The Elephant Summer

8/6/2019 The Elephant Summer

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Chapter one

Laylah! said, Tanner my best friend since kindergarten who was

picked on because her name was supposedly a boy name. All wecould say then was stupid boys Too bad all the guys want her now.

Me on the other hand, not so much, Im kind of the focused type.

Tanner says I need to release my inner beast; whatever that

means. Tanner and I hug after a long vacation more like two weeks.

It was spring break! However this spring break was different, it wasthe first spring break we were away from each other. I for one

thought it was ridiculous but she said it was just fine; that we needed

some time away anyway. I figured her brain was melting from the

heat of spring.

So did you have a good time on spring break? I asked with a bit of

selfishness, as we walked down my street to catch up. Tanner

noticed it.

Whats with you? She said as she looked at me with a raised

eyebrow.

Like she didnt know. You KNOW what is wrong with me!Oh sure I do Laylah, because ya know I can read minds. She laughs

and puts her index and middle finger to her temple like a telepath.


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Very funny Tanner! You left me this spring break; I was ALL alone

with family to cope with! I put the back of my hand to my head and

pretend to faint.

God Lay you are so selfish sometimes! She stops me in mid walk

and gets down on her bony knees and begs. Dear Laylah please

forgive me, for being so cruel and for not being your babysitter over

spring break! She gets up and then continues. Oh and please

forgive me for having a life! She laughs but not the hearty laugh Im

used to, the laugh that says your being a little pathetic.

We walk in silence for a few moments before I give in.

Im sorry okay, I just, She interrupts me.

You just what? Need someone to always watch over you? Laylah!

We are sophomores in high school. Come on! She notices the hurtin my eyes. She sighs. Laylah what Im saying is, I know that weve

been best friends for a while now, This time I interrupt.

try forever.

Since forever, but you have to be okay with us not always being

together.

We both stop in front of her house not saying anything. I am being

selfish. I am.


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Laylah?

Ill see you tomorrow. And just like that Tanner is gone. Problem

is, I never saw Tanner tomorrow, I never saw her again. Tanner died

that night. She called me11:16pm. I didnt pick up. I was so mad at

her. Why would I? I wish I had. Problem is, I cant take it back. She

left me a voice mail.

Lay? Laylah, I know you can hear me.

Im sorry Lay. I just(she sighs here and there is silence and for a

moment I thought she was gone.)

I need you to call me. Something isnt right. I can feel it.

You know how in church, we always said God will give us warnings. Ithink He is giving me one. I really do.

I cant stay here tonight, at home I mean. Something isnt right. Call

me.

Chapter 2

My eyes snap open. My heart is racing, so fast it hurts. Im soaked in

my own sweat. Laying in it. Bad dream? I dont remember anything.

Im not in my bed. Im not at home. ImIm


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Laylah? Sweetheart wake up My head is being cooled. The room

is way too bright. There are voices, some familiar some not.Too

many of them to deciphers, thats what I decide anyway. Can I open

my eyes? I try to open them, I cant its too bright. Laylah babyits

dad. Open your eyes. My dad. Im gone again; I dont know when I

woke up. I dont know what happened. I just know that when I woke

up, I was covered in sweat again. This has to stop happening Lay?

You alright sweetheart? my mom says softly. I want to tell her no,

that I dont know what is going on, but Im too busy taking in mysurroundings. Im in a hospital. North Tamed Hospital. My hometown

hospital. Soon I cant think anymore and my heart hurts. There is

this awful sound coming from my mouth and something falling on my

face. My mom engulfs me and Im gone again.

When I finally awake. I feel better, I feel panicked, anxious but better.Mom. I cant even talk, Im choking. I notice someone in the room

that cant be my mother, she is weak and frail. She comes at me like

a lost puppy. Eyes illuminated.

Lay, Shes going to break, if she were a porcelain doll she would be

oldest. Her eyes cracked and let streaks of light in. I want to speak,ask her what is going on but I cant. I look at my arm which looks like

it has been tied with tubes and something pouring through them.

Almost on key my dad steps up. Serious and firm, hes died and has


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been raised again. He smells like coffee and burning sugar, the smell

wraps its putrid hands around my neck.

Lay, My dad speaks up. You are in the hospital. NO dad really?

We found you, on the road, yesterday. We thought you were healed,

since its been a month since, Tanner. He stops talking. I close my

eyes at Tanner she was my best friend and shes haunting me. I

dont believe in her. I swallow hard not being able to talk sucks.

What?

We found you, the police found you on the side of the road. You left

in the middle of a storm. You had taken some pills. Some very bad

pills sweetheart. You are sick. Your body is very fragile baby. I

choke on air this time, I shut my mouth again. Just then a scrawny

man who looks like his lab coat swallows him, walks in. Hello LaylahIm Doctor Krine. He is talking to loud, I wish the smell of my dad

would choke him. How are you feeling? I cant say anything so I

dont. Not talking huh? Well thats alright. Ive already had a very

long talk with your parents. He walks to the big monstrous machine

pumping me with liquid, I feel like a water balloon. Stretched skin,

almost about to pop. I stare down at my hands, tube infested, and the

invasion of rope tape.


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You are very sick Laylahdo you know that? My eyes dart to my

parents then back to the doctor. Dont they know I cant talk? My

mouth, my throat, my voice box are all dried out.

