I hear it. They’re laughing at me. They’re all laughing at me-every last one of them. I can’t escape it. It’s everywhere. My eyes flash back and forth as I meet their backward gazes. Oh how I bet they think that they’re ever so clever, playing it off like they’re not doing anything at all. How they must think I’m a fool. They’re all against me, but what they don’t know is that I have the upper hand. They whisper back and forth and exchange a serious a giggles and nudges. I can’t let get away with it. I must do something. “Ha ha ha!” Ok so that didn’t help. Why are they looking at me like that? They were laughing. They were the ones laughing!

“Mr. Samuels, how about you explain what’s so funny to me after class.”

“No! No, Mr. Huffman, they were the ones laughing-not me! They were. They all were. I heard them.”

“Well I heard you and this isn’t up for discussion so calm yourself immediately or leave my classroom.”

“But…”
That’s right- fight. You know your right. I know your right. Tell him and make him believe you.
“But you’re wrong! I refuse to be undermined by someone so incompetent that they couldn’t even hear the obvious droll of several thick-headed miscreants”

“Excuse me, young man, I don’t have to stand for that. To the office, now, I want you out!”

Good Riddance. We don’t need him. As long as you stick with me you wont need a day of school.

As we walk down the hall to the office, passing class after class, I hear those students’ laughter. I feel those students’ glares. I can trust no one. Well almost no one. I hear the doctor’s voice echo through my skull. “Your son is dreadfully ill Mrs. Samuels; he needs some serious help.” Then my mother breaking out in a storm of tears, screams of confusion mixed with disbelief, and a slight hint of worry. My mother! She is no more then a common spy. All the recorded conversations that she’s passed around, the men in white she’s torched me with. O’ how I hate her gut.

