heartstrings

Chapter 10

Nicholas
November 1st 2017

It was Halloween, around midnight, and the chill in the air was palpable. Eve and I walked in silence to my mother's old shed, each step crunching the leaves beneath our feet. I fumbled through my pockets, searching for the keys, my mind racing.

This space was supposed to stay unknown, untouched by anyone else. Did I really want to bring an almost-stranger into it? But Eve needed help, and my sense of duty overpowered my hesitation-- i mean, she still was my friend--- right?

I found the keys, the cold metal biting into my hand as I unlocked the door. The shed was my hidden sanctuary, a place where I sometimes lived when the world became too overwhelming.

Blankets and pillows were scattered about, alongside some of my clothes and snacks. It was cozy, a refuge from the harshness of life outside. Entering the shed you could immediately smell the harsh stench of weed, but i dont think Eve was able to notice, given the fact that she could barely walk on her own.

Eve was shivering, her breath visible in the cold night air. The sight of her like that tugged at something deep inside me. I moved quickly to turn on the fireplace, watching as the flames began to dance and cast a warm glow across the room. The warmth slowly began to seep into the space, chasing away the cold.

"Where's the bathroom?" Eve asked, her voice tinged with urgency and the slur of alcohol.

I pointed it out to her, and she rushed inside, only to be overtaken by a wave of nausea. I heard her retching and felt a pang of concern. My mind flashed back to memories of my mother taking care of me when I was sick. I shook off the thought and went to find Eve.

She was sitting on the bathroom floor, looking pale and miserable. I sat down next to her, leaning against the cool tiles, and placed a hand on her back.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

She nodded weakly, and after a few moments, we made our way to the couch in front of the chimney. The fire crackled, filling the silence between us. Eve looked around, curiosity evident in her eyes despite her exhaustion.

We sat on the couch in front of the fireplace, the flames flickering and casting dancing shadows across the walls of my mother's shed. Eve was still shivering, but the warmth from the fire was starting to take effect. She looked fragile, her face pale and her eyes heavy with the weight of the alcohol.

I could feel the drugs still buzzing in my system, making everything feel a bit surreal and detached, as if I were watching everything from a distance.

Eve broke the silence first. "Thanks for helping me," she said, her voice soft and slurred. "I don't know what I would've done otherwise."

"No problem," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady despite the haze in my mind. "You looked like you needed it"

She nodded, her gaze drifting around the room. "This place... it's cozy. Whose is it?"

I took a deep breath, hesitating for a moment. Sharing this part of my life wasn't easy, but there was something about Eve that made me want to open up. "It was my mom's," I began slowly. "She used to come here a lot. After she passed, I started using it as my own space. Somewhere I could escape to."

Eve's eyes softened with curiosity and empathy. "What happened to her?" she asked gently.

silence.

I stared into the fire, the memories flooding back, each one a painful reminder. "She committed suicide six years ago," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "She was struggling for a long time. I didn't see the signs until it was too late."