Thin Ice

Fading

       My brother and sister brought me downstairs to the kitchen. "Stay here." My brother left me with Aileen and went to go get the scale. I was getting panicky so I started pacing back and forth. I noticed that after I rolled over the shorts that were now too big on me, I could see a few cuts on my thighs. I was constantly pulling them down so no one saw them. After what felt like forever, Aidan came and nearly dropped the scale on the floor.

"Get on." I could tell Aidan wasn't going to take no for an answer. I reluctantly stepped on, not wanting to see the number. That's when Aidan had enough; I hit 78. I could tell my brother was disappointed and so was Aileen. I started feeling a little dizzy, I hadn't eaten anything in almost 3 days. "Aeron, you need to eat." He told me to sit at the table, and he started pouring me a small bowl of cereal. He slammed it on the table. "Eat it." I just starred at it for a minute, I was hungry, but I wasn't about to give up.

I picked up the spoon and only managed to eat 2 fruit loops. I hid my face in my hands. "I c-can't do it." Normal people would find this ridiculous that I can't even eat a bowl of cereal. My brother sighed, Aileen grabbed shoulders from behind and leaned her head against mine. "If uncle Ed called you a twig, and made fun of you for it, would you eat?" This was something I'd never even thought of. I wasn't even sure. "Aeron, we're too close in weight right now. You know this could kill you, right?" I felt embarrassed and I just wanted to run away from this problem. "We're only doing this because we care about you. I'm not saying that you have to finish that bowl, that's all up to you. But if you don't, I failed at keeping you safe." I didn't want him to think like that. "I'm sorry." I whispered to him.

I tried eating a little more of the cereal, but only finished half of what my brother gave me. I felt so guilty, I wanted to throw it up, but I promised that I wouldn't. My uncle still wasn't back yet when we went to bed, I didn't know weather to be worried or glad. That whole night I was freezing, which didn't make sense because it was 93 degrees out and my siblings kept tossing and turning from the heat. I was sweating, but freezing. I couldn't sleep, my thoughts were racing 1000 miles and hour and they wouldn't stop. I needed them to stop.