The Voices in Her Head (No. 8)

XIII

They drove Allison to the house. Katrine struggled to keep from crying. She hadn't yet, but she knew she was close.

The boys started panicking, and their rampant thoughts were making Katrine go crazy. "Shut up! Your thoughts! Shut them up!" They calmed down and Katrine nodded. "Good. Now, speak. One at a time."

Five instantly cried, "Come on! Let's go!"

Luther's voice took on a panicked tone. "I don't think she's breathing."

Klaus was their voice of reason. "If we don't get her upstairs, she's gonna die."

Diego and Luther were carrying Allison inside. Katrine ran ahead of them and found Grace and Pogo and said, "We need your help now! Allison has been hurt badly. Mom, please! Hurry!"

Grace and Pogo got everything ready and the boys brought Allison in and laid her on a gurney. Grace put pressure on Allison's wound to stop the bleeding.

She looked at the adults surrounding their sister. "She's suffered a severe laceration to her larynx. One of you will need to give blood."

"I will." They chorused.

Luther said, "I'm doing it."

Pogo shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not possible, dear boy. Your blood is more compatible with mine."

Klaus lifted an arm slightly. "Hey, don't sweat it. I--I got this, big guy. I love needles." He slapped his arm for effect.

Pogo spoke up once again. "Master Klaus. Your blood is...how shall I say this? Too polluted."

Diego frowned slightly. "Move. I'll do it."

Grace held up the needle and Diego fell to the ground. Katrine backed away, not liking the needle. Pogo glanced down at Diego. "Stick him."

The needle entered Diego's skin and the transfusion began.

While the siblings waited for the transfusion to finish, Katrine followed Klaus upstairs. Instantly, he started going through his stuff desperately.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for drugs." Klaus answered.

"Don't do it. Katrine, tell him not to."

Katrine huffed. "What good would that do? He doesn't listen. It's Klaus. He does what he wants."

Klaus narrowed his eyes at Katrine, disappointed that she'd given up. "I'm done listening to you! Just go away. You too, Kat. Go away, please."

"I like the sober you."

Klaus ripped open one of Katrine's old stuffed animals, causing her to gasp. "Yeah, well, sobriety's overrated."

"Look where it's gotten you, though."

"Well, where has it gotten me? Where has it gotten me? Nowhere. I can't talk to the person I love. People, excluding Katrine, still don't take me seriously. I wanna be numb again."

"You're a colossal wimp."

Katrine nodded. "I agree. You're better than this, Klaus."

He sighed and looked down at her. "Am I?" He then turned back to Ben. "Oh, yeah, really?"

"Yeah, really! Hey!" Ben's paused and continued. "Life isn't supposed to be easy. Life is hard. Bad things happen. Good people die."

Klaus scoffed. "Wow, playing the dead card again, huh? You need new material, bro."