Mother, remember how she made you feel, the silent insults that slipped between her words and the restraints. Remember how she says you’re different and then ties you up at night like an animal, less then a common house pet even. My hatred toward her grows rapidly as his voice grows louder. I hear my heart beat-bum bum BUM BUMBUMBUMBUM. There’s no need for that. There’s no need for her.
I settle myself and quickly try to regain control of my heart. I quietly chuckle to myself, for that is insane, so he could only be joking. Yet his face is serious. Could he really mean that I no longer need my mother-that I could simply get rid of her? He has never steered me wrong before. I quickly dismiss the thought from my head.
The Office is a small building divided up into little boxed in offices with a waiting room/ lobby in front. I walk up to the office with the door labeled “Principle” on it. I knock twice, and a faint voice tells me to come in.
“Hello Tomas. Mr. Huffman has informed me of the situation that happened in class.” I don’t say anything. “So would you like to explain to me what happened in your own words?”
I thought about weather or not to say anything and then remembered what happened last time I refused to say a word for a long period of time. A chill went down my spine. Then finally I said, “nothing.”
“Would you like to elaborate on that?”
“I did nothing wrong.”
“Tomas”, her voice sounding compassionate and understanding while looking into my soul with her warm, big blue eyes, “I never said you did anything wrong, but I do want to know what you did do.”
I felt compelled to tell her. “The others, they were laughing at me. I heard them and saw them pointing. I was just trying to make them stop. That’s when Mr. Huffman first told me to settle down. I did nothing wrong, so I tried to tell him when he snapped at me again. I was going to stop, but then Vetis told me I should make him see my point…”
“Vetis? Who’s…never mind, please continue.”
“He said that I’m right and I should make him see it, so that is what I was doing when he sent me out.”
“Well I’ll be sure to let Mr. Huffman in on our little conversation. For now you can wait in the lobby until the final bell. It will only be another five minutes or so.”
“Ok.” Her voice was censer, but I saw the flash of uncertainty in her eyes as she interrupted to question that who was so clearly standing next to me. That’s the first step. It’s confusion, then worry, fear, anger, and then the pity that comes with giving up. I know the symptoms all to well. As I sit down at the bench on the far end of the lobby I turn to look right at Vetis. “Why do they do that? Why does everyone do that?”
It’s because they’re weak, and their brain isn’t strong like yours.
“But…” I don’t know where to start so many things upset me about this situation. “But its like they don’t even see you!”
Who cares if they do or don’t. You see me and you know that I am real, and that should be all you ever need. As long as I’m around you are in good hands and soon your teachers, the principle, your mother, the doctors, and everyone else will see it to.
“But how?”
Just do as I say and everything will fall into place
That’s when the bell rings. I walk out of the office and out the front exit. I only live a few blocks away, but my mother insists on picking me up everyday for some reason. I get into her car and we drive home in complete silence. That’s how I know the school called her, because she always gets quite and tense when I bring up Vetis, especially around other people. She’s warned me about talking to about him with others. She wouldn’t explain why, but says if I talk about him too much that the men in white will come back and take me away. Vetis says it’s because they want to make him leave me forever, but he will never let that happen.
I start to wonder want she’s thinking about, when she’s going to say, or what she’s going to do. That’s when she says, “so I heard what happened at school.” She takes a deep breath. “Remember that special place Mommy took you last year, where you were taken care of and met some new friends.” She starts to sob, and you can tell she was struggling with every word. “Well tomorrow morning I’m going to have to take you there and leave you for a few days, but it will be ok.” She is starting to ball now. “I’m so sorry, baby, but I love you and it’s for the best.”
I know the place she’s talking about-where the men in white come and drug me until I’m calm and behave. The place where they ask me questions and strap me into chairs, leaving me to star at blank walls for hours just so they can monitor how I react. I hate it there, and deep down inside I know my mom hates having to leave me there. Though she never acts this torn up about it. At the back of my head that’s when I know something’s wrong, but all I can think about is that fact that I have to go back to that awful place. It’s the only place that actually scares me.
Stay calm Tommy. I won’t let them take you. This night it ends.
What does he mean by that? It seems as if the decision is final, and not even by my mother’s choice. How can I do anything to stop that? Maybe…maybe he’s referring to what he said earlier. “There’s no need for her.” Then it all finally clicks.
“Vetis, we can’t!” I scream so loud my mom swerves the car a little.
“Tomas! Please, calm yourself; just talk to me” I just ignore her and return my attention back to Vetis sitting in the seat next to me.
“No, Vetis! This isn’t going to happen. I’m not doing it! I’m not letting you do it!”
My mom pulls the car over to the side of the road and then turns around to look at me. I know she’s crying, but I don’t look at her. I can’t tare my eyes away from Vetis’. He has a perfect composure. I try to figure out what he’s thinking or what’s going through his head, but as hard as I try I just can’t. I’ve been with Vetis for as long as I can remember and during all that time he’s never really left my side, but for the first time I really look at him. I mean I really look at him. Or maybe this is just the first time he’s let me really look at him.
His eyes, or what’s in places of his eyes, were all black. I don’t know how I’ve never noticed before because they popped out in comparison to his unnaturally pale skin. And his smile, it was almost creepy. I flinched a little. Tom, It’s ok. I’m here for you. I’m not going anywhere.
“Vetis…” My voice was shaky.
“Son, son!” She’s been yelling between the tears ever since she pulled the car over. I never paid attention to it until now. “Vetis isn’t real!” With that one sentence it felt like my whole world shattered. It can’t be true. She has to be lying. I don’t believe her. I….I….I have to get out of here.
I throw open the door and sprinted down the street. I’m running as fast as I can, with my mother screaming after me. I have no idea where I’m going but know I can’t stay, or ever go back. I run all the way down the street pass four blocks then make a right into the alley behind a gas station. While I was running I saw my mother try to drive after me but a light caught he, and now I don’t see any sign of her.
I lean against the wall and try to catch my breath. A million thoughts rush through my mind, but none come is as clearly as the need to keep moving. I must not be found. I turn the corner at the end of the ally and, “ah!”