Darlene gave me a white gown. I'm going calling her Darlene. She has this round face that's too tight at the same time to smile. Her eyes are a bright blue and with me being 6'5, she's gotta be a good six foot two or three. She's pale as shit but she wants to be black so bad. Before she left she asked, 'How do you put on a wig.' but in description, I know she means like sow-ins and quick glue weaves.
I've never seen a white girl put in weave and I'm not saying they can't. I just never walked by a white girl and went she got hair like mine.
Don't they usual wear clips?
My hair sticks out, they hair hang. My afro doesn't reach my back, they do. I have to get a perm that will kill my scalp.
But that's besides the point. I just stand in front of mirror and admire my figure… actually I'm very boxy. I can't help but frown.
All because I wanted steroids. Well, now is a good time to get off of them. I hear a knock and a doctor with a mustache comes in, "My name is Doctor Vance Fisher." he comes over and gives me his hand. We shake to my displeasure. "Mokiri Gains?"
"Yes?"
"I've been looking at your blood work and I wanted to ask if you did any frame of drugs?"
"Um… steroids?"
"When was the last time you had steroids?"
"At school… I don't in terms of days…"
"Ok, Ok…" he fumbles some his paperwork and struggles to write on his arm. "Do you know your blood type?" he asks.
"No…"
"Alright… just a few questions. Do you consider yourself an addict and if yes, do you want relief?"
Should I say yes? "I, um, I was thinking now's a great time to stop."
"That's good. Were you aware that you have osteoporosis?"
"Um… yes. My mom--"
"Who is that?"
"Ah…" I look at my toes. "Hadi?"
"Hadi? She's in the cells…" he write something down. "I'll also have a talk with her. I was also asked to inform you, you'll be getting on the bus with new patients. We'll be transferring you to Humblewood Chateau."
"Transfer?"
"Yes. You'll be going through service to get the help that you need."
"What help?" I'm fine. "I haven't had any problems on steroids."
"Yes. But you do have a muscle weakness and a slight form of cancer that could be in your muscle… your main doctor is." he puts his dozens of papers down on the floor. "Your main doctor…" he picks up a folder and flips through it about three times. "Ah! Here is it, Doctor Abraham Okotie-Eboh. He signed you up for a spiritual cleansing, just in case you might be drunk."
"What the--"
"Is there a problem?" he stares at me. "I don't need it!"
"I'm afraid so…" he picks up his many offices. "You might be Drunk and if so we'll transfer you to a different plantation."
"Why am going to a plantation?"
"Recovery."
.
.
.
I waited in my little white room. I don't know what to do or think. I'm just still.
My door knocks again and it's a nurse a long shirt with a plate of food. "You are my 19th person today. I'm Una Evans and I'll be your nurse today."
I get back in bed and put the blankets over my legs. Why am I in a hospital? Am I in a hospital? "No." she tells me, her teeth visible and pointy. "Are you black?"
"Albino. This is actually a bunker." she lays my plate in my lap. "I got you some eggs, becon, and bowl of oatmeal. When you go to church, the food is so good. Plantations don't have it like this."
"What you mean?" I ask.
"My sister works on Smiley plantation. I used to do cocaine and was addicted to drinking bleach. I feel for my sister but the family is really good… a nigga ain't never felt better." she smiles widely. "And I still get high."
I pick up some bacon, it's crispy but soft enough. I'm afraid to ask for a drink, so instead. "What is this for?"
"It's before the initiation." she puts her hands on her hips. "The way it works because I used to do it. First is medicine, get out the old. Second is rest, you go to your new family, like Thankful."
"Who?"
"Third." she holds up three fingers. "Is sanctuary. If the bad is there, we have to get out. So you can be new. If that works you might get a new body. Don't lose yourself."
"What is happening to me?" my mouth will not close.
"Well… you might die twice. But that's so rare. Also, we have a sitting area, you get about 30 minutes, make some new friends."
.
.
.
I'm in rehab?
There is a small area of all ages and race. What happened to the mermaid? I never got to the mermaid baby.
I walked in the sitting area and two vamps of age are playing poker. "Fuck this!" one hisses. "I'm ready to die."
"Don't say it twice." the other chuckles. I sit in a chair close to a window and look at everyone with my gown stuffed between my legs. I pull the curtain back on the window. It's a just a wall with graffiti. "There's nothing…"
Where the fuck am I?
"Excuse me…" a child comes over hoping in place. "Can you help me to the bathroom?"
It's a brown girl with her eye wrapped up. "Oh… I just got here…"
"I don't wanna go by myself… please. It's just right around the corner."
"Alright, as long as you know." I get up. I guess I got a soft spot for kids. I grab her hand and she takes me to the bathroom. It was right around the corner just like she said. "You want me to go in?" I ask.
"No… just stand by?" I open the door for her and she walks in. "Got the light on?"
"I can reach." once I see the light on, I close the door and stand in front of it. There's a kid here. What about the mermaid?
She said medicine is first. What does that mean? I get my prescription or something? Twice, you go through rest. Is that the literal sense?
Third, is sanctuary. What does all that mean and what for? "I can read your mind." the little girl says. "It's all torture so you submit. Are you going on the trip?"
"Uh…" I swallow. "Yeah…"
"My doctor said I was going to the Smiley plantation. But that's not where they took my brother…"
"Who's your brother?"
"Sabian Jackson…"
"What's your name?"
"Zoey-Rose."
"Really? That's a cute name…" I hear the toilet flush. The sink runs and she knocks on the door. I open it and she comes out with wet hands. "Well… at least you clean."
"No towels…"
"Just a word to the wise… you could use toilet tissue--" as I say it, I know how wrong I am. "It's fine." We go back to the room. "Are you excited?"
"I really wanna see my mom…"
"I'm sorry… what happened?"
"she had a heart attack in her sleep… so we buried her."
"You and your brother." she nods. "We're poor so… Sabian picked her up and planted her somewhere. It's just us…" she lifts her shoulders.
"I'm sorry…" I squeeze her hand. "Want a big sister?"
"I guess so…" she grins. "I'll make sure you stick with me… I won't let you go alone."