Chapter 3

AJ was awoken the next day by his grandmother. When she told him they would go shopping together, his eyes widened.

"No," he yelled, "s...s...sca..red."

"AJ," Wilma said, looking at the boy, "it's okay. I'll be with you the whole time. Plus, you haven't been outside in years. This will be good for you, okay?"

Hesitantly, AJ nodded. Wilma smiled at him.

"Now," she chirped, "let's get dressed."

She got him to sit up and take his medication. When she got him dressed and brushed his teeth and hair, she took him to the kitchen, where he ate cereal for breakfast. He tried to eat it as slowly as possible to avoid going shopping.

"Anthony John," Wilma said sternly, putting her hand on her hip.

The boy looked up at her, pretending not to know what was wrong.

"Don't give me that look," Wilma said, "eat faster, or I will get grandpa to feed ya."

AJ pouted as he began to eat faster. Once AJ finished, he hesitantly walked with his grandmother to the car. He tightly clung to her as he walked towards the front seat. Soon enough, they were on the road, and AJ was hunched over the entire time as if he was trying to hide. AJ looked up at his grandmother with pleading eyes when they got to the store.

"It's alright," Wilma soothed, "you can do this, AJ."

The woman held out her hand, and the boy took it. AJ again clung to his grandmother, holding on tight as they walked into the store.

"Hi," a cheerful voice shouted, "welcome to Adidas! How can I help you?"

AJ tensed, startled at the sound of the loud voice.

"Hello," Wilma said politely, "we're looking for a baseball cap."

"Of course," the employee responded, "they're right there."

The employee pointed to a large rack of hats.

Wilma gave her grandson an encouraging shove.

"Go pick out a hat."

Hesitantly, AJ walked over to the rack of hats. He looked at the different colors before settling for a simple black one. He grabbed it and walked back to his grandmother. He handed the hat to the older woman.

"You want this one?"

The boy nodded as he fidgeted with his fingers. The woman nodded as she walked to the counter and handed the hat to the employee.

"Would you like to wear it out," the employee asked cheerfully.

AJ nodded slowly. Wilma paid for the hat as the employee took off the tags and handed it to AJ. The teen put the cap on his head, liking the snug feeling. Wilma led the boy back to the car and smiled at him.

"See," she began, "being outside isn't so bad."

AJ looked at her and nodded softly, looking out the window, getting lost in his thoughts. The next day was one of AJ's bad days. The previous evening, he had night terrors and nightmares throughout the night. When he had woken up, he was on edge. He was a ticking time bomb, waiting to go off at any moment. Currently, he sat, curled up in the corner of his room. Whimpers broke the silence that filled the room. Wilma tried to comfort her grandson, but he jerked back and whimpered every time her gentle hands touched him.

"Oh, honey," Wilma sighed sympathetically.

The woman crouched down and watched AJ curled up into a tight ball.

"Honey, look at me," she said.

The woman gently took hold of the boy's hands and felt his body tense.

"AJ, look at me, please."

AJ slowly lifted his head, his face stained with tears. He looked at his grandmother with bloodshot eyes. Wilma smiled softly at him.

"Would you like some hot chocolate?" The women asked.

AJ nodded in response. Wilma held her hands out, and AJ took them.

"Come on, sweetie," she guided the boy out of his bedroom.

Wilma guided AJ to the living room, curled up on the couch. She kissed his head before heading to the kitchen to make hot chocolate. Wilma prepared the warm drink, and she watched as AJ stared ahead blankly. Wilma sighed as she wondered what thoughts ran through her grandson's head. Wilma walked over to AJ with the hot cup. When AJ finished the hot chocolate he handed the cup to his grandmother. She placed it on the coffee table across from the couch and turn toward her grandson. AJ flinched as Wilma touched his knee to get his attention.

"Your hot chocolate is ready," the woman said sweetly.

AJ uncurled himself from the ball he tucked himself into. He sat on the edge of the couch and slowly drank his hot chocolate. Wilma could tell that the boy wanted to talk to her but was too afraid to.

"AJ," Wilma said, "look at me."

AJ slowly looked up at her, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Tell me what's bothering you."

