The Cut by Patricia McCormick

Cut

The book I read is called Cut, by Patricia McCormick. It has 151 pages and was published in 2000. The story is about a 15 year old girl named Callie. Callie has a hard time talking about her feelings, so instead she cuts herself with a razor. Her Parents send her away to a mental home called Sea Pines, but all the patients call it Sick Minds. Callie doesn't talk; she doesn't talk to friends, to her family, or to anyone. She hasn't even heard her own voice in months.

Callie is in a group with girls who are dealing with similar problems. Her roommate, Sydney, is in the treatment center for drug abuse. She is addicted to every drug she's ever tried. Sydney doesn't avoid Callie like everyone else does, she tries to figure out why she won't talk. Sydney seems concerned with Callie and shows real compassion for her and her problems, even though she doesn't really understand them. Another character in the book is Ruby, she is an elderly attendant who works the night-shift at the treatment center. Callie likes her because she is very nice, and dresses like the nurses in old movies. Even though Callie doesn't speak to her, she feels very comfortable around her. Ruby doesn't expect her to talk, she is happy doing the talking for both of them. When Callie would cut herself to deep, she would run to Ruby for help. She didn't explain anything, she would just show her the cut and Ruby would bandage her up. Then she would explain to Callie that, no matter what she was feeling, it couldn't be worse than what she was putting herself through.

Each guest at Sea Pines must visit a counselor. During Callie's 55 minutes of counseling time she would remain silent, she spent her time counting the stripes on the wallpaper. Slowly, after awhile, Callie began to say a few words, but only to her counselor. She explained to her counselor how her little brother Sam is very sick with asthma, and how her parents only pay attention to Sam. Even though she talks to her counselor, she still isn't comfortable enough to talk about what she does to herself.

Callie's father never comes to visit her at Sick Minds. Her mother sometimes comes, but usually complains about insurance costs for her treatment, and how hard it is for her to come visit because of Sam. Callie really misses her father, and sometimes she imagines him coming to visit, and her introducing