Kaitlyn Jones and The Land of The Beasts

⟪Kaitlyn⟫

Amanda was coming soon. Five minutes, she said. She was staying the night. And, according to my mom, she might be able to stay Sunday night too.

I was downstairs, texting Amanda. Even before I could barely walk, I still texted er the whole time she was driving to my house. And when I was going there.

"I never understood why you girls do that." My mom said when she came into the room. I didn't respond. I could tell she was trying to pretend like everything was normal. I hate it.

We just pulled in

Amanda messaged me.

Kk

I grabbed my crutches and pushed myself off the couch. I started to make my way to the door just as the doorbell rang.

I opened the door to show Amanda and her mom. Amanda had a bag, and her mom held a plate covered in plastic wrap.

"Hi, Kaitlyn." Her mom said with a small smile.

"Hi, Mrs. Ava." I said, returning the smile.

"Hey, Kait." Amanda said softly. When we were messaging, she kept saying how she felt so bad for me.

"Hey, Mandy." I said, then moved out of the way for them to come in.

"Hey, Ava." My mom greeted her. "Hey, Iris. I brought cookies." They went to talk in the kitchen.

"Is there anything you need from down here? Mom already made your bed. But, once I get upstairs, I really shouldn't go back down for a while." I explained.

"Can we get some snacks? So, we don't have to come back down. And, if you need anything, I'll get it." She seemed so desperate to help me.

"Sure. And it's fine. Everything I could think of is in my room. I really don't want too much help. It just takes me like ten minutes to get up and down the stairs." Amanda nodded.

"Can you get the snacks? I'll start to make my way up the stairs." She nodded once more.

I had practiced a few times before she had arrived.

I was on the seventh step when I heard her say bye to her mom, despite her not leaving yet. Our moms always talked when she came over.

I was on the eighth step when I looked behind me and saw her carrying a bunch of chips, water, and a couple sodas.

"You can go past me, and when you're done, please get my other crutch." I know I said I didn't want help, but it isn't bad to have both of my crutches.

It was also easier to ask my best friend for help than my parents.

"Definitely." She walked carefully past me. But I heard her run up the rest of the steps when she was out of my view.

I had reached the first platform when she came back down. "Where would you like me to put it?" She asked when she got my crutch.

"You can lay it on my bed."

A thousand steps later and I was in my room with Amanda.

It was silent for a moment as I adjusted on my bed. I sat down with my left leg tucked in and my right leg sticking out. I laid each hand on one of my legs. I sat up straight and took deep breaths.

Then Amanda blurted out, "I'm so sorry! This is all my fault." She then started to cry into her hands.

My best-friend instincts kicked in.

"Oh, Amanda!" I made a move to get to her but went too fast and felt a stab in my ribs.

"Ow!" My hands went straight to them.