My Little Experiment (James Gillies)

Chapter 1: Ransom

Breanna usually only corresponded with her older brother via letters or telegrams. It was unusual for her to see him in person. Ever since she was a little girl, she was kept inside because of her sickness and not allowed out, and she was never able to have too many visitors.

That's why when she received the telegram saying William was going to be coming to visit, she was beside herself with joy.

"Oh Helene, I cannot wait for William to get here! It must have been almost eight years ago since he's been out to visit." Breanna clapped her hands excitedly, the telegram discarded on the table. Mrs. Thorne gave the excited young lady a stern look.

"Breanna, you shouldn't get too excited. You wouldn't want to be bedridden when your brother arrives, now would you?"

Breanna sighed. She folded her hands across her lap and put her head down. "Yes ma'am."

As if on cue, a sharp pain entered her spine and Breanna winced, taking in a deep breath. Mrs. Thorne looked around and found the needle on one of the tables, picking it up and going over to Breanna. 

"Here you are, dear. You haven't taken your dose this morning." 

Breanna begrudgingly held out her right arm, where several puncture marks around her veins reaching from the crease of her elbow to the top of her arm stood out. 

"This will have to be the last time for this arm. At least for a while."

Mrs. Thorne nodded before injecting the needle in Breanna's arm. She winces as she feels the medicine slide into her bloodstream. Mrs. Thorne took the needle out and placed a small towel over her arm. 

"Stay here, I'll be back with a bandage."

Breanna sat on the couch looking out the window, her heart heavy. Ever since she was born, she has had some sort of disease. She was a fragile girl with a type of muscular disease the doctors couldn't diagnose. She couldn't do normal physical activity - even taking a walk was too strenuous majority of the time. The worst of her disease is when it gets hard to breathe. It's like all the muscles in her chest refuse to work and she's left gasping for air, struggling to get the next breath out.

She goes to therapy twice a week to help get monitored exercise, and Breanna is forced to take medicine to ease the pain twice - sometimes three times - a day. Because of the type of medicine she has to take, it's mostly put in needles. 

Only recently have there been developments for a pill to ease her pain, but it wasn't official yet.

Mrs. Thorne comes back and bandages Breanna's arm, who in turn gives her a smile. "Thank you, Helene. I really do appreciate everything you do for me."

Mrs. Thorne smiles. "Of course, my dear," she says. "Your mother was my best friend. Taking in her child when she passed away was the least I could do." 

Breanna smiles softly. She didn't like to recall her parents because she would be reminded that they were gone. The same with her older sister, Suzannah. She'd lost much of her family at a young age and was left in the care of Helene and her husband ever since. 

That's why she was so excited to see William.

"Oh, I think that's his carriage!" Mrs. Thorne's excited voice brings Breanna from her thoughts. She looks out the window, the drawn carriage opening to reveal a tall man in a black suit, and he was helping a woman out of the carriage. 

Breanna smiled and got to her feet. "Will!"

She runs out the front door, ignoring Mrs. Thorne's worried protests, picking up her skirt and running across the lawn.