I hear Wren's wheelchair squeakig even through the door of mine and Dax's room. She knocks hard on the door. I sigh and open it for her. Chemo has stripped away her hair, but her eyelashes and brows are still there. " Hey." She rolls past me, into our room. " Gave Dax some pills?" I ask, stretching out on the uncomfortable arm chair in the corner of our room. " He asked. We're all dying anyway." She shrugs her shoulders. " You know this is a hospital. We will get better." I say, more trying to convince myself than her. " Casper, you know that's bull shit. We have incurable, terminal illnesses. Everything, ever, is telling us that we won't live. Our parents just send us here because they want to get rid of us before we die." Her words may as well be knives. They cut deep. " Wren, Duskbane promised us we will get out-" She interrupts me. " When has anyone ever kept their promises?" I think about my girlfriend back home. She swore up and down she would visit me, yet I haven't seen her face for months. She probably got with that motherfucker Thire. " Why are you even here?" I ask her, straightening my back and leaning forward, leaning my elbows on my knees. She sighs, pulling out a bottle of oxycodone from her gown. " For Dax." She hands them to me. I roll the bottle between my index and my thumb. " He's in the rec room." I tell her, passing back the bottle.
" Casper, just try it." She pops off the cap and shoves it in my face. The fact of the matter is that her and Dax are my best friends here, but I won't get involved with their addiction. Before I can respond though, somebody starts banging loudly on the door. " Wellness check!" A woman screams in a shrill voice. I look at Wren, knowing that we will be punished if she is caught here. I scoop her into my arms and place her on the floor between the two beds. I kick her chair with her and open the door. " Are you alright?" The woman places the back of her wrinkled hand on my forehead. " You look flushed." Her voice is edged with concern. " No, I'm alright." I say, dragging my hand across my face to clear the sweat. " Are you sure?" She pushes past me into the room. " Where is your room mate?" She asks, opening the drawer of the desk. I watch Wren shrink backwards into the corner. Out of pure instinct, I shuffle backards, making sure I hit the wall loudly. The nurse turns her attention to me and rushes over just as I slip off the wall and hit the ground.
