Hidden in Plain Thought- Lilly

         "Lill, I don’t get it. Why?” Jason sat with his head in his hands. It was the first time Lilly had ever seen him cry, and it killed her to see him this way. She looked down at her wrist, hand cuffed to her hospital bed, and her confusion grew exponentially.

         “Jason, what’s going on?” Lilly asked. She was still drowsy. She had just woken up, and her unfamiliar surroundings were beginning to worry her. “What happened to me? Why am I in the hospital? Why am I shackled to this bed?” Her pitch rose with each question, her confusion quickly turning to panic and fear.

         At the sound of her voice, Jason’s head shot up. He burst into fresh tears, scaring Lilly even more. “Oh, Lilly. I wish you could tell me… Cause it seems that you’re the only one that knows.”

~*~*~

         Lilly looked up as two police officers walked in, clipboards and pens in hands.

         “Miss Kriell, we have some questions for you concerning the night of August 13,” one said, pulling up a chair and sitting in it backwards.

         “But that’s today. I've been here all day, haven’t I?”

         “Ma’am, I’m afraid you are mistaken. Today is the 20th.”

         “What is your last memory?” the second officer asked, walking forward to stand next to his partner.

         “I… I had just gotten home with the groceries. I was putting them away and the dog came up to me with her leash, so I went to take her out and… and…” Lilly had to stop and think. She couldn't believe that she couldn't remember walking her own dog. She looked up and out of the window towards the waiting room, where Jason, her fiancé, sat with his head in his hands.

         “I’m sorry,” Lilly sighed. “I just can’t remember after that.”

         “That’s perfectly fine, miss,” The second officer stated. “We will be back after we question your fiancé, Mr. Conenncein. I’m Officer Hurtt, and my partner is Officer Smith. Get some rest and try to remember what happened when you took the dog out.” The two officers started on their way out.

         Wait! Officer Hurtt!” Lilly cried. He turned to look at her, waving is partner to go and begin talking to Jason.

         “What is it, Ms.Kriell?”

         “What happened to me?” she asked, tears flooding her eyes.

         “That’s what we are trying to find out ma’am.” With that, he turned to join his partner.

~*~*~

         Lilly awoke with a scream, her body drenched in a cold sweat. Jason was at her side in seconds.

         “What is it? What happened?”

         “I… I had a terrible dream. There was a… a men. He seemed so familiar, I don’t know why. I… I never saw his face. No… he didn't have a face. And… and he came at me, and I felt like he was going to kill me. That’s when I woke up,” Lilly spoke softly, saying each word carefully so as not to mess up.

         Jason put his head in his hands again, shaking his head softly.

         “What is it? Does my dream have something to do with what happened?”

         “I don’t know. I’ll call Officers Hurtt and Smith in the morning. They might be able to figure something out from it.”

~*~*~

         “Please recant your dream again, Ms. Kriell,” Officer Hurtt spoke calmly with a soothing tone. “It will help us figure out what happened. Just speak clearly into the recorder.”

         Lilly adjusted herself so as to be closer to the recorder. The motion made the hand cuffs clink against the metal bed rail.

         “It was a terrible dream. I remember there was a man with no face. He was coming for me, and I felt like he was going to kill me. But, for some reason, I felt like I knew him, whoever he was,” Lilly recounted her nightmare into the recorder, careful to articulate her words so that they could understand what she said.

         “Ms. Kriell, do you have a history of mental illness in your family?” question Officer Smith.

         “Why would you think that? It was only a nightmare,” Lilly squeaked, taken aback by the question.

         “We ask, Ms. Kriell, because we believe that you may have a split personality,” Officer Hurrt spoke softly, a glint in his eye as he glanced at his partner.

         “But… but why? Wouldn't I know? I mean… it is me, after all, isn't it?” Lilly stuttered, not sure whether to be offended, frightened, or confused.

         “Ms. Kriell,” Officer Smith broke in, his voice stern, “If we are correct in our assumption, we believe that you killed your next door neighbor, Mr. Silfeles. He was found dead in front of your apartment. You were found out front, seemingly thrown from the window, which was broken. Your demeanor in our interviews points to mental problems, namely Split-Personality Disorder."

         Lilly couldn't contain herself anymore. She burst into tears, face in hands. She could feel a hand on her back, its touch tender and loving. She looked up at Jason’s face, and began crying harder. “I don’t know… I’m sorry. You… you probably hate me now.” There was a loud beeping sound, and everything went black.