So I am still alive. I can't say I am not disappointed. My eyes open up to a place that I anticipated. The hospital. And that, obviously, means I am under arrest. Yup, my right hand is cuffed to the bed. Hallelujah!

When I first spotted him, I pretended I am not awake yet. But it was too late because he already saw me take a peek on him. Hey there, detective Danes! Long time no see. Please, don't lock me up. Do I really need to deal with this now?

"You're up," he said.

"I am still not feeling well. I might use some more sleep."

"That wasn't a question."

Okay. I see. I open my eyes and straighten up in my seat. His eyes were studying me with too much intensity that the room felt electric. I didn't dare speak, although I had infinite questions. And he didn't seem in the mood to be asked. So I waited.

"You know you messed up big time; don't you?" he asked, finally swallowing the silence.

I nodded.

"You broke countless laws and committed serious crimes. You can go to jail for the rest of your life."

"Touché."

"Touché? That's it? You're not going to defend yourself or beg anyone's pardon. So you're just fine with whatever punishment?" he, clearly wasn't having fun.

"It's not like that. But you know I had no other choice. I only did what I had to to save her. I didn't want to go that far but only if you helped me. You didn't listen, remember? I reached out for you and you called me crazy. There was nothing else I could do. I just did as I was told."

"Oh, really?" he said in the most sarcastic tone a cop could manage.

Wait. What? What does that mean? He still doesn't believe me? Does that mean they didn't catch the kidnapper? Or save her? Then who attacked me? Wasn't it the authorities? Oh my god.

"Yes! Don't tell me you didn't catch him yet," I said so desperately.

"I told you to drop this already! There isn't a kidnapper. There's no Hazel or whatsoever. It was all inside your head. But now you involved other innocent people into your madness. You involved them bad. Your treatment is no longer upon your will. In less than an hour you will be deported to a mental facility. A facility that's under the supervision of NYPD. You should've listened to me when you had the chance."

These words were rubbish, right? After all this, I couldn't save her. She's still under his filthy hands. And they still think I am crazy. Maybe I was crazy for reaching out for their help. He was right when he said no one will believe me. I should've shot him when I could. Maybe a dead body could help them believe the damn facts.

"Surveillance cameras! In the parking lot. Check it, please. He was there, I swear. That will prove I wasn't imagining the whole thing," I was too desperate my voice squeaked.

He shook his head in a fed-up way.

"The surveillance proved you were all alone with the victim. You were talking to no one, Richard. You even pointed the gun at thin air. Nobody's buying your talk anymore. So stop defending and start accepting."

"What are you talking about?! He was there I could see him and hear him, for god's sake! Someone even hit the back of my head with something heavy. There must've been more of them not just one man. How couldn't you see that?!"

"It was the girl you kidnapped. When you got distracted pointing the gun at god knows what, she hit you and ran away to report you. That was tapped."

"But..."

"Cut it off, Richard. It's over," he said just before leaving the room.

Am I really crazy? But she's real. I know she is. I touched her. I hugged her with those arms. I can still remember the texture of her skin. Those soft, fair valleys of skin that smelled of cocoa. How can this all be the work of my mind?! If she's really a hallucination, then let madness have me whole. I've got nothing merrier than my love.