Mirrored Exile (HS)

sixty seven

chapter sixty seven - poison

Lucy Caddel

Today was a new day and I was hoping for a bit of a better one too. Harry didn't sleep last night and I didn't pressure him to because I knew he wouldn't. Me on the other hand, slept like a log. I woke up a few times briefly like when Nina came in or someone rang Harry, but I usually dozed off seconds after.

I planned on telling Harry everything. Including the mug with the coffee that belonged to Folan. I hadn't had the chance to mention it because I was too busy being shot.

"Do you hear what's playing?" Harry says from next to me.

We're on the small balcony of Nina's room where we've been many times before. Early of a morning, the sun was always in the perfect spot on it. It warmed you from the outside in. My skin soaked it up as it was deprived due to the cold, overcast days we've had. This was the first sunny day we've had in a while, but with winter approaching, it was probably going to be the last.

I frowned at Harry's words. "What do you mean?"

"The song playing on the radio." He pointed to the small portable radio that was rasp in its sound. Nina always had it set to the same radio station every time we visited.

I sat up more and listened carefully. The familiar tune spun into my ears. In short, it was the song that reminded me of him. I've heard it many times since it first played at that diner on the pier in California. There's not a way to explain coincidences, but I guess it was more than a coincidence. It felt like fate had twisted its way into the speakers or the radios at almost every place I'd been to since that day. Call me crazy, but the song provided a sense of ease. Being on that pier with him was the first time I had felt that state of ease in a while. It was inevitable that every time I heard it, I was going to think of that time.

"Every Breath You Take. By The Police."

"From that day on the pier?" I ask, knowing damn well that we both know exactly where from.

He nods. He doesn't know, but I've deemed that song, as our song.

"Anyway," he presses his lips together, "I'm going to get some food. Want anything?"

"I'm alright, thanks though." I smile and disappears around the corner.

I trailed behind him, back inside to where my bed was. I collapsed on my back to feel the cold sheets beneath. The same sharp pain would shoot through my waist, but I was used to it. It had become the new normal.

When we reached this private hospital, it was easy shown that Harry felt more relieved to be here. And I did too. This hospital is also a lot smaller. Within ten minutes, we already ran into Nina twice. She was good company to get my mind off things so it didn't bother me.

I still haven't searched for that photo strip of Harry and I. I already knew where it was. The back pocket of my favorite jeans. I needed to get it out. So I reached across the bed to the bag I had packed. The strain to reach it was pressuring but I got it. Just. I was probably one more stretch from falling off the bed.

I rummaged through the back to find the jeans. I had originally folded them in there but with all the fumbling and throwing this bag had experience, it was now creased. I also slipped out the reports onto my lap just to get them out of the way. They were more like fragile cargo now so I was meticulous with how I slid them out.