The guard outside knocked once and stuck his head in. “Are you okay? I thought I heard something.”

He hadn’t heard anything and had made an excuse to check up on me. They all did.

“No, Billy. I’m fine.” I wasn’t fine but there was no need to worry him with my problems. When he was worried they forced me to take a special sedative. I couldn’t remember the name of it. Whatever it was, it gave awful dreams.

Billy gave the dark room a cursory look and shrugged. “No problem, Miss Jeanette. If you need anything, don’t be afraid to ring.” Yeah right, I thought. I tried not to be mean to the guards but it was hard not to. They were the face of authority that we all had to deal with on a regular basis.

The security guard waited for me to say something and when I didn’t, he shook his head and closed the door.

Once he was gone, I scrambled back onto the bed and slid my hand into my pillowcase. Down at the bottom I found the pen I had swiped from the nurse’s station earlier. Hopefully, I could write in peace.