I'm lying in bed awake listening to the brief traffic on the road outside the hospital. Becky's asleep so it's just me.
I groan slightly, adjusting my position as my muscles feel stiff. I'm going through hell, in a world of pain and it's hardly affecting her. What are we, really?
Am I or Becky attached to this body only just by a ethereal tether and the other, permanently fused with the body? I know nothing about this, but at the same time, I feel like I understand something.
We both can suffer, but I feel it more than her. This is Becky's life and I intruded on it and I have more control than her.
Can we really co-exist together long-term as sisters or is that really just a fleeting notion? Maybe her tether was partially cut and mind has stayed strong? What happens if a ethereal tether was to be cut completely, would one of us... Fade? No, die. Die would be the proper word for this, but would it really be dying? If there's a heaven, would one of us go there and the other, extinguished from reality as if they never existed?
It's hard to know.
"I know, I know. I understand, Dewey. You're aiding in arranging a transfer for her to the psychiatric unit in the city a few hours away.
I don't disagree with yours and on the on call psychiatrists decision. It's just we need to get her new heart implemented first, make sure the body doesn't reject it and have her stay on the follow up meds she'll need.
Give me time to break the news to her, she trusts me."
"You can do the heart, that's important. Just talk to her when you can. She seems to like you, trusts you as you said.
The girl has been through alot and there are some other presenting problems, but she does need inpatient psychiatric impatient care in the long run."
I can hear Mel and our social worker, Dewey talking out in the hallway, but it's muffled.
I creep towards the door, the socks on our feet causing me to slip slightly and I gently pull it back a few cm the door, looking out.
"Well, I need to head back to the office. Your ex aka our Sherrif also wanted me to call him back."
"Then go."
"I'm sorry your marriage ended badly with him."
"I'm not bitter, Dewey. We're civil, for Libby and Aiden- Libby's sake."
"...I have to go."
"Yeah, it makes me slightly uncomfortable. Hard to still believe it's real what happened and it hurts even more as Libby is also her name too."
And then I felt a sharp pain in my chest and head. Clutching it, I feel the cold, tiled floor beneath me.
Libby? What's going on?
It's Becky, she's awake.
"I-I don't know, i-it hurts really bad..." I respond, voice straining.
"Did you hear that?" Dewey asks.
"Uh, get out of here, go. I think the girls are awake, I'll check on them."
Libby, why are we on the floor?
I-I don't know, Becky... Becky, I can't move!
Okay, okay, calm down, shh. I'll handle it, you just let go. It'll be okay.
And she picks us up, off the floor slowly, staggering a bit and I see her look at our arm.
Shit, you pulled the IV out. We're bleeding, where were you taking us? She asks.
Uh, I don't know...
Bathroom?
Maybe...?
I rack my brain for the last thing I remember, but nothing comes to the fore-front of my mind.
Okay, no issue. But we'll need first-aid and the IV reinserted. She tells me.
Becky, do you hate me?
What? No, no. Where did you get that idea from?
Because I just get the feeling like you really resent me sometimes.
Key-word being: Sometimes, Biscuit. I'm not used to sharing my body, you're the end result of three people I despise heavily, but nobody's said us navigating life together is impossible and one thing I hate most being that I hate admitting is other people are right, you're right.
I need counselling because of what happened to me, everything that led me onto the path I'm on today. I do like you, I can just be a grumpy bitch.
Casey and Ian scolded me via text ya know? They said I should treat you nicer, love you incase something happens one day and you... disappear. I'm scared, I can't bare the thought of living without you now.
You really mean that?
Of course I do, sister.
I love you, sissy...
I love you too.
It takes everything I have not to tear up, but I do.
Uh, Libby, you're making tears brim our eyes a bit. She complains.
Sorry.
I apologize, laughing slightly. She shakes our head
"No, sweat it, girl-friend."
"Girls?"
I feel Becky make us jump back and a hand is on our arm in seconds, clutching a crumpled heap of tissues to our arm while a code is hit. Becky looks up for me and it's Melissa, Aiden's Mum.
"What did you guys do to yourselves?! How long have you been up?!" She yells at us.
"I could ask you the same thing. Why are you near our room?" Becky snaps.
"Becky Winters?" Jennifer asks, concerned expression fading.
"The one and only." She taunts.
"Where's Libby Biscuit?"
"Sleeping, why?"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm not waking her for your own selfish desires. Let her get some rest."
"I wouldn't! Why would you think I'd do that?"
And then I see two nurses slip into the room.
"W-who are they? What are you doing?!" Becky panics and I feel our heart beating wildly. I'm so confused what's going on and I feel like I'm going to be sick.
Get down, Libby, get down! Go away, go away, sleep, anything, please! I love you!
