Dusk & Dawn

25- dabbed syringes

I woke up to the light creeping into the room; as well as Harper's leg straddling my left leg and giving me aches in my leg. I hauled myself out of the bed looking back at Harper and Cleo still sleeping in due to how long we stayed up through the night binging another series, thanks to Harper.

As I walked to the mirror, I wondered where Naomi went early that morning. I nodded my head at the way the bones in my neck became even more prominent, my hands becoming even thinner by the day. Lane came to me from the corner I placed him to sleep the last night, I rubbed the fur on his body and picked him up.

I raked my hands through my short hair bringing out the ones that already fell out through the night before I headed to the restroom and dropping lane by the door.

I bent down to wash my face after feeling my warm temperature. I brushed my teeth and finished cleaning my face. I felt the liquid stream down my face and I wasn't even bothered by it. I pinched my nose and bent my head to stop the blood flow.

What a time to be alive

As soon as I stepped out of the bathroom, I found lane licking his lips and staring at the empty food bowl so I headed outside to fetch some food for him. I heard voices coming from my mom's room so I headed there first. The door was closed right but I could hear an ongoing discussion. As soon as I realized it was Naomi and my Mom, I glued my ears to the door to listen in on their conversations.

"She's definitely going to say no, but if that's how I can help, then I really want to." Naomi explained.

"Look, you really cannot imagine how much this means to me? Okay? I cannot thank you enough."

"So, please put in the account details and I'll have my father wire the money for the surgery to you."

"Thank you Naomi,"

My brows furrowed as I pushed the door open. My mom was in the middle of pressing some numbers in what looked like Naomi's phone. While Naomi held her second hand as if in the middle of reassuring her.

"What's going on?" I asked them, my gaze flickering in between them. Aunt Kate was sat in the small chair in mom's corridor, her arms crossed as a smile lingered on her face. She approached me still with that smile.

"Naomi's parents are offering to help," aunt Kate explained to me.

"To help with what?" I asked her turning to Naomi who actively refused to meet my gaze.

"Your surgery, Raine." Mom answered.

"What do you mean my surgery?"

"They're offering to loan the money to pay for your surgery and I can pay whenever I'm settled enough," Mom replied and I watched her return Naomi's phone to her.

"We have talked about this, you can keep the money and use it for something that won't be futile."

Mom's brows furrowed in confusion as she wiped the tears in her face. Aunt Kate hurried after me as I headed out of the room. I started to stomp down the stairs to go find Gianna. As I called her name, I could feel steps from behind me and I knew that I didn't want any convincing to my resolve.

"Raine, that surgery is important! You know that!" My mom called after me.

"And I told you! I'm not wasting resources that you do not even have!" I yelled back.

"What is wrong with you?" Mom screamed after me. "Is it because it's Naomi offering?"

"You know what? I don't even care who the money comes from. You know very well that this is end stage ca Mom, you can clearly see that." I screamed back at her.

As soon as I got to the living room, I found Gianna sitting beside the iv pole for her chemo session. Her gaze flickered between me and mom before I approached her.

"For once in your life, Raine would you just listen to everyone?" Gianna asked me, her tone soft but bitter.

"I am done trying to make you all see the sense in my judgement," I replied her.

"What on Earth is wrong with you?" she asked me again as her forehead lined to a frown.

"I'm trying to do something good for once in my life and no one wants me to!" I screamed in her face, throwing my hands up in frustration.

"It isn't a fuckin' movie Raine! Stop trying to be a hero!" Gianna yelled back at me, holding onto her chest like it was about to explode.

I shook my head at her as I turned to go away. Mom approached me silently and before I could process anything else, she dabbed a syringe right into my neck.

As I held onto my neck, I turned back to find mom crying as she slowly fell to her feet. I frowned as I watched aunt Kate approach me as well.

"What did you do?" I asked both of them. "Mom!"

Nov 28th