Laylah, you have to talk to him. Hes not going to hurt you. He just

wants to talk to you baby. My mom is as broken as she looks.

I I nearly choke to death. The room stands still for a while, then

my heart crashbangs into my stomach and rattles against my ribs.

The machine is going crazy. Dr. Krine calls to my parents and asksthem to leave. Yells at them to get out. My eyes are flashing, black

dots are everywhere. My heart is racing so fast, like a train. Buzzers

are going off everywhere. I cant see, cant breathe, cant to talk.

The nurse plugs another tube into my arm. The buzzers stop. My

mom is called back into the room my dad follows. She is crying. She

is breaking. Eyes filled with pain and cracking with fear. I want to tellher Im fine, but I dont even know what is happening.

Icant. My mother runs to my side with all life left.

You cant what? What cant you do Lay? just like that Im mute

again.

Then I feel it again, Im choking. I cant get better. My mom sits

back in her and lowers her head, she cries. She has finally broken. I


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broke her. Its my fault. Tanner. My Mother. Me here. Its my fault.

Mine.

I cry. I cry and cry until there is nothing left and my head melts andhardens into hard wax. My dad is trying to console me saying things

like. there there, its alright, hush babygirl, its okay. Im no longer

choking I have full control of my head, my voice. All the room is still

but me and I move at light speeds as I rocket up from the bed. Im in

his face when time slows. My breath uneven and rigid. My heart

crashbanging, the machine buzzing, everything. I yell.

You are lying to me! Stop it please! The machine calms again, I

have broken my father. I wonder how many hearts I can break

tonight.

Dr. Krine walks in a little later or maybe it was a long while later. I

still have no track of time.

Laylah are you ready to talk, He notices my parents in the corner.

Yes Dr. Krine I did that too.

I want you to tell me. What is wrong with me?

Laylah..have you ever heard of anorexia?

A firebomb explodes in my face, heat rushes over my back and my

neck, Im sweating. Im quiet. I dont want to talk anymore but Dr.

Krine doesnt seem to care.


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You Laylah, you are anorexic. We think it may have something to do

with your friend Tanner passing away. Just then another lady walks

in, shes looks tired. Like my mother, only worse. This is Dr. Lang

she is going to help you figure this out okay?

I dont need her. Dr. Lang is stone, she doesnt look broken. Shes

unbreakable. I cross my arms. My arms are prickling with sweat.

When can I go home?

Laylah babygirl you are very sick sweetheart. Even though myfather is broken he still talks. Weird. You cant come home right

away. He looks at Dr. Krine for help.

Dr. Krine steps closer to my bed. You are going to be moved to a

place that takes care of people with eating disorders. You..

I dont let him finish before I continue. Dr. Krine..

Yes?

I dont have a disorder. I dont have an eating disorder.

My mother is shattering in my fathers arms and my father is trying

to glue her back together. Dr. Lang excuses herself and when she

returns she has pamphlets. River Centre.

Im not going. I dont have a disorder. Im not sick.


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You are leaving tomorrow Laylah; Ill be with you every step of the

way. Dr. Lang says.

Chapter 3

My head is so heavy. They have given me something that is to heavy

for my eyes. When I finally get them open a nurse is there with a

tray of food. A lot of food. A banana, 2 pieces of toast (buttered),

orange juice, and something elseI dont know why she brought that

in. Maybe it is just normal procedure for hospitals? I never eat in themorning. I just dont have time is all. She sits the tray in front of me.

Here you are Laylah. She smiles at me then continues. You need

to eat okay, you are very weak and have a long day today. Make sure

you drink that packet okay? She stands it up on my tray and cuts

the corner off. What is that a juice box? Im not five. My mother is

looking at me. My father must have glued her back together while I

was sleeping.

Eat Laylah. My head turns toward her.

Im not hungry.

She looks down, then walks over to me. Eat.

Im not hungry, you think I want to eat after all of this Mom?!

Eat Laylah! For Gods sake just eat something! Shes shaking.


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Stop yelling at me! I pick up the banana. I hate bananas so I sit that

back down on the tray. Her eyes are hard and locked on me. Shes

waiting for me to eat something. I cant. I can bite something cant I?

I put a napkin on the buttered toast. There is way too much butter on

it. My mom doesnt refute.

I take a bite of the corner. I stare into her face, looking for

satisfaction in her brow, her lips, her eyes. I cant find it.

More.

Mom!

Laylah Michaels!

Good morning? Says Dr. Lang as she walks in. Mrs. Michaels,

please sit down. Thank God for Dr. Lang. Arent you going to eat

something Laylah? She notions my tray. I dont notice. I believe the

nurse told you to drink that packet

What is it?

A nutritional drink. I dont say anything. She leans on the bed post.

Ill make you a deal, drink that and I wont make you eat what is onyour tray.

Well, how many calories are in it?

I cant say.


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Well then I just rather not eat.

That wasnt the deal Laylah.

I never said I wanted to make the deal.

You have to eat. The two pieces of toast and the orange juice. The

banana and the two pieces of toast. Or the nutritional drink. Your

choice. She walked out of the room like she didnt even care.

Whatever.

I sat there for 3 hours before I decided to just take the nutritional

drink.

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The Elephant Summer