𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐆𝐒

13.3

EPISODE 13.3 → ERIN

SYNOPSIS

Erin has finally had enough. 

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For Erin, the first breath of air is a relief. The second hurts, and the third she can't remember. It's painful coming up after having just reached the bottom. Somewhere in the dark water, Erin had given up. She didn't have the strength to struggle against the water, so she just sunk uselessly to the bottom. And at one point, she thought she was going to die like that.

It felt like hours that she had remained there, wondering when the lack of oxygen would bring everything to an end.

That is until a hand shot out in the darkness, offering her a way back up. And even in her weak state, Erin manages to grab it. As soon as her hand makes contact with the other, Erin feels herself being pulled up. When her head finally submerges, Erin breathes the air greedily. And it hurts, the way the oxygen fills her deprived lungs. It makes her cough as she struggles to breath properly.

Someone lifts her out of the pool, pulling her into their arms and Erin is too weak to do much of anything but try to breathe. But the voice that speaks to her is recognizable almost immediately.

"It's okay Erin, I've got you." Sidney mutters comfortingly to her and Erin really can't help the first tear that slips from her eyes at the other sound of the other girl's voice.

"I'm sorry." It comes out as a choked whisper, because Erin is fighting against the black spots forming in her vision and the pain in her heart.

But she felt bad that the one person she allowed to be treated poorly by Marie had been the one to save her and she just wanted Sidney to know that -

"I'm so sorry-"

Before everything went black.

✖✖✖

Erin awakes to blindingly bright lights and the dull beeping of machines. She groans, blinking blearily at the ceiling. There was a slight ache in her chest and moving seemed almost impossible.

"You're awake." She hears distantly before her vision finally adjusts and she's met with her mother's indifferent face, "Good."

Erin blinks slowly in response, her throat felt dry and all she could do was weakly move her head to the side to follow her mother's movements. Mrs. Dunn shifts in the chair beside Erin's bed before turning to the nurse.

"Start the discharge process." She says and Erin watches quietly as the nurse looks hesitant.

"It is highly recommended-" She attempts to say, but Mrs. Dunn jumps up quickly and gets in the smaller woman's face.

"Did I ask for a recommendation? No, so give her some fluids to get her going or whatever. I have a very important party happening this evening that I cannot afford to miss. Now, I want her out of this bed by the time I get back." And with that, Mrs. Dunn brushes past the nurse, heels clicking as she goes, and only the faint scent of her strong perfume being the only remnant of her presence. Once she's gone, Erin can feel the nurse's heavy gaze on her, most likely wondering how the teen could deal with such a person.