5

Suddenly, her phone rang. It was her husband.

'I'm in hospital with Kate. I need you here', he said.

'What happened?', Maria felt like her heart skipped a bit.

'Nothing, just come to the hospital', he snapped and hung up.

Maria heard the Kate's scream on the background during that short call, so she rushed to the hospital without hesitation.

Upon entering, she saw a woman in a doctor's gown.

'Have a seat', the woman said calmly.

'Have something happened?' - Maria asked in surprise.

'Tell me, does something threaten your child?'

'No', her husband answered.

'Think carefully', the doctor continued. 'Were there any dangerous situations?'

'Hm, well, we were eating sushi, once. The child found the plastic bag and wanted to try it on her head.'

'Okay', the doctor answered.

'But in moment we both took the bag away!', Maria almost screamed.

'This doesn't matter anymore', the doctor said calmly. 'Please, come with me'.

Little Kate was crying and Maria was going, somewhere accompanied by two men in white coats.

'You shall stay in the hospital', they said.

'A cannot, I'm breastfeeding', Maria was filling with indignation.

'This does not matter anymore', one of the white coats replied.

Maria looked into his eyes. They were cold. All of sudden, she understood that resistance was completely useless. They could just tie her up and stuff with pills. Since her childhood, when Maria had always been losing to her brother, she came to thinking that it was no use fighting men. They are physically stronger than her. Maria had to just do what she was told as it was absolutely vain to resist…

… Maria spent her first night in the hospital sitting and drinking tea in the dining room. She could not sleep at all.

…In the morning, she received some small breakfast, and saw other patients in the hospital. They looked like zombies: calm, not having any issues, apparently, fed with pills.

After breakfast, every one received their pills.

'May I make a call?', Maria came to the young doctor.

'If I were you, ma'am, I would sit silent. You wanted to kill your own child'

'What? Are you insane? There's a mistake, I would never hurt my child. It's an absolute falsehood'.

'That's what is written in your card and it is the reason why you're here'.

'That is a lie. Ask my husband again', Maria pleaded.

'Can't help', the doctor replied and turned away.

Maria was socked. She was locked in here with sick people. Screaming, knocking on walls was useless. Her opinion or wishes no longer interested anyone. Since the very moment she was locked in this hospital, her opinion became as important as the opinion of the wooden stool on which she was sitting.

Maria rushed to the phone.

'It's not working, child', one of the patients said walking by. There is no exit from here, believe me, I have been here for a year'.

…Maria was terrified. She was suddenly locked in hell, without a telephone, windows, doors, with other people who couldn't even be called ones, any more. They only walked limp and meekly around the hospital and everything that interested them in life was just another dinner, consisting of tasteless overcooked food...

Despair was winning. Maria thought that she could never approach her daughter after she is a murderer according to the papers. She couldn't even call anyone. She would rotten here. She's doomed...

…But miracles happen. In Maria's case, after two days, her friends started looking for her and they found her and even came to visit. This gave Maria chance to ask doctors to talk to her husband again, this time, in front of witnesses. This helped, as under such pressure, doctors informed her that they corrected the situation, in quite a short time.

Finally, she was invited to the meeting with five doctors for them to make the final decision.

'Maria, tell us about your fears', one of the doctors asked. He seemed to be the head of that delegation. He was somewhat bald and wore glasses.

'My fears? Many people have life insurance or many other types of insurances. Everyone's afraid of something. Are you going to lock all of them here?

The five doctors only exchanged glances and wrote something down.

Of course, Maria had fears, but she wasn't going to share them. At that moment she feared not to be able to pay rent, most of all. She did not receive any money after so many years of work and her husband didn't earn enough. Well, she's got married for love, not for money. Though, their relative helped them a lot…

'Have you ever had suicidal thoughts?', the bald doctor continued the interview, arrogantly asking Maria.

'No. I still have a daughter to raise. Moreover, if, theoretically, I commit suicide, I'll go to hell and burn there for two thousand years.

Doctors exchanged looks once again and wrote something down…

'Look, if you don't let me out of here today, my friends will give you a good dressing-down', Maria said at last.

'If you don't let me out of here today, my friends will give you hard times', Maria said at finally.

The arrogant bald doctor drooped a bit and said, 'Well, you'll be free after twelve o'clock'…

'Thank you', Maria said.

So, this was how she miraculously broke free...

On the way home, Maria decided to call her husband. 'I love you and Kate, she said crying'.

'Why are you crying? Do you want to commit suicide?', her husband asked.

Maria was hearing the voice of her mother-in-law on the background.

'You want to kill yourself? I'm calling to the doctors', her husband continued.

'What are you talking about?!', Maria asked in shock, understanding that she's left with no choice, except for running.

Maria realized that her husband was brainwashed and he strongly believed that she wanted to take her own life.

.... Maria jumped into the very next train and left for parts unknown. At the very time she was looking at the window, three doctors and five policemen were in her apartment, claiming that they were to save her life…