I knew someone was on the other side of the one-way mirror. I could feel their gaze piercing me. A silence hung throughout the room, so thick any movement might cut it and let loose a torrent of disruption.


    Annie, poor, poor Annie.I rocked back and forth on the ground, staring into that small blue lamp which sat in the center of my dim bone-white room. My eyes, puffy and swollen from the tears streaming down my cheeks, could hardly make out its details.


    I closed them, squeezing them shut as hard as I could. I hoped seeing darkness would make the memories go away, that it might bring me peace. But it didn''t. I could still see the car and the blood as clearly as though it were right in front of me. The familiar screams echoed in my ears, the flashing lights blinded me, and nothing could stop Annie from dying over and over again.


    It still made me feel numb, like a lifeless, empty husk.


    "Lily?" The door clicked open, and I flinched, my eyes shooting open. Light flooded into the dim white room from the hallway''s bright lights. A woman in a white coat knelt down beside me and touched my shoulder gently. She was familiar. I didn''t know her name. I had never asked before. "Are you ready to do your exercises for today?" Her voice was gentle and filled with empathy, as if talking to a wounded animal.


    I rocked back and forth, shaking my head repeatedly. I stared forward, blocking the nurse''s voice as she rubbed my shoulder, tried to talk to me, and coaxed my strained white hands out of fists.


    "Lily, I need you to touch your thumb and pinkie together. Can you do that for me?"


    Annie.


    The woman touched her pinkie and thumb together, showing me how to do it. "Lily?"


    I slowly raised my hand, staring at my shaky hands as I methodically brought my thumb and pinkie together, before letting the nurse pull them apart slowly.


    "You know, I think you''re getting better." She smiled at me as she wrote something down on her clipboard.


    My heart leaped as I caught sight of a red smudge behind the woman. It wasn''t blood.


    On the opposite side of the room, Annie stood there, her vibrant red hair standing out from the plain white background. Her frizzy hair framed a round freckled face, a large toothy smile plastered across it. Her presence filled the room with a sense of hope and comfort, a stark contrast to the sterile environment.She was back!


    I stood up, tearing past the nurse as I stumbled towards Annie. "Annie?" I collapsed into her, my body uncontrollably trembling as I cried happily. She smelled like home. I pulled her closer, I wasn''t sure if I''d ever be able to let go.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Lily, it''s okay. I''m here for you." Annie''s light voice was cheerful as always, not the least bit concerned.


    I drew her back from my hug to look at her, tears and snot running down my face. Those were her eyes, the same eyes that lit up when we played hide-and-seek. Those were her ears, the same ears that listened to my problems. Those were her arms, the same arms that embraced me when I was sad, and she held the same mouth that told me I was her best friend in the whole world. It was her; she was here!


    I buried my face in her tangled hair, my sobs echoing through the room. "I-I''ve missed you." I cried, tears streaming down my face. "I can''t believe you''re back."How was she back?


    The nurse touched my shoulder, trying to pull me back gently. "Lily, we need to get back to your exercises."


    "But Annie''s back," I said, still beaming at Annie. All was right in the world now.


    "She''s not here, sweetie." The nurse tried to pull me away from Annie.


    "No! Annie''s right here." I clung to Annie even harder, resisting as the nurse tried to pull me away gently.What was she doing?


    "Lily, please come back to our exercises. You were doing so well." Her voice was strained, almost pitying, as she tried to pull me back towards her.


    "No!" I shouted, trying to get away from the nurse. "I can''t lose her again!" After the car crash, I thought I''d never be happy again. Now Annie was back; she wasn''t dead, and I could be happy again.


    "She''s not here." The nurse soothed me, trying to pull me away from Annie again.


    I couldn''t understand why the nurse was trying to take me from Annie; I could leave this place now. We could go home now and continue our lives. Everything would be okay.


    "Lily, listen to me." The nurse looked at me, gently touching my cheek and forcing me to look at her. "Annie''s not here. You''re having one of your episodes again. You need to relax, alright?"


    "But Annie''s here," I repeated, looking back to where Annie stood; a large smile was on her face. I could feel her warm hands in mine.


    The nurse cupped my face, forcing me to look at her. "No, she''s not, Annie''s gone. She''s been gone for a year, honey."


    A year? Has it really been a year since the crash?


    I glanced back at Annie, who gave me a sad smile. I didn''t understand it. Why was she sad when we would be together again? When Annie opened her mouth to speak, I was sure she would tell the nurse that we wanted to go home, but instead Annie looked at me. "I have to go now."


    "What?"


    My heart dropped as she tried to step away.


    I held on tighter. "What do you mean?" The warm hand I was holding onto slowly faded.


    "No! You can''t go!" I screamed, I clawed at her, reaching for anything solid I could hold onto, anything I could grab to keep her here with me. There was nothing I could do as Annie''s soft smile faded too.


    It felt like my sanity was leaving with her.


    Despite my screams and desperation, she disappeared like a memory, until there was nothing left but a white room with a broken girl and a coaxing nurse.


    "No," I whispered, my heart plummeting. Annie couldn''t be gone. She had just come back. "No! Come back, please," I begged, my legs no longer could hold me. "No, don''t leave me alone again." I sobbed, and fear and pain clenched my heart.


    "It''s okay, Lily." I felt the nurse embrace me as I cried, collapsing against her. She slowly lowered me to the ground as I wailed softly, bringing my knees to my chest as I shook uncontrollably. "I''ll come back in a few minutes to complete your exercises, okay?" She rubbed my back as she stood and walked out of the room, giving me a reassuring smile.


    I let out a wail, hysteria clouding my vision.She was dead. Annie was dead.I sunk into a corner and whimpered. I started to rock back and forth, burying my head in my knees as I shifted back and forth, my sobs echoing through the empty room—poor, poor Annie.


    Poor, poor Annie.