Don’t let them take you to the hospital.

I thought I was the only one. <br><br><br>Until I found that girl on social media. <br><br><br>She had used the same words I had: “Don’t let them take you to the hospital.” <br><br><br>I hadn’t said that since I was about eight years old. <br><br><br>For a kid my age, I had been pretty consistent. <br><br><br>Few kids could say that. <br><br><br>I remember my older brother telling me that when my mother arrested his attention. <br><br><br>Days later, he died. <br><br><br>My older sister next. <br><br><br>And she came and died. <br><br><br>But I had repeated the words when I was eight. <br><br><br>Since then I had hidden the words away like a treasure, refusing to utter them. <br><br><br>I was afraid I’d give the hospital a map to my next victim. <br><br><br>I hadn’t said those words for twelve years. <br><br><br>But I had done so on New Years Eve. <br><br><br>Ten hours ago. <br><br><br>Then I had locked the house up. <br><br><br>I know the locks won’t protect me, but it was about appearances. <br><br><br>I had done my part in this ruse, so now it was time to do hers. <br><br><br>I logged into her social media account and posted a message. <br><br><br>*“Don’t let them take you to the hospital.”*<br><br>It was funny, I never knew the name of my kidnapper. <br><br><br>It was going to be an awfully hard name to forget now.