Contraindication

Twenty-One| Chlorine Makes me Itch... so Does Poison Ivy

"An apology is the superglue of life!
It can repair just about anything!!"
-Lynn Johnston

As Darren and Felix ventured off into the forest to find a good tree to take a piss, I stayed in the car with Issac.

I wanted to go with the boys so I could take a break from the sobbing Pizza Boy, but I could leave him in the car.

Yes, Issac, the same boy who broke my nose with some rocks, was now itching and crying like a madman. In addition to his new temperament, he also just shared his messed up life story to us.

I still didn't trust him.
And I still wouldn't trust him.

I sighed as the sniffling and crying ceased, but the scratching and the groaning noise started up again. I slowly unbuckled my seat belt and twisted around to look at him, "Ok look Irene-"

"It's Issac..." he frowned.

I mentally slapped my forehead, "I'm sorry... Um ok look, Issac... I'm sorry your aunt treats you that way, and I know your relationship with her will never be the same since you can't carry through with what you promised," I rambled on for too long, "But maybe it's for the better? Think about this; How would you feel if you actually succeed in killing me?"

Issac looked away, "I don't know how I would feel.. maybe lost... maybe confused.. or finally happy since my aunt would give me my Xbox back."

Ok, this boy was all kinds of messed up.
I closed my mouth and ground my teeth. "Or maybe you would feel bad since my death would have been on your hands?" I suggested, looking out at the forest, hoping for them to come back to break up this awkward conversation.

He shrugged and rubbed his arms together like he was starting a fire.

I winced as he drew blood, "Ok? The point I was trying to make is that I forgive you for trying to kill me." I spoke really fast, "And you really shouldn't be itching it so much, it's going to make it worse-"

"Well I wouldn't be like this if you didn't knock that bag over me!" Isaac snapped like a toddler as I noticed more layers of skin were coming off.

This made me gag. I was used to seeing bits of pieces of myself on the ground but this was bits and pieces of someone else. I shut my eyes for a moment hoping for some sort of relief to my distress. My brain drilled through my skull, as the noises got worse. This wouldn't have been happening if I had my pills. Ugh! What was taking Darren and Felix so long? Why did they always have to disappear for minutes on end. "Ugh stop itching..." I pressed my temples, "What kind of freak is allergic to chlorine?" I whispered under my breath.

"It's a condition!" Isaac groaned, "A rare one!!" He looked out the window to the endless trees Darren and Felix disappeared into. "Do you have extra water? It would help with my itching?" He asked under his breath.

I opened my eyes to face the bright afternoon sun again. I thought long and hard to myself; I could either lie and let him suffer or I could give him some relief? Either way I'll still be in pain, but at least if I give him the water, he'll stop trying to pick flesh off his arms.

I sighed and hoping out the car to the shiny trunk of the Jeep. I rummaged through the bags that were lazy thrown back their and pulled out a plastic bottle. "Here-" before I could even finish my sentence Issac pushed his open the door and grabbed the bottle. He hesitated for a moment as he read the label. "It's not poisoned," I commented, "I don't have blood lust like you."

Issac stared daggers as he sniffed the bottle. After a few moments he shrugged, pulled off his trench coat, then poured the cold liquid all over his arms. A sense of bliss and relief washed over him as the leftover chlorine splashed onto the overgrown grass.  "T-thank you?" He muttered as he shook his arms. They were still peeling and covered in hives but at least he wasn't inching like a mad man anymore.

I rolled my eyes and walked back to the driver side.

"Hey? Evelyn?" Issac's voice was small yet sorrowful.

"Um yeah?" I lifted myself into the Jeep.

Issac sighed and dried his bloody arms on his dirty trench coat, "I just wanted to um-"

"Evelyn!" Felix shouted from the distance cutting Issac off. I could see the blue haired boy  emerge out from the woods like big foot, followed by an uncomfortable looking Darren. Moments later Felix pulled opened the passenger seat door and stuck his head in, "Darren stuck his thing in some weird leaves and now he's itching a lot."

I blinked a few times at this new and confusing bit of information.

Issac answered for me, "What?"

Just as the words left his mouth Darren waddled to the car and pulled open the door behind me. He awkwardly lifted his legs to get in the car then sat down with them constantly rubbing together. "Hey, I'm starting to develop a poison ivy rash..." he cursed and reached for his water bottle and his pills.

I stayed silent as he swallowed them. I was jealous, not of the poison Ivy but of the fact that he still had his pills. I wonder if taking his pills would help me with my craving?

"Do you have any anti-itch cream?" He blurted out completely, stopping my train of thought.
I mentally thank him as I started the Jeep up again, "I don't! But let's hope the lab does."