Color Blind

Chapter Eight

AN: Alice in Chains-Hate to Feel. I had this album on repeat for about 60% of this book.

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Cole hated everything right now. His head was pounding and every single muscle in his body was screaming at him. He couldn't even open his eyes without pain. He was curled up in the shower with the lights off right now. The water was cranked up as hot as it could go, but it didn't feel like enough. The only good thing about this shower was the pounding on his skin. It soothed the nerve endings there to some extent and made it easier to stay still.

He'd shaved off a bigger amount today and ohh, Jesus, he was feeling it. He was feeling it far too much, actually. It hurt like a bitch. Nothing Sean could do to him could match this. Hell, he'd be happy to get another twisted elbow if it meant that this would stop.

His stomach jerked, seemingly brushing against his lungs, and he spat out a mouthful of bile. It mixed with the water before swirling down in an interesting spiral of white spit bubbles, clear water, and yellow...liquid. Maybe he could draw something to that effect, when his hands stopped shaking.

The water finally started going cold and he dragged himself out and lay on the floor with a towel wrapped around him. He didn't want to get too far from the toilet just yet. Sean was passed out drunk and if he was going to be vomiting, now was the best time to do it.

The cool tiles felt miserable to his skin but the bruises on his back welcomed the feeling. His stomach didn't care one way or another. What time was it? Was it nighttime yet? Had night already ended? How long had he been in here? He'd been taking hot showers periodically as the water heated back up and he was pretty sure he looked like a raisin. The thought of a white raisin with black hair struck him as oddly funny. Maybe he was going crazy.

He didn't quite recall falling asleep on the floor, but he did wake up sometime later to throw up yet again. The water had heated back up and he started another shower. God, what he would have given not to feel ever again.

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Nancy flung herself onto her couch with her teddy bear. It was finally Friday! Friday, the lovely day that heralded two whole days of no work and no school. She was going to spend the weekend maybe trying a new recipe or two and watching TV, and that was it. She needed a break. And maybe a chocolate bar. Perhaps she would make a pie or something. That sounded nice.

A bird taunted a cat into running across a patch of thin ice and Nancy laughed. Today hadn't been a bad day, but Monday had. Monday had been a terrible day, complete with nightmares and a power outage. Ugh. This building had always had trouble with the electricity. She had considered moving, but the rent was cheap and it was right in the middle of school and work. Besides, it had a nice view.

She yawned and snuggled into the cushions. This couch had to be old, but she didn't care. It was comfortable, and it pulled out into a bed. Besides, it didn't take up a ridiculous amount of space in the little apartment.

She sneezed. The noise sounded loud for some reason. It was suddenly very hard to breathe. She stayed still on the couch for another minute before grabbing her bear and blanket, flipping off the TV, and running for her room.

She slept with the lights on that night.