The boy took one more sip before speaking.

"Bad feeling," he stuttered.

"About what, sweetie," Wilma asked.

AJ shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know what this bad feeling was, but he felt off. Wilma wiped the teen's tears before smiling softly at him.

"I'm going to turn on the news, okay?"

Wilma switched on the TV and changed it to the news channel. The words "breaking news" flashed on the screen.

"Breaking news," the news anchor said, "convicted murderer Jason Galloes has escaped from prison. Jason has been convicted for murder of a married couple six years ago."

AJ jerked his head towards the tv in time to see a picture of his parents come up on the tv. Suddenly, something inside the boy snapped, and he lost it.

"No," AJ screamed, "no, no!"

Wilma tried to calm him down, but the boy jerked from her grasp and continued to scream. AJ grabbed the tv remote and threw it against the wall. Gregory soon came running in with the couple's neighbor, Jerry.

"We heard the screaming," Jerry said worryingly.

Gregory turned towards the tv and saw the news talking about the escape of his daughter's killer.

"Shit," he cursed as he quickly hit the power button on the tv.

Gregory ran towards AJ when he saw the boy hitting and smacking his head. AJ continued to harshly smack himself, pulling his hair with each hit that Gregory was sure would leave bruises. The elderly man grabbed the boy and tried to pry his hands from his head. Screaming, AJ pushed the man, startling him more than hurting him. Gregory quickly ran to AJ's room and grabbed his teddy bear. Gregory attempted to offer the fuzzy toy to the screaming teen, but AJ swatted at Gregory's hands, not wanting anyone near him.

Wilma looked at Jerry with pleading eyes. Jerry stepped in and grabbed the screaming boy in a bear hug, and wrestled him to the ground. Once Jerry could restrain the teen, he held him while Gregory called Dr.Nicole. All three adults tried to calm AJ down, but nothing worked. AJ's scream continued, his throat raw. Dr.Nicole soon arrived and ran to AJ's side while Wilma explained the situation. Dr. Nicole tried her best to get AJ to look at her, but her words went unheard by the screaming boy. The woman sighed and looked at AJ's grandparents.

"I'm afraid the only way to get him to calm down is to have him sed-"

"There's something wrong," Jerry shouted suddenly.

Everybody turned towards AJ to see his body convulsing as if he was having a seizure.

"Call 911," Dr.Nicole ordered.

Wilma quickly dialed as AJ continued to convulse. Jerry continued to hold the boy, supporting his head. Jerry wiped away the drool that ran down AJ's chin. Minutes later, an ambulance arrived. Questions were being asked back and forth as AJ was lifted onto a stretcher. Wilma climbed into the ambulance with her grandson while Gregory and Nicole drove behind it. When the ambulance arrived at the hospital, the boy was rushed in. A doctor came over and began to examine the boy as Wilma explained everything that had happened leading up to AJ's apparent seizure

"Okay," the doctor said, "let's get him down for an MRI."

Wilma followed the doctor and the nurses to the MRI station, stopping outside the doors as AJ was wheeled in. The elderly woman took a seat in the waiting room and waited nervously. Wilma finally let her tears lose as Gregory and Dr. Nicole quickly caught up to her. Crying, Wilma looked up at Dr. Nicole. The elderly woman sniffled harshly before speaking.

"I want to have AJ admitted to the psychiatric hospital."

"Wilma," Gregory said, sitting next to his wife, "are you positive about this? If it's what you want, then I'll support you. We both should do what's best for AJ."

Wilma nodded and looked toward Dr. Nicole.

"Okay," the younger woman said, nodding, "I'll go call the place and get a file set up for him."

Just as Dr. Nicole walked away to make the call, the doctor walked out.

"Family of AJ," he said.

Wilma and Gregory both stood up.

"My name is Dr. Kulfer, and I was in charge of observing AJ. I do have some good news."

The couple looked at the man with hope in their eyes.

"There's no brain tumor."

The couple sighed in relief.

"But," Wilma began, "what about his seizure?"

"What he had is called a pseudoseizure. It's common in people with PTSD. Nothing can help it medication-wise as it's different from epilepsy."

