Breaking Emily

Measure 2

~ Measure 2 ~

The red letters of the clock slowly came into vision, and I made them out to read 8:47 a.m.

I moaned and took a look around.

I was in my own bed, in my own room, with Hannah passed out on the floor beside of me, snoring.

“Hannah.” I said, sitting up and clenching my head, “Come on. Get up.”

“Mmmmm, what?” she mumbled.

I reached down and nudged her.

“Come on, wake up!” I said.

Her eyes flew open, showing just how dim and bloodshot they were.

She sat up faster than I did and looked at the clock.

“Oh God, what happened last night?” she moaned.

I shook my head.

“I don't entirely know...” I said.

She suddenly started laughing.

“How much did I drink?”

My eyes snapped to her.

“A lot more than me!” I said, matter of factly, “You were stoned by the time you came to get me. I, on the other hand, only had one...”

And then I remembered the drinks I got. The punch. Someone must have spiked them. Oh God.

Is this what a hangover feels like?

Hannah was hysterical, lying back laughing.

“What's so funny about the fact that we were drunk?” I snapped.

She looked up at me.

“I told you, Em, you've got to learn to loosen up!”

She suddenly threw her hand over her mouth and sat up.

I rolled my eyes.

“Regretting what you said again?” I said.

She shook her head.

“No...” she said, “Regretting what I drank!”

Rushing to the bathroom, she hurled into the toilet and looked up, wiping her mouth.

“So maybe being drunk isn't so funny after all.” I chimed.

Hurling a few more times, she looked up at me and furrowed her eyebrows as I smiled.

The smile soon faded as a warm sensation went up my throat. My eyes widened.

“Oh no.” I gagged.

I ran in after Hannah, thinking maybe next time I'd take my own advice and stay home, just in time to make it to the trash...

***

I sat at the window that night after Hannah left, staring out into the darkness.

I felt the smooth, white paper between my fingertips that the boy had handed me the night before.

I took a deep breath.

Carefully unfolding the paper and smoothing out the crease, I opened my eyes and looked down.

I didn't know what to expect, but I wasn't surprised when I discovered what it was.

Cameron Walter

520 – 1824

I felt like I had no choice.

I reached over and picked up the phone.