“Oi! I don’t think you’re nutters, I know you are,” Alicia said with a small smile as Katie’s eyes narrowed at her. “I’ve known that from the first day I met you. Why else do you think you fit in so well with the rest of us? Hmm?” Katie was obviously ignoring her, a point made very evident by the fact that she was ‘reading’ in a book, yet had it opened at a page that wasn’t the one marked by a book mark.
Without waiting for a response, Alicia climbed down from the bed and pulled the chair across the floor, until she could sit down in front of Katie. “I’m not asking you because I think you’re crazy, babe,” she said gently, carefully pushing the book down with her finger until she could see Katie’s face, and hopefully make eye contact with her. “I’m asking you because I want you to get well. You’re in here because you been through an ordeal that was meant to kill someone much, much stronger than you. Your body needs the rest to Heal properly, to better be able to respond to the Potions you’re being given, you know that right?” Not really expecting an answer she continued. “Just answer me this honestly; how many panic attacks have you had since you were brought here?”