Faith

Chapter Seventeen

Proverbs 3:24 (ESV) -- If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

Jake's hand neared my throat as I thrashed around on the ground. My legs kicked helplessly since he was seated on my thighs. One hand held me down but I could only focus on the one nearing me. The one pressing on my throat, making it hard to breathe, causing my vision to go black.

I woke up gasping for air, then started coughing. My throat felt dry and the rough coughs weren't helping. This routine had gone all night: wake up, have a coughing or sneezing fit, then attempt to go back to sleep. But the dreams made it difficult to stay asleep.

I haven't had a restless night like this for a long time.

A sneeze started to tickle my nose, so I reached across my bed for a tissue. After digging through used ones, I grabbed a clean tissue just in time. My hand, tissue grasped in my fingers, moved my mouth right as a huge sneeze sounded

I threw the tissue onto my bedside table and leaned back. I smacked my head on the head board. "Oww," I muttered, rubbing my head. I groaned, then readjusted myself and threw my covers over my body. "Why does life hate me right now?" My voice had that nasal tone that comes with being sick.

Feeling drowsy again, I started to drift off when a gentle knock sounded. "Ugh," I muttered before croaking out "Come in." I turned towards the door to see Ryan step in with a smile on her face.

"Wake up sleepy head," she said softly.

"Ugh, people," I muttered before burrowing my head under my pillow. Ryan removed it with a laugh.

"Come on, Kaitlyn, get up! Come hang out with your best friend and don't waste the day away."

"I'm not wasting the day away," I growled. "Besides, some best friend you are. I got sick since I had to walk home yesterday." Then, as if to prove my point, I started to cough violently.

Once the fit was over, Ryan helped me sit up. She looked me over and grimaced. "You look awful, Kaitlyn."

"Wow, thanks. A girl loves to be called awful. Best compliment in the world."

She giggled. "Even when you are sick, you still have your sense of sarcasm."

"Screw off."

Ryan giggled again. "So, I'm guessing you are just going to lay in bed for the remainder of day?"

I nodded sleepily. "That sounds amazing. Hours and hours of sleep."

"Actually, it isn't that long. It's almost three right now."

My jaw dropped. I had been suffering for way longer than what I thought. "It's only three?" Ryan nodded. I started to climb out of the bed, but got light-headed. "Help me downstairs, Ryan. I need some food."

As I stepped out of bed, my vision started to darker and I felt myself falling. But Ryan grabbed me and held on to me until I could walk. I smiled with appreciation at my best friend.

When we got downstairs, I passed by a window and noticed my dad's car was gone. "I wonder where he could be," I thought, but I didn't think too deep about it. Ryan and I finally reached the kitchen.

It was just in time too because my stomach growled ferociously. I looked down, wondering how my stomach could have made such a huge sound. Ryan burst out laughing and I joined her. "Oh my gosh," she cried. "That was the loudest thing I have ever heard!!"

"This is why I need to eat all the time, or my stomach will unleash its inner beast."

"Its lion roar!"