The Girl in the White Dress

Chapter 1 (Him)

I grumble as someone rips past us on a motorcycle. The kid had no right to be on it, he could barely balance on it while it was moving. The worst part is that that bike used to belong to me, before I had to sell.

"I'm sorry, Lucien, but there's no way in Hell that you're getting on a bike ever again." Cassandra states as she steps onto the patio with a cup of juice for me.

I glare at her, bringing as much anger into my eyes as I can.

"Now don't give me that look, we should have gotten rid of it months ago. All it was doing was collecting dust in the garage," Cassandra continues making me take a sip of the juice, "It should have been out of here the second you tried to ride it and didn't even make it down the block before you tipped it over!"

I frown at her bringing up the memory, it pains me that I can't do what I used to. I'd give anything to do what I could do back then, I miss being able to walk where I want to freely, ride my bike across the country whenever I wished, or even to be able to have sex again!

I should have known better than to have been on the bike those couple of months ago too, I was on it because I wished to feel alive again, like when I was younger. Turns out I was a lot worse off than I thought, barely being able to walk at the time. It shouldn't have been hard to realize why I shouldn't have gone on the bike. I was always one to learn from my mistakes.

Cassandra makes me drink the juice until it's gone, eager to get on our walk I'm sure, the weather is brilliant out today. The temperature is warm enough for shorts, but not too hot where you'll sweat, unless you're me of course. I used to always wear longer clothes and leather jackets, I found them comfortable and thought it made me look good.

Now I'm stuck wearing a pair of sweatpants, a super warm sweater, and a blanket while sitting in this heat to not feel like I'm freezing to death.

Cassandra takes the handles from the back of my wheelchair and pushes me down the ramp, onto the street outside my house.

We make our way down the street, towards the park that we usually do. I've started to like going to the pond and watching the swans and taking in the smells around me. I always said I'd never become this kind of person when I was younger, but I guess times can change.

"I'm thinking we should start considering moving you into a proper home, I worry that if anything goes wrong I won't be able to help you without more help..." Cassandra starts shyly at the topic. I wanted to remain in my home for as long as I could, but I've started having more and more issues come up at night, specifically with being able to breath.

I make eye contact with her and see why she wants me in a home. I pay her extremely well with all the money that was supposed to go towards my retirement, but she's developed an emotional attachment to me over the past year of her keeping me alive.

I let out a long sigh, and do the best to nod my head. She catches my motion then tells me, "I know a wonderful place, it's only a couple of blocks away from here. I used to work there before doing your private care, I'll be able to take care of you there as well..."

I let Cassandra ramble on and tune her out. I appreciate everything she's done for me over the past year. I'm sure she didn't plan on taking care of someone her age. Cassandra started taking care of me only to watch me whither away in my own skin, all at the ripe old age of twenty three.

"I'm going to get a drink from the cafe over there, do you want me to leave you here?" I hear Cassandra ask as I come back into focus of what she's saying. I do my best to nod.

Cassandra gets up and makes her way out of my line of view, she normally does this as there's no major threat to leaving me on the edge of the dock, as no one's going to kidnap a man with ALS.

Sadly, today was one of those days where fate took it upon itself to do something that doesn't normally happen.

The old wood holding up the end of the dock gives way, and there's nothing I can do to stop myself from rolling down it and into the water.

The last thing that I see before my head goes underwater is a lone raven sitting in a patch of lycoris watching me.