I'm With You

Chapter 23

The days soon turned into weeks and the two sisters had been moving around every couple of days. They made it to Wendy's charity building and were lucky enough to find shoes for Eira and a thin blanket for them to share - they left quickly when they saw Wendy returning, not wanting to risk her alerting Miguel that she'd seen them. They focused more on water than food if they didn't have enough money for both but they both noticed how cold it was getting. Eira was terrified that Mackenzie would get sick again, so she often put more of the blanket around her little sister after Mackenzie had fallen asleep.

Neither of them had any idea that Miguel hadn't given up trying to find them, that he'd begged his sister and Lauren to help him try and track them down. He'd gone to every homeless shelter in the city, describing them both but nobody had seen them.

He was terrified that when they would find them... it would be too late.

=

"We have three dollars... and a couple of pieces of trash." Mackenzie breathed and Eira sighed, shaking her head slowly and she stood up from the ground using the wall the help support her. They'd moved back to under the bridge in the park and had been staying there for just one night - they could see that it looked like it was going to rain, so they wanted to be somewhere that was guaranteed to be dry overnight.

"I'll see what I can do with that, I guess," Eira said, standing up and Mackenzie noticed that she was using the wall behind her to help her stand.

"Eira, you're exhausted - just let me go. I'll come with you!" Mackenzie offered, going to stand up but Eira held her hand out to make her stop.

"It's going to rain soon, it's pointless both of us getting wet." Eira said, before digging into her pocket and she threw the box of painkillers to Mackenzie, who caught them as she sat cross-legged on the floor with the blanket over her lap.

"Eira..."

"Just use the last of the water if you need to take one, okay? I'll be back in a few minutes, I'll see if the hotdog guy is still there. He might do me a deal for a hot dog and some water for three bucks." Eira leaned down, giving her a kiss before she walked away and she wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm as she made her way out of the park to where she'd seen a hotdog vendor earlier in the day. She couldn't stop shivering, she couldn't remember a time she was ever so cold, her entire body ached but she couldn't risk Mackenzie becoming so sick again. She rubbed her arms, blinking quickly in the hopes it would lessen the pounding in her head. She was sure she'd feel better after food.

Mackenzie sighed, fiddling with the painkiller box in her hands as she stood up, leaning against the wall. She had to stretch her legs, it was helping her to stay warm.

"Give me that." A voice growled and Mackenzie looked up, her eyes widening when she saw a man who was obviously homeless, looking to be in his late twenties but drugs and rough life on the streets had aged him.

"What?" Mackenzie choked out and she whimpered when she saw the man pull out a knife.

"Give me the pills o-or I'll fucking end you!" The man threatened, his voice shaky. He was shaking too, his entire body. Mackenzie recognized it immediately from when her sister was the same - the man in front of her was going through withdrawals.

"O-Okay, sure... take them." Mackenzie choked out, handing them over out of pure fear that he would genuinely hurt her. The man quickly stashed the pills in his pocket.

"Money. Give me money." He demanded.

"I don't have any... m-my sister went to buy food."

"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU." The man snapped, but Mackenzie yelped as the man was suddenly forced to turn around - seeing her sister.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Eira screamed, having discarded the food and the water bottle she'd bought but she gasped when she felt something, Mackenzie letting out a scream as she saw blood on the knife as the man stumbled backward, his eyes wide with shock.

"I-I didn't mean... y-you turned me around! I slipped! I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry!" He dropped the knife, running away as fast as he could. Mackenzie caught Eira as she fell to the ground, gasping for air as her hands clamped on her side, blood seeping through her fingers fast.

"I'll get help! I'll get help, you have to stay awake!" Mackenzie exclaimed, tears streaming down her face. She scrambled to her feet, running through the park. "HELP!" She screamed, her eyes widening when she spotted someone. "MIGUEL!" She yelled and his eyes widened too, running to her as it started to pour with rain.

"MACKENZIE!" He yelled, grabbing her arms when they got to each other but his heart dropped when he saw that she was covered in blood. "Eira..."

"She was stabbed! She was stabbed, you have to help her! Please!" Mackenzie begged, Miguel not saying a word in response but he was right beside Mackenzie as they ran back towards the bridge.