July 8, 2016
Patient: Alice Kingsley
Date of Birth: September 21, 2000
Reason for being: undefined

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"SO, ALICE," said the doctor, "how are you today?"

Nothing.

"Its one of those days, huh?"

Silence.

↝

As Dr. Stein left Alice's room, number 630, she noticed that the door that led into Mr. Jefferson Hatter's room was slightly opened, and so was her's. Mr. Hatter lived in the room across from her own, number 629, and surrounding them was anyone alike. Alice hadn't found much life to live inside a hospital, and it was often she would refer to the hospital as a prison and her room as a cell. There were times she wanted to get out, which were frequent, but the doctors, which she referred to as the sheriffs, would not allow her.

Of course, nobody knew of the shenanigans going on in her head. Nobody's heard her talk for months, and it seemed like everyone, except the doctors, was fine with it. She didn't tell anyone that she felt imprisoned, but everyone knew. They way she looked, it drove people mad.

"Little Alice, all alone," Mr. Hatter taunted from across the hall, "with nobody to talk to. 'Oh! My life is horrible! I imagine things that aren't there! I've gone mad!' Well, honey, get over it. Life isn't a Disney movie, and you sure as hell aren't Alice, and I am sure as hell not the 'Mad Hatter.'"

Mr. Jefferson Hatter was brought to the hospital for the same reason Alice was. Everyone on that floor was brought to that floor for the same reason Alice was. And everyone on the floor did what Mr. Hatter did. Everyone taunted Alice.

She was the youngest of all on that floor, and her name made sure she was the most popular. "What a coincidence!" many people thought, "a girl named Alice, supposed to have gone mad, and friends with the Mad Hatter! It's just like the movie! I wish I could live in that fantasy!" They had all gone to that floor for the same reason, so Alice had no idea why they taunted her so much. She gave up on trying to find out when she gave up on talking.

Though the teasing would get irritating, Alice did sometimes dream she was in a fantasy. It wasn't what anyone else said; it was the complete opposite. Alice's fairytale wouldn't consist of nonsense with things like talking flowers and a crazy queen, but with a good life with good people. She didn't know what a "good life" meant, but she hoped it was something better than she had.

It may have seemed like it, but Alice hadn't stopped talking completely. Perhaps, she only stopped talking in front of the doctors. But she talks to not all, just to one: a boy by the name of Henry. The doctors knew she imagined a boy, they just didn't know what she did with him. It was only Mr. Hatter who knew about her communications Henry. One day he was making his way back to his room from the cafeteria, and he had caught the girl talking. He spread it throughout the hallways. The chant of "She talked! Alice talked!" was heard, but nobody listened.

It was times like these, times she felt alone, that would make her want to be with Henry. Though she was never like the common folk in the world, she always felt like one when she talked to him. Everything she kept inside was finally let out when the two spoke, and it was as if nobody was listening, which they weren't.

Alice also spoke to Henry when she was bored. She didn't have much of a choice when it came to speaking with Henry. He would just appear and there the two would be, speaking with each other past Alice's hospital-given curfew.

When he came, she talked like there was no tomorrow, and there was no past. Alice's past haunted her, and it caused her to be in the state where she is now, but it didn't matter much because she had Henry.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" Mr. Hatter shouted across the hallway. She looked up in response, rolled her eyes, and left her hospital mate with an uncanny expression on both of their faces.

'Today has been too much, I think I will take a nap' she thought to herself. Alice stood to close the door that separated her from the hospital hallway. Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, Mr. Hatter's uncanny expression turned into a glum one.

She laid onto the bed with her back against the sheet-covered mattress and her head facing the ceiling. This was how the day was before any mealtime, which Alice often skipped. Her doctors brought her food most of the time. Days starting with a visit from the doctor and a few unanswerable questions were pretty predictable.

As Alice's eyes closed in order for her to descend into her sleep, she heard a male voice coming from the corner of the room.

"Hey sleeping beauty." The voice was neither high pitched, nor was it low pitched. It sounded just right. The boy whose voice came from wore a black peacoat and and red and grey striped scarf. He was the one-and-only Henry.

"Henry!" She sat up in surprise, for a visit with him was not scheduled. Though, most of their visits aren't scheduled.

"How's my favorite girl been?"

"Alright, I guess. The doctor keeps making me try to talk to him, but I don't want to!"

"It's okay. You don't have to if you don't want to."

Footsteps outside of her door were heard, and before she had time to think about who it would be, the door swung open. It was nobody special, to her at least. Just Dr. Stein checking in.

"Alice, are you alright? I thought I heard some noise." She looked at him in response and the doctor knew that that was the only response he would get. "Alright, just tell one of the nurses if something happens, or if you need anything. We're here for you, Alice." He shut the door as he exited. Alice looked back in hopes to see Henry, but he was gone.

"Thanks for visiting, Henry."