Skinny • Book 1 In The Reality Series

Calum

I'm used to chest pain.

At times it's a dull ache.

At others a tight, pinching pain.

However never, has it woken me.

It takes me only a second to realize what has woken me.

Confused and disoriented by the utter and complete darkness which fills my room, I instantly became aware of the throbbing, sharp pain which pierces my chest.

I feel like I'd eaten a massive meal then decided to sprint a mile, it is the same horrific, immobilizing pain of a cramp located instead on the left side of my chest.

Watching the minutes tick by on the digital clock on my bedside, I wait for the pain to recede, figuring that like a gas bubble once it moves low enough in my system, the pain will diminish, but that is not the case.

Fifteen minutes go by, I've kicked off my covers, pulled my shirt off, relieving myself of the constricting fabric and am struggling to get enough air through the ragged, useless breaths I am struggling to take.

By the time twenty minutes passes, I am in agony. Tears stream down my face as I lay incapable of any movement other than digging my knuckles into my chest and rubbing, trying desperately to relieve the pain.

After thirty minutes has gone by, I am convinced that I am dying, and so, panicking, I cry out for my Dad like I had so many times as a child waking up covered in my own ear infection induced vomit.

Yelling only making it worse, I take several deep breaths before crying out louder.

I call out to him once, twice, three times, before my door swung open, hitting the wall behind it. The lights are flicked on, blinding me.

"Calum?" Anna's voice demands, "Why the heck are you yelling? What's wrong?"

"Where's Dad?" I manage to get out.

"Driving home from his conference." She answers in a duh tone, "He's coming home early. You knew he was out of town until tomorrow, what is wrong with you?"

Blinking back tears and struggling to breath, I shrug.

"Why are you yelling?" she demands, "I just finished a five-page essay and I have a test in the morning, I need to sleep."

"Sorry." I mutter.

"What's wrong?" she presses, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I have a headache." I lie.

"Take ibuprofen."

I wonder if that will help the pain in my chest.

I figure it will.

Sitting up slowly, I move my legs over the side of the bed.

I can hear Anna talking, but my ears are ringing far too much to hear what she is saying.

Pushing myself to my feet I take a step towards the general direction I know the bathroom is, my vision too blurry to see anything in front of me.

"Calum?" Anna questions, her voice suddenly clear, my arm burning where her fingers are wrapped around it.

I try to speak but only a string of jumbled, nonsensical garble spills from my lips.

"Calum?"

My vision is black, leaving me unable to tell the difference between the world around me and the inside of my eyelids, however I can feel them drooping shut, my body wilting with them.

I can tell I am near the ground. Feel Anna struggling to grab any part of me she can to keep me standing. Hear her screaming my name, feel my head fall back on my neck, hear three buttons being pressed on Anna's phone, feel all the pain in my body melting away, hear Anna crying, barely managing to get our address out, feel my heartbeat hammering everywhere, hear