To The Moon and Back

𝟎𝟎 | 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞

T O T H E
M O O N & B A C K

A T L A S '  P O V

I FELT THIS surge of pain shoot through my skull. My entire fucking body ached. All I could see was darkness. My eyes were closed and I wanted to open them but it felt like they were glued shut.

What happened? Where am I? And why do I smell fucking bleach and that lemon-scented shit that my mom uses to clean the kitchen?

Hearing a subtle beeping noise, I managed to force my eyes open, squinting.

It took me a minute to see properly. It wasn't very light nor was it dark, bringing me to believe that it was in the early hours of the morning or maybe the late afternoon. Why don't I fucking remember anything?

The blur faded into clarity as I stared down at my body. I was in a fucking hospital gown. 

I noticed a hand on top of mine. It was a girl's hand, the nails painted black but it was chipping. As I turned my head to the side, I noticed that it was my fucking twin sister, asleep in a chair. Her pale cheeks were wet and her make-up looked like complete shit.

Inhaling a sharp breath, my eyes search the room. My mother occupied one of the four seats, my father in the other chair as she slept with her head on his chest, his arms wrapped around her. Neither Mercy nor Everly was here, thank fucking god. 

I sit up quietly and I begin to pant. I'm so fucking confused, can my mind just at least fucking attempt to make some sense of this—

"Atlas?" her soft voice whispered. "You're awake. Oh, my fucking god."

Turning to face her, I nod. At least she wasn't mad, though I'm not sure why she would be anyway. "What happened?" I asked her in a hushed tone.

She furrowed her eyebrows, leaning forward slightly. "You don't remember?"

"Well, obviously fucking not, otherwise I wouldn't be asking." I sneer.

Alula removes her hand from mine as though my touch had just burned her. "Nice to see you too, asshole." she rolled her eyes, her abrupt tone causing my mother to stir. "You know just a thanks for saving my life instead of leaving me in a pile of my own vomit in the bathroom would've sufficed but sure, whatever works."

Her words bought every fucking thing back in a split-second, so quickly, that I quite literally saw my life flash before my eyes. The party at Pandora's. I took some fucking pill; I didn't know what it was and I didn't care. Then, I got home late and I remember snorting a line or two and then. . .blank.

I fucking overdosed.

"Why would I bloody thank you?" I snapped. "Should've just fucking left me there to die. Who cares."

She would've been doing me a favour. 

Alula shakes her head, folding her arms across her chest. "I care." she stated. "Mum cares, dad cares. You're lucky Everly doesn't know because she'd be devastated. We all care, Atty." that stupid fucking nickname. It stuck around ever since we were little.

"You do it too." she knew what I was referring to. "It could be you in this uncomfortable fucking bed one day."

Alula's green eyes narrowed into slits. "No, I won't because I'm not fucking stupid!" she retorted. "I know when enough is enough. You keep going. It's like you do it on purpose."

Rolled my eyes, I scoff. "Probably because I do do it on purpose."

She clicked her tongue. She was disappointed but I don't fucking care. I don't want to be here anymore. She might love me because I'm her twin brother but at the end of the day, she thinks I'm just as much of a nuisance as everyone else does.