Why isn’t anybody helping me? My mother is dying on the floor and they all are staring at me as if I am going crazy. There a blood gushing out of her and since they have all entered the room, they have not even looked once at her.“Jen,” Robert says as he walks close to me, his eyes are filled with worry and pity. Chad is standing not far and he looks heartbroken while James and Carlos have looks of confusion all over their faces.“Tell me what’s wrong?” He asks me as he reaches me, he then leads me toward the bed and beckons me to sit. I do as he says but I keep my eyes trained on the lifeless body of my mother.“I am going to check on Jake, I will be right back,” Chad says and then he exits the room.“Carlos, get her some water, would you?” James begs Carlos and he agrees by saying, “Sure.”“Why are you not helping?” I ask him in a sad tone, and he sighs.“Tell me how I can help,” He reaches for my hand and I let him have it. “Save her!” I raise my voice slightly and I jerk my hand
Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that affects less than one percent of the U.S. population. When schizophrenia is active, symptoms can include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, trouble with thinking, and lack of motivation.However, with treatment, most symptoms of schizophrenia will significantly improve and the likelihood of a recurrence can be diminished.The complexity of schizophrenia may help explain why there are misconceptions about the disease. Schizophrenia does not mean split personality or multiple-personality. Most people with schizophrenia are not any more dangerous or violent than people in general. While limited mental health resources in the community may lead to homelessness and frequent hospitalizations, it is a misconception that people with schizophrenia end up homeless or living in hospitals. Most people with schizophrenia live with their families, in group homes, or independently.I can remember the speech clearly as if it was yesterday, a
“So…” I drag the word, waiting for Chad to say something but he just stares at me expectantly.“Are you not going to say anything?” I ask him, the silence in the room is so loud that I feel uncomfortable.“When did you stop taking your medications?” He finally speaks and I sigh lowly.“Come on, Chad, you know that I don’t take those things anymore,” I reply to him and he frowns.“What does that even mean? They were given to you for a reason,” He raises his voice slightly and I click my tongue on my teeth, making a small clicking sound.“I’m not sick anymore,” I argue back and Chad scoffs.“You had a breakdown at the mental hospital the hospital a couple of months ago, you literally just had a hallucination!” He argues back.“What the hell do you expect?!” I yell back at him and I stand to my feet while he remains seated. He looks so frustrated and annoyed that I am not taking my medications, and I don’t blame him, I know that he is just concerned.“I literally thought my best friend d
I walk out of the room and I can hear the footsteps of Chad coming after me. The air smells like bacon and that gives me the hint that James and Carlos are back from the supermarket. James’ favorite food is bacon, the man is in love with it. He eats it any time of the day, no time of the day stops him from eating it.I don’t know what triggered his obsession with it, but since he came back from the hospital after the explosion, he just fell in love with it.“Jen, we are talking, stop walking away from me,” I hear Chad’s voice and I stop in my tracks. I turn around and I face him. He has a firm frown on his face and he does not seem pleased by my response to him going to West Africa.The thing is, it is not about the location. West Africa, Liberia is an aesthetic place, but it is about the reason he is going there.“I have made my decision, Jen, and I am not changing my mind. I have always supported you and been there for you, even when you decided to sidetrack our plan a year ago to a
As the young man walks close to me, I watch his every move. He is trying to act all tough and masculine, but I could take all three of these men within a heartbeat.“I said that I want you,” He says when his face is only inches away from me.“Well, that’s sad, because I don’t. I am taken and I have a son, so I am no longer eligible to play games,” I smirk as I tell him bravely.We lock eyes and he starts a staredown, not blinking as each second passes. I indulge in his little game and I stare into his eyes. He has green eyes and due to the fact that he has not blinked in a few seconds, they are getting teary.“Damn, Lil mama, you are a tough one,” He says as he finally blinks and walks a few steps backward. I laugh at his response and his friends are laughing too.“Well…” I boast and he nods approvingly.“I like you, I like how straightforward you are, and you even have more balls than Zeke here,” He refers to one of his friends. The friend with a buzzcut who I think is Zeke, punches
“Why do you guys act like you don’t know me?” Rob gives his friends a wink and he then walks away from us, towards the very front of the line.“What does he mean?” I ask Zeke and Jeff, but they both shrug, letting me know that they have no idea what Rob is doing either.We all watch Rob as he finesses his way to the front of the line. There is a guard standing there and also a round-shaped lady. She is the one looking at everyone's tickets and allowing them to enter the cinema. It seems funny to me because so many people are out here and the movies have already started. Before half of these people get in, the movie might be ending already, so what’s the use?When Rob has finally reached the lady who is looking at other people's tickets, he calls for her attention, but from the looks of things, she is clearly ignoring him. He then takes out his ID and shows it to the guard next to the lady.The buff man takes it from his hand tentatively and his facial expression softens. He then taps
“Oh my gosh, Rob,” I say to him, and he nods nonchalantly like he just did not tell me something traumatizing.“I’m so sorry,” I say to him and he smiles warmly.“It’s okay, she is in a better place, I’m sure,” He replies to me.I really don’t know what to do since Rob told me something as personal as that.“Do you want me to take you home?” He suggests and I shrug.“If that is fine by you,” I reply to him and he starts walking, leading the way. I begin to walk and I follow him. As we walk side by side, I notice that Rob might be doing a lot of thinking. He is reticent and his facial expression is serious.After a few seconds of walking, he finally speaks.“Whatever you may be going through, know that it is temporary and will pass,” He tells me and I smile in response. He must be thinking of his sister.“Would you like to tell me about your sister? What was she like? If it’s okay with you, that is,” I say to him.“Oh, that’s fine. My sister was a beauty,” He begins and a smile creeps
“What the hell are you doing?” I ask her and she chuckles dryly. The guy standing next to her looks insanely nervous, and he is looking everywhere else but at us.“No, what the hell are you doing?!” Her voice is loud and demanding, only causing my anger to become stronger.“Even if I come home at two in the freaking morning, that does not mean crap! I am a grown woman and you certainly are not my father!” She yells in my face and if she wasn’t a lady and the love of my life, I would have smacked her hard across her face already.I scoff at her in response and she rolls her eyes.“Of course, you barely care for anyone but yourself, which is why you drove your own best friend out the door just because he wanted to be happy!” We are now in a full-blown yelling match and I can already hear footsteps. It must be James and Carlos coming to see what is going on.My words seem to affect her and she is left speechless. Although I am pissed beyond what I can comprehend, the look that crosses Je