Drowning in this thing called life,
Dear Heaven in the sky-
Won't you hear my strife?
*****

There's that sinking moment when everything- past, present, and future- collide, tossing you in a tidal wave that suffocates you until there's nothing left. Alice was at such a place, where she would gladly welcome the numbness to being completely empty. She crumpled up the letter Eric had handed her, letting it fall to the floor. Katie was dead. The morning sun seemed to settle on the crumpled up paper, mocking her in its glow.

"Alice?" Eric asked a bit hesitantly. He was unsure of what to do as he hadn't expected this outcome. She was eerily calm.

"Hmm?"

"Are you okay?" It was stupid question to ask, but he didn't know what else to say. Her best friend and brother had just died, no she wasn't okay.

"I'm fine."

"They said you could go home today." He glanced around them, looking for her things only to .realize she didn't have any. "Ready?"

"Yeah." Alice got off the bed, kicking the letter across the floor as she walked towards the door, not seeing Eric reaching for it and stuffing it in his pocket. But when she got to the nurses' station she had to stop.

"Alice, there you are!" Her mother came towards her. "Your father and I are here to take you home."

"Home?"

"Yes." She stared at Alice like she dimwitted, there was no concern in her eyes.

"I was taking her back home with me." Eric said from beside Alice. If he could've gotten away with putting her behind him, shielding her, he would have.

"Don't be absurd," her mother waved him off. "In these times it's best to be with family."

Alice laughed. She couldn't help it, nor did she care that everyone was looking at her like a lunatic. When she finally stopped she had to dry her eyes. Family? When were they ever a family?

Eric was about to say something but Alice stopped him. "Okay," she said. She didn't care anymore. It didn't matter where she went. Home was with Katie.

Her father placed his arm around her as she walked over to them. Heading out the doors she saw her mom's car already parked up front. Her dad left to go over to his black ford pickup, parked a few rows down.

"Let's go be a family," she mumbled to herself as she got into the car, giving Eric one last look before closing the door.