Two months. That is how long Jessie has been stuck here, Wayport Home for ‘Troubled Youth’. It seems to be some kind of recovery hospital. What for she still can’t decide. She’s seen everything from drug addiction to mental illness. A catch all kind of place. Before landing here she spent two months in Wayport Hospital. Drugged up and abandoned all because of some stupid ghost pulling a prank in her locker. At least here she is left alone most of the time, instead of being poked and prodded at the hospital. She’s been allowed to wander freely for almost a month now.

Her daily walks are how she found this beautiful garden, tucked away from the rest of the center. She enjoys hiding among the multi-colored roses and some kind of purple flower that is in the back. There is even a bench being claimed by the roses. She keeps meaning to ask someone what the purple flower is. Maybe she could plant her own flowers when she is allowed to go home. Her own personal garden to relax in.

Jessie runs her hand along the flowers as she wanders toward the back. There is something relaxing about this place and the lack of ghosts. If only she could recreate the same atmosphere outside of this place. If she found a way this could be her last trip to one of these places. The normal life.

The bench comes into view. She plops onto it, looking up at the yellow roses that make a natural canopy. Her summer is already gone, her sixteenth birthday inching closer. It is still a mystery how much longer she will have to stay here. Both the doctors and the nurses avoid the questions. Never a good sign. Though she isn’t letting it bother her right now. Her parents toss her into a crazy house after every breakdown and she hasn’t broken the record of six months yet. She’ll start to panic if it nears the six month mark.

Still she is anxious to return to school, and is trying to rush her release. There is no way she is going to let the ghosts win. Her promise with Sarah is more important to her than ever. The pre-sixteen Sarah, her Sarah, had given up the life of a popular girl to be Jessie’s strength. Pushing her to make what seemed like an impossible promise to graduate together. And Jessie knows that the longer she stays here the more likely it is that her parents will make her change schools. It makes her nervous. Especially since her parents have been avoiding her. Not visiting, and leaving the phone unanswered.

She sits up. Pushing the roses away from her face. In the distance she could hear one of the nurses calling for her. It isn’t dark yet so what is going on? Another meeting to talk about her feelings? Thankfully this time she has fewer meetings with a shrink than her other visits, but the irregular schedule means it’s easier to miss an appointment. This is the first time, and probably the last time, that bullying will save her. Everyone thinks the vandalizing of her locker caused her breakdown. And she is able to see why after seeing some of the pictures.

The writing carved into the outside of the locker had been things like ‘die witch’ and ‘burn’. Even taking the time to paint it red. They had gone for the extra credit. There has always been talk of her being a witch and all the stereotypical responses to witches had been carved into the locker door. She’s heard them too often to let such insults bother her. But she isn’t going to tell doctors that. Inside had been the worst of it - the inside of the locker had red-stained razor blades and a noose. So all her screaming has been attributed to that wonderful prank. Avoiding any talk of ghosts. Which is fine by her.

Her parents are even playing along with the doctors’ theories about stress and bullying. But she suspects they know the truth. Otherwise they would visit her more often than they have. Or at least call. But, like her, they want to get Jessie out of this place as soon as possible. Though it is with less than noble intentions. Months from now she knows her mother will still be griping about all the money she costs them because of ‘her problem’ with seeing the ghosts.

Jessie freezes near the garden’s exit. What if this is Sarah’s friend coming to visit her again? She couldn’t handle another visit like the first. Jessie knows the other girl had meant well. Wanting to warn her about the school climate. But it is still hard to hear about it. That the whole school had conspiracy theories on how she had caused Sarah’s death. Everything from how she is jealous of her friend’s new popularity to being a crazy witch. They all end the same. She had cursed Sarah, which of course had caused the accident. The normal rumors that seem to follow accusations of being a witch. If she had the types of power people thought she had she’d have cursed herself a long time ago to get rid of her powers. Have that normal high school life Sarah had tried so hard to give her.

Well, no reason to put this off. No matter what is going on she doesn’t need them to come in and drag her out. First, it’ll make her look crazy. Second, she might lose her privilege to wander the garden freely. She forces herself to walk the last ten feet to the exit, holding her breath. Her tension level rising the closer she gets. Jessie stops as she exits the garden. A strange new doctor is standing with the nurse. He isn’t sporting the same blue jacket as the rest of the doctors either. What is an outsider doing here? She doesn’t like it.

Near a table are her parents. They haven’t been here for most of a month. They also seem to be hanging around this strange new doctor. Everyone is swarming around this guy like he is some kind of rock star. Hanging on his every word. Fawning over him. Jessie keeps waiting for the fan girl screams. She has a bad feeling about this handsome stranger. The same sinking feeling she had at her locker is returning. He’s human and not human. Like her and not like her. He looks up and meets her gaze. She fights the urge to scream when he flashes her a smile. Her instincts are telling her to run. To go hide in the roses. Out of his sight. This is the first time she ever feared a human more than a ghost, only making it harder to walk towards him.

The logical side of her feels silly for being so afraid of a doctor. They have never done anything to harm her before. And if he is like her there’s no reason to afraid, the worst that ever happened was few insults. She forces herself to walk towards everyone. Not letting her instincts and imagination win over. Running away wouldn’t get her out of here. Besides, doctors call in outside experts all the time. A fresh perspective is what they call it. Overworked is what Jessie calls it.

As she nears the small table, he extends his hand. Flashing another smile. Reluctantly Jessie shakes his hand. A wave of calm sweeps over her. The fear that struck her before melts away. Being afraid of a doctor, maybe she is becoming crazy. She glances over at the cluttered table. It is full of pictures that he’s laid out. Some stones sit on top of them to keep them from blowing off in the wind. Her parents are checking them out, eliminating some and enjoying the others.

“What’s going on? What’s with all the pictures?”

Her mother turns to face her. “The doctors don’t think there’s a reason for you to stay. But you can’t go back to Wayport. This doctor is here to help us find a new city for you.”

“Why can’t I go back to Wayport? I’m able to face the bullies now.”

“It’s not safe for you. Things have only gotten worse while you’ve been away. Besides look at these pictures. Doesn’t this place look so cute?”

Jessie comes closer. Looking at some of the pictures the doctor brought. She is drawn to a photo of a small house surrounded by woods. It feels like home. She flips it over to see the location. Some town called Solace. The doctor peers over her shoulder, going into a long speech about the place. Not interested.

The feeling of unease returns as he talks and moves closer to her parents. It feels like this situation should bother her more than it does. How often do doctors act like real estate agents? She steals a glance at her parents. They seemed calm and relaxed about the whole situation, for the first time in years. Maybe this isn’t so weird after all. It isn’t like she has ever had a normal life anyway. As the doctor drones on she picks up other photos of Solace. As he moves in-between her and her parents her interest for this new town begins to grow.