her and placed her hands on Cara's arms before she looked up with a deep concern evident on her face. "Cara, sweety, You Have Got to Calm Down! I can help you understand. But only if you Calm Down. Please, Cara, this is so important. Everything is riding on you and your ability to chill out!You can make this all stop. But you have to calm down and stop ru
Last Updated : 2022-08-31
Latest chapter
A Troubled Mind The Talk
Once Angela had gotten Cara back into her bed she made sure her daughter was comfortable before dumping the commode into the bathroom toilet. She then moved the entire apparatus back into the restroom. Once everything was done she quickly walked over to the door and called the guys back into the room. Micheal and the boys walked in and greeted Cara again. They all teased and made small talk as Angela rushed around the room tidying it up and clearing places for all of them to sit down. After Angela made room for the guys to sit down she grabbed a hair brush and helped Cara with brushing out her hair. Micheal watched his wife fuss first over the room and then over their daughter. He knew full well what she was doing. In all of the years that they had been married, he knew his wife's little quirks. She was busying herself because she was trying to build up the courage she needed to discuss everything with Cara that her daughter had missed while in the coma. Angela lived for her childre
A Troubled Mind Standing Together
There was a soft knock on the hospital room door before Angela heard the door knob turn. Looking up and over to the door expectantly, she smiled as she saw first husband walk into the room and then her two grown sons followed. She felt a waive of relief wash over her. Immediately, in their presence, she felt a hundred times stronger than before. They smiled back at her before glancing in unison over at their sleeping sister. Angela stood and hugged them each individually before sighing aloud. "I'm so glad you guys came. I'm sorry to start your morning off with worry and stress. Cara, had a rough time this morning. They gave her something to help her rest. Just a mild sedative. The doctor said she would most likely wake up soon. I'm really worried about her. She didn't take it very well earlier. I don't know how she will react when she wakes up again. " Micheal tightened his jaw and his eyes watered over. "I knew we should have told her when she woke up yesterday. I was just so hap
A Troubled Mind Not Sorry
Angela sat there watching her daughter sleep and drew a deep, ragged breath. She felt numb. From head to toe and inside-out, she felt completely numb. This was something new and foreign to her. She had become accustomed to feeling fear, terror, anxiousness, and even heartache. On rare occasion she had even experienced hope. That and those other emotions were normal to her now, her constant states of mind over the last 7 months... There had been so much pain and loss. As she pondered her new lack of emotions she looked from her sleeping youngest child to the outside world that was visible through the hospital room's window. She watched as the world went by. Cars driving into and out of the parking lot. People coming and going. She wondered how many of them were happily living their lives unconcerned about their loved ones lives. Angela wondered just how many of them had the misfortune of having a teenage daughter that had been fighting for her life? How many more were simply fortunate
A Troubled Mind Is It Real?
Cara found herself walking along a side walk through what looked like a park. It was a warm sunny day. The sun was high in the sky. Fluffy white clouds floated gently over head in a beautiful blue sky. She could hear children laughing and playing somewhere off in the distance. There were pretty flower beds and well manicured grass covering rolling hills as far as she could see. Scattered here and there were large oaks and magnolia trees providing shade for people to escape the sun if they pleased. Cara saw people playing, exercising, and picnicking with their loved ones. There was exercise for equipment over near a Pavillion and a playground near a builing that had the word restrooms painted on it. Up ahead alongside the sidewalk she could see that there was a large message board. Curious, Cara decided to go take a look at it. As she approached it she could see maps and flyers with information about the park, activities, and local wildlife. She stopped in front of it and looked ove
A Troubled Mind A Father's Pain
(Mike) Dad's POV His sleep had been horrible all night long. Mike tossed and turned. When he managed to sleep it wasn't restful at all. He had been plagued by a terrible nightmare. All night when he slept he was transported back to Kaylee's viewing and funeral. Each time it was the same. He would peer into the coffin but instead of seeing his daughter's best friend laying there it was always Cara. Each time he would wake up, heart racing, barely able to breathe. Then he would toss and turn over and over again until sleep took him again and it would repeat. He was certain that it would drive him mad if he continued to lay there. Looking at his bedside clock he saw that it was almost a quarter to four. Sighing loudly he rubbed his hand over his face in exasperation and made the decision to get up and go make coffee. Then he slung the blanket off of himself and sat up on the side of the bed. He slid his feet into his slippers and sat for a moment rubbing his face. He sighed again as he
A Troubled Mind Reflection and Disappointment
Cara laid there in the dark, listening to the sound of her mother's rhythmic breathing from across the room as she slept on the cot that the hospital staff had brought in for her. The only light in the room was the soft illumination provided by the monitor by her bed. It was silent now. Finally. The nurse was considerate and had muted it when she had made her last rounds so that the two of them could rest. Cara was grateful for this. She had come to find the the incessant beeping more than a little maddening. The sound had haunted her for however long she had been in her coma. She wondered how long she had been asleep. She figured that it must have been at least a week, maybe even two. She would have to ask her mother in the morning. For now she wanted let her mother rest. She watched her mom sleeping peacefully in the soft glow cast by the monitor. Her mother had fallen asleep very quickly. She was out almost before her head hit the pillow. Cara guessed that her mom had spent severa
A Troubled Mind The Reunion
"Hello Cara. I'm Dr. Frankston. I'm very glad to see that you are awake." The handsome older man smiled down at her. He looked over at a pretty blonde nurse and nodded his head. She smiled down at Cara before writing something down on the chart she held in her hands. The nurse looked over at the bedside monitor before turning and whispering something to a male nurse beside her. They both shared a knowing look before turning back to the doctor. They obviously were waiting for further instruction. The doctor smiled down at Cara and then turned to the male nurse, "Mike, if you would please, go let them know. And bring them back down here please." Mike nodded and then smiled down at Cara one last time before leaving the room. "Cara, you've been through quite an ordeal young lady. We are all very happy to have you back with us. Do you know where you are?" The doctor looked expectantly down at her as he awaited her answer. Cara furrowed her brow as she looked first at the doctor
A Troubled Mind Awakening
Cara blinked her eyes over and over as they tried to adjust to the brilliant white light all around her. Eventually as she squinted she could make out a white room all around her. Walls, floor, ceiling, it was all blindingly white. It was also deafeningly silent. Cara could hear her heart beating. The sound echoing in her ears. She looked all around but there was nothing but the vast white, silent room. Cara took a few steps and the sounds of her shoes on the floor echoed all around her. She was confused. She had attempted to enter the hospital room the same as she had before. But this place was definitely not her room. Her mother was not here. There was no hospital bed. No beeping monitor. Nothing was here. She didn't have any idea where she was. It struck her as strange that dispite not knowing where she was she wasn't afraid at all. In fact she felt no anxiety over the matter at all. She thought it was a little odd that she found this place to be strangely comforting. She couldn't e
A Troubled Mind Making Peace
The sun was warm on her face as she sat there on the grass looking out across the pond. There was a small flock of Canadian geese swimming along, honking at each other as they seemed to glide across the mirrored water. Here and there a fish occasionally broke the surface of the water. The reflection of the trees creating the illusion of a twin upside-down forest, their fall colors were amazing. Over on the far bank a few muscovy ducks napped or preened their feathers. Near the ducks was the old dock. Usually there were people fishing or feeding the ducks from there. Today it stood empty. Other than the honks of the geese and occasional quack of the ducks it was completely silent. There was no one else in sight. Cara had always loved to come here. She had been here many times with Mrs. Davies throughout her childhood. They had come to feed the water fowl and to have picnics. As Cara sat there looking around, she wondered if there actually were people here. She wondered if it was like at
