Stranger, Help Me

QUIT

"I'm so tired. I shouldn't have tried to stay awake solely on Redbull and chocolate chip cookies."

"Um. Hello?"

"Oh. Yes. Hello, Gale... speaking."

"Hi..."

"Hey! Quiet girl! You haven't called back in awhile."

"Yeah..."

"Is... everything okay?"

"Well... actually I need your help again."

"... what is it?"

"I kind of need... support? I don't have the strength to do anything anymore."

"To do what?"

"To live, I guess? Kind of an empty wall. I can't picture a tomorrow anymore."

"Oh, wow. Okay... Let me just... Okay. Okay. Listen. Y - You can...stay strong."

"I can't. I really can't. It's so... Tiring. I can't sleep, I can't eat, I can't focus... I can't do anything! Sometimes I just want to... ugh."

"I... You need to take some time for yourself."

"How? How? My sister... I have to protect her. I can't take time for me."

"You have a sister?"

"A little sister. She's twelve."

"Ah... Listen, quiet girl. You're pretty damn strong for being so protective. It's hard, yeah, but keep going. It makes you stronger. If this is to protect your sister, then keep being strong. But keep being strong for you, too. Don't give up."

"..."

"Ugh, I'm sorry. I'm so bad at this."

"Do you think I can keep going?"

"Yes. Absolutely."

"Sometimes I want to quit, you know? Give up on being the strong one and let someone else protect me. But no one is going to protect me."

"I will."

"Protect me?"

"Yeah. Keep calling, and I'll make sure you're okay."

"Evangeline."

"Evangeline?"

"My name."

"It's a nice name."

"T... thank you. Really."

"Anytime."

"I have to go. But thank you. You don't mind if I keep calling? Really?"

"It's fine. Whenever you need me."

"Okay."

"But - "

"But?"

"It's okay to look after yourself every once in a while. I'll protect you, but you are just as capable of protecting yourself. Just like you're protecting your sister. Okay?"

"I - I can... do that?"

"Yeah."

"I'll try, then. I'll try."

Beep, beep...