Leggings@60+com part 8 & new end.

Phyliss was hanging about watching the clock by the time I got to the bus station. She grabbed me by the arm and we ran towards a bus stop.
"Let's not talk till we get a safe distance away," she said breathlessly, she looked hot and bothered.
"Okay," I said, thinking that this was becoming more like cops and robbers by the day. The bus swung out of the station in dizzing circular action, and headed slowly out of the city. I waited for her to spill the beans.
Eventually as the bus headed past the city gates she turned to me.
"Leggings, when I said come to the meeting, I didn't expect you to get so involved." she paused, thinking, "I had another friend once, and she..."
"Its not a bother," I replied feeling a little stung, did she think I couldn't handle the situation? I was a grown up. "I'm quite enjoying it."
"Yes, i suppose so," she replied, "You remember Faye - she used to be around a year or so ago?"
Do I remember? Yes, she was really awful, hung about all day and was very nasty about everyone. I used to wonder what Phyliss saw in her.
"Yes," I said shortly. I decided not to tell her how I felt.
Phyliss started to cry, "She took me to the Ladies Triangle, she was very in, with Sharon, then with the Tripod. I know you don't like her, yet before she got so nasty, she was okay."
"Was she always so nasty?" I asked feeling horrible, sweat trickled down my neck, and a blush suffuxed my face.
"No, only after Sharon made her that way. She only lasted a few months after that, claimed she could mind read. Claimed... the birds talked to her!"
My mouth fell open. Who would say such a thing? My 'lessons' with Sharon hadn't yet led to any mindreading, all I got was a hornet...
"I only hear a hornet," I said aloud, "I'm just worried I'll get stung."
"That's what she heard first," she said slowly, "Sharon said something about her being used up..."
"Used up?"
"Yeah, the Tripod have opened some early care Dementia homes, they claim the younger women are affected by bing boozing. I know that's true, and I know that she was 'used up'."
We looked at each other, I didn't like the sound of it either. Did this thing they do really use people up.
"What do they do with Tea-bags?" I asked grimly.
"We get off here," she said and we walked towards a large house just two away, "Faye lives here now, she's 27."
I couldn't believe it, the sign said, Brimley House - home for Early Dementia cases.
"The Tea-bags?" she asked, "I'm not certain, I was told they sometimpes add stuff, two kinds, one to help develop Psychic skills and the other to make people sick."
She stared at the floor. "I hate them." she said, "If I knew a way out I would take it."
We went in through the main doors and spoke to a care worker. She knew Phyliss, and sent us straight into see Faye. Faye sat rocking on a high chair, her hair was no longer coiffered smoothly into a tight bang, it was raggy as if her fingers had been pulled through it many times. Her face was closed. She didn't look good. She had aged. She looked ancient!
"Faye?" Phyliss, sitting down, "Faye, I've brought Marrion to see you."
Faye looked up and screamed, as Phyliss brought an arm around to hold her, she leant out and smacked her. I backed away. A gabble of incomprehensible words lashed out accross the floor. Whatever she was now, Faye the smart city slicker had gone missing.
Phyliss cried, her hands over the spot where the smack had landed. "Faye, Faye?" she whimpered. "It's me Phyl, I said I'd always be your friend."
"Who are you?" said Faye suddenly, "Not Phyl, Phyl my friend, had scissors. Had shop. Had tea. Tea not good!"
I looked at her slowly, she remembered something then. I tried again.
"Faye, I'm Marrion," I stayed way back out of range.
She looked around puzzled. "I don't know you.
"Tell me about the tea?" I begged.
"Tea bad! Bromide? ha ha, bromide, rock salt, horse pee, kill them all, use them up. Can't do it anymore. Who are you? Who?"

The carer wandered in, and grabbed Faye's outstretched hands. "Faye, sweetiec, want to come with me?"
Faye nodded, "Yes, Mummy promised me a ball!"
The carer nodded back, "Yes we know she did. Sorry ladies, you should go now, Faye has an appointment."

Phyliss nodded, and stood up, tears had tracked down her cheeks. I followed her out, stuck in thoughts, did psychic stuff make people old quicker? Wasn't sure!

Phyliss turned to me out in the street, "You have to stop!" she said slowly, "See, I know you're good now..."
"I don't think I'm psychic," I replied.
"I know about you," she said, as if it was being pulled out of her pain. "My mum told me, she knew you when you were younger, you're part of the absorbant mind gang!"