And I feel her shove me down that I plummet right below they thresh-hold of conscious, light fading further and further before my world goes dark on me completely.
---
It's dark, and then I hear voices. How long have I been out? Slowly a image comes into view, our hospital room and Melissa is sitting beside us, talking to us.
Becky actually talking back with her.
"So, do you understand?"
"Something is wrong with our heart and we need a new one?"
"Yes."
"Have you found one?"
"We have..."
"Who's?"
"I can't disclose who the donor is."
Becky. I call out.
What? She snaps back quickly.
Hearts only come from dead donors.
And I feel her widen her eyes, and she looks at Melissa horrified.
"Are you okay? You look-"
"I feel sick all of a sudden." Becky responds quickly on our behalf.
"Oh, I can get you some medication for any nausea-"
"What did you do us?" I ask, breaking through, shoving Becky aside. I can feel she's angry now.
"Do?" Melissa responds confused.
"Mel!" I yell, feeling slightly angry. I don't normally get angry.
"Libby?" She whispers, unsure.
"Yeah." I respond, and her expression says it all.
"Uh, you switched. O-okay..."
"Did you drug us?" I ask boldly, comforting her.
"You're IV came out, you we're acting slightly-"
"So you drugged us?"
"I only gave you something to calm you down, Libby. You're a minor, and as the doctor on call tonight generally as the psychatrist doesn't really do evening call, the decision was made in your best interest-"
"We're nearly 18."
"And as true as that may be... till then, you are still considered a minor at 17 and while it's true you have the ability to comprehend topics and so fourth, mental illness can affect someone in a variety of ways regardless of age and you may not believe it or want to believe it, but you are suffering.
You went through an ordeal, Becky. Kidnapped, and who knows what done to you by-"
"You adults so badly want to pin this on them, don't you? Well, news flash. I actually still love them."
"And my son?"
Oh, hell no. Toss that trash out where he belongs. I hear Becky tell me.
"No." I respond, trying not to cry. I was crushing on him though mildly at the start. A guy into photography was cute.
I know... I hear Becky add on.
"And Mel, what we went through was mild. What Veronica and Garroth did was not even that bad. They took care of me."
"Becky-"
"My name is Libby!" I scream, feeling our blood pressure spike and then I clutch our chest slightly.
"Libby, you need to be careful. Intense bouts of emotions could flare your heart." She warns me.
I re-catch my breath. "T-they t-took care of me."
"And before they kidnapped you with Aiden's help, what was your life like?" She challenges me, but trying to keep her voice low.
"I-I don't know..." I stammer. Becky?"
ou're right... Let her get some sleep. You on the other hand, have injured yourself and indirectly hurt her."
......
"She isn't saying anything, Mel."
"Do you want me to tell you?"
"I guess..."
"Your Dad is in jail on the coast, hours and hours away from him. He won't be getting out for quiet a few years and has a minimum period before he can apply for parol.
We aren't going to let him hurt you again."
"What did he do?"
"......"
"Mel?"
"I think that is something you would be best off exploring with a psychologist rather than me."
"Is he why I'm-"
"In foster care? Yes. You have been for two and a half years, but we're running away from your placement a fair bit and maybe... leading Kacey and Ian slightly astray. You we're running the risk of being sent to secure."
"Secure?"
"Something you best discuss with your social worker, Dewey. I'm only the ER's doctor, Libby."
"Okay. And where is our Mum? You're Aiden's mum, Shelby's parents we're the paramedics who bought me in from the party..."
"She's dead. Your dad who was her husband won't be hurting anymore either, I guess..."
"I don't understand."
"That's okay. You understand the concept, dead though, right?"
"Like Aiden is dead?"
"...Yes."
"Then yes, Mel."
"?"
"Where do we go from here?"
"We get you your new heart, medication for it so your body doesn't reject it and we can look at how best to help you. You have been through hell and back."
I feel sad kind of, but I can't tell why I feel that way. I can hear Becky lightly crying.
A tear slides down our cheek and I feel Mel wipe it away.
"It's okay to feel sad, Libby."
"I'm not, she is."
"Becky?"
"Yeah."
"Do you want to get some sleep, Libby? Dewey is coming by in the morning to see you and knowing Kacey and Ian's persistence, they'll be back. Those kids don't know the meaning of, 'no'" She laughs slightly.
"I am tired." I tell her, taking a yawn which, she seems to convince her. She tucks us in more and then leaves the room.
Becky?
We need to get out of here, Libby.
Why?
We just do.
No.
Yes! They're going to send us a locked psychiatric ward! Do you not understand that? It would be worse than a secure foster care facility!
I'm not ending up there because of Veronica, Mitchell and the shit-bird, Aiden!
And then I feel her shove me into the void and I drift off.89Please respect copyright.PENANAtniQXtVCoe
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