(I’m in my head)

I’m not crazy, he was real.

How could he not be?

I touched him…

Locked in surrounded by the four padded white walls, I long to escape and find him. They say I’m not right and must remain in this awful place. I don’t know how I got in here; they said I did terrible things to people. How could I? I don’t remember.

“Elizabeth” someone speaks softly but I pretend I don’t hear them. My eyes are closed because the harsh light hurts my eyes.

“Would you like me to dim the lights?” the person asks. It’s a man; I can tell. His voice is soft and sweet just like my Henry.

“Yes, please” I respond.

“Now, there you may open your eyes” he tells me. I slowly open my eyes. As I look around I realize the walls are not padded here but they are dark. I’m restrained as always by the white jacket and feel the cold from the steel chair. My long unwashed red hair covers my face and soon his warm hands are pushing it back behind my ears.

I glance up to see deep sea blue eyes staring at me with such warmth. He has dark brown hair and finely chiseled features. He is wearing an old brown blazer with a blue wrinkled collar shirt, dark wash jeans, and brown boots.

“There, now we can start” he gushed as he headed back to his chair a few feet from where I was sitting. I tilted my head to the left as I examined him.

“Are you ok? You seem distant.” He asked me.

“Yes, I’m-I’m here” I kind of stuttered.

“I’m Loren Kauffman; I’ll be your psychiatrist during your time here.”

“Why am I here?” I whined.

“Yes, they say you don’t remember what you did” Kauffman’s voice trailed off as my mind raced and I went into a trance. It was only for a moment but I saw myself holding a bat as I hit at something or someone over and over. I couldn’t make it out; it was all so blurred. I felt someone shaking me and I lost the image.

“Don’t go away without me” Kauffman smiled at me. I completely disregarded what I thought I saw because I couldn’t be sure it actually happened.

“So, let’s get started” Kauffman exclaimed.

“Tell me about yourself”

“A gentleman wouldn’t keep me tied like this. Surely you know this?” I probed.

“I’m sorry my dear but I can’t release you from your bounds” Kauffman replied.

“I can’t be here, I have to find him!” I screamed.

“Find who?” Kauffman asked in an intrigued tone.

“Henry” I blushed.

“Who is this Henry?” he asked. At first I was reluctant to further discuss the topic but he was willing to listen and I could not pass up the chance of divulging my deep admiration for my precious, Henry.

“He’s a gentleman.” I smiled.

“Really, tell me more” Kauffman urged.

“Well, he is handsome, kind, smart, and funny” I rambled on.

“Where did you meet?” he inquired. The question actually startled me because somehow I did not expect it.

“It’s a long story” I smiled.

“I’ve got a lot of time” Kauffman smiled back. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes as I recalled my first encounter with Henry. Suddenly, I was transported back to that day and so the story begins.