Dr. Kulfer then talked to the couple about ways to prevent similar episodes. When he was done speaking with them, he led them to the room where AJ was. The boy was curled up in a bed. He looked so small and frail. Wilma and Gregory sat by his bedside as Dr. Nicole walked into the room.

"He's all set," she said.

The elderly couple nodded.

Dr. Nicole continued, "they can take him today."

The couple nodded to each other, knowing that what they were doing was the best thing they can do for their troubled grandson. Wilma turned towards AJ and began running her fingers through his tangled hair.

"AJ, sweetie," Wilma said soothingly, "can you sit up for me?"

Slowly, AJ sat up and looked at his grandmother. The boy's eyes were filled with exhaustion.

Wilma smiled softly and looked at the teen before breaking the news.

"AJ, your grandfather and I spoke with Dr.Nicole, and we all think you should go to a hospital that can help you."

AJ's eyes widened and quickly filled with tears.

There was a brief silence before the boy broke down in hysterics.

"No," AJ sobbed, "I stay with you."

AJ continued to stutter out pleas.

"AJ," Wilma soothed, "you'll be okay. This place will help you."

AJ shook his head violently.

"Stay with you."

Wilma embraced her grandson and held him as he cried in her arms. The boy ignored the words his grandmother continued to say to him. Soon enough, two men dressed in white walked into the room. AJ peeked out and looked at the men before letting out an agonizing wail.

"AJ," Wilma said, "come on honey."

The woman unwrapped the boy from her waist and stood up. AJ tried to grab onto her but cried loudly when he realized he would have to go with the two men. AJ reached out to his grandmother and the woman smiled at him, taking his hands into her own. Wilma helped AJ to his feet and hugged him once more.

"Grandma come too," AJ cried into Wilma's arms.

Wilma took the boy's face into her hands and looked at him.

"Yes, honey," she began, "I'll ride with you in the car."

AJ shook his head.

"Grandma, stay with me."

Wilma smiled at him softly.

"No, baby," she said, "but grandpa and I will come to visit you every day, okay?"

AJ shook his head before breaking down and burying his face into his grandmother's shoulder. Wilma took AJ's hand and tried to get him to walk with her. AJ stayed where he was, refusing to move.

"Anthony John," Wilma said sternly, "I will have these two men move you if you don't start walking."

AJ still didn't move. Wilma sighed and nodded toward the two men. The two men walked over to the boy and took ahold of his arms.

"No," the boy screamed, sinking to the floor.

AJ desperately tried to wiggle his arms off the grip the two men had on him. He cried in frustration when he realized that the men were stronger than him.

"No go, no go," AJ stuttered as he was lifted to his feet.

AJ continued to try and sink to the floor but the men tightened their grasp.

The boy resorted to flailing his legs.

"Grandma," AJ sputtered, "I stay with you."

Wilma blinked back her tears as AJ cried out for her.

"AJ," Gregory said stepping towards the distressed boy, "you need to cooperate, or else they'll give you something that will make you fall asleep."

"No," AJ sobbed, "I don't want to sleep."

"Then stand up. I'll help you."

Gregory held out his hands. The two men released the boy, allowing him to take his grandfather's hands. Gregory pulled the boy to his feet and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. Gregory walked the boy outside of the hospital where a white van was waiting. AJ stopped in his tracks and turned into his grandfather, burying his face in the man's shoulder.

Gregory sighed and rubbed the crying boy's back, whispering comforting words to him.

"It'll be okay, bud," Gregory reassured, "I promise."

When AJ showed no sign of letting go, Gregory grabbed the boy by the shoulders and pulled him away to face him.

"Hey," the man said softly, "if you'd like, I can bring your teddy bear to have it with you. Would you like that?"

Gregory already had the bear with him. He thought if he surprised the boy with it, it might make him feel somewhat better.

Whimpering, AJ nodded.

"Okay, you gotta be a good boy and sit in the van."

AJ climbed into the van; his grandmother took a seat beside him. Soon enough, the van started moving. AJ's heart raced. He had no what to expect, but he wanted to feel happy again. He just had to have faith that this hospital would help him do just that.