Special

Chapter 19

I stomped into my room, shut the door, and locked it, which was pointless, Mum could easily teleport in if she wanted. Was there no getting away from that woman!

I grabbed my trashcan, dumping the bottles of painkillers and antiemetics into it. I rummaged through my nightstand for every last medicine container and trashed it. Pills flew and scattered as I threw unsealed containers into the wastebasket. I panted, itching for more medication to get rid of but there was nothing left. Astoundingly, a weight I didn't know I was carrying had lifted. The exercise was cathartic.

I scoured my closet and drawers for any reminder of my treatments, my blood boiling as I tore and crumpled old medical papers, articles, and magazines. I would've burnt them all if I could. So much time spent in hospitals. So much time spent on all those treatments. Why did I have to go through it all? Why did I have to put so many drugs into my body? Why!

I ripped endless treatment notes and journal entries. They filled so many pages I ended up trashing entire journals. When I finished, my floor and wastebasket were littered with medical rubbish. My heart thundered, my nostrils flaring. Although therapeutic, the destructive exercise took a lot out of me.

I curled up on my bed, sobbing and sniffling until I fell asleep.

The warmth of a blanket over my cold body roused me.

Mum gently covered me, turning off the light before she vanished.

I effortlessly went back to sleep, my body exhaustingly numb, so tired, I nearly slept through the incessant ringing of my alarm clock.

I hit the snooze button, drifting in and out of sleep until the alarm went off again. I slammed the off button, rubbing my puffy eyes.

The sounds of Mum and Cody getting ready for the day muffled through my walls.

A glass of water stood on my nightstand. My trashcan had been emptied, and the floor was clean.

I pushed the blankets off me but couldn't bring myself to get out of bed. I rolled onto my back, staring at the ceiling, my mind focusing on many things but my immediate reality.

When I looked at the alarm clock, nearly an hour had gone by. Unmotivated to get out of bed, I continued staring at the ceiling lost in thought until a knock on my door stirred me back to the real world.

'Hope,' Mum called.

I ignored her.

'Hope,' she called again, turning the handle of the locked door.

I covered myself and turned, facing away from the door.

'Hope,' Mum whispered, her voice clear and closer behind me as she teleported into the room.

The smell of toast and spices wafted through the air. Cutlery clinked against glass and ceramic as Mum placed a tray on my nightstand. 'I made you some breakfast.'

She came around my side to face me, sitting on the edge of my bed. I blankly stared at my curtains.

'Hope,' she cooed.

'I'm not hungry,' I grumbled.

We sat in silence until Mum stood up. 'I need to drop off Cody. Get as much rest as you need.'

I remained silent while she lingered around the room a moment longer.

'Call me if you need anything,' she said before vanishing.

I waited for the sound of the car pulling away before I willed myself up. My muscles ached, my body sore as though I'd been hit by a bus. I sat in bed, pecking at the breakfast, forcing down about half and washing it down with some juice. My throat was so dry, so course a glass of juice wasn't enough. Still thirsty, I gulped down an entire glass of water.