Charred Feelings

1 : Back at it all

Patient ACAS 5738 passed away.
Her family consisting of her mom and her brothers cried outside. She was loved. I sighed. Another patient dead on my watch. It made no sense. Everyone was dropping dead like flies.

I shuffled through more files.
Patient DFS 4456 died last week because of an over dose. She died when she was on an IV.

Someone knocked at the door and Aspen walked through.

"How's the beautiful Lyra doing today?", Aspen was sipping on a cup of coffee.

I'm not feeling so beautiful. "Not so great."

Aspen came over and hugged me from behind through the arms of my rollie chair.

"Aspen people'll misunderstand."

Aspen let me go immediately.

I've never acknowledged his feelings for me. I know that he'll follow me to the ends of the earth, wherever that is.

"Wanna go for a little walk?"

I spun my chair around to face the windows.

Cloudy,and cold.

"No. I have to stay back and work"

I already knew that Aspen was frowning. He left without another word. I know he's just worried about me. I sighed once again. I need a vacation or something.

I finished the rest of the checkups for my remaining patients and walked home at 12:03.

I stuck my hand in my jacket pocket to feel for the small oval compact. I shook it a little, just enough to hear the pills inside.

Drip..droppp...

Stupid Lyra for not bringing an umbrella.

I ran home being cautious not to bump into any greencoats. I wasn't in the mood to get in trouble with the higher ups now.

When I finally got home I went straight upstairs to get right out of my wet clothes.

I let the bath run as I tied up my hair. I looked at myself in the mirror.

Why would Aspen like someone like me?

I didn't stand out from the rest of the crowd. My violet eyes might be the only special thing about me.

I had lighter golden brown hair because of all the times I spent in the fields for research. Maybe it would be best if I got a pixie cut.

KNOCK! KNOCK! " Hey, sis there's mail for you on the table. I'm going off to sleep."

I knew Kira couldn't hear me over the water so I didn't answer.

I turned off the water and settled into the warm water.

I scrubbed my body. I lost so much weight since I've always skipped out on meals because I never could stop flipping the pages on my story books.

I shampooed and got out.

When I finished my night routine I climbed into bed and layed there.

I stared up at the glow in the dark stars I had placed up when I was 5.

My laptop beeped.

The urge was strong so I turned it on. I got situated again on my bed and I looked at the notification.

It was Aspen.

I sighed.

Click! Click!

" Hey Lyra. Woahhh...where why is it so dark on your side?"