I had gone to sleep that night, washed, dressed. I thought it would be a normal night for me. I remembered my dad hugging me goodnight, after dinner. My medication became a faint blur in my vision as  my tired eyes closed, forgetting to take a tablet.

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( Flashback )

" I saw him." I stopped and turned back to look at my dad, confused. His green hazel eyes locked on mine. My lips parted, unsure of how to defend myself.  " Who?" I  asked. His eyes dropped almost darkly. " Tristan. Do you like him?" I hated feeling this vulnerable. He obviously knew I was lying. I dropped the act and stared at him, horrified. " How-"

" Katelyn, I know many things. Like the fact that you went to get tea with him. Or that you stayed at his home after you passed out. Or even that the money you used to help with roof repairs was actually from your drinking spree at the bar where you could have also almost died." My hands were weak and the disappointment in his voice was clear. I sat down at the table, again, shaking. " How do you know any of that?"

His expression got dark " That's not what we're discussing. I want to know why you didn't trust me enough to tell me personally that you had a problem this severe and that I had to invade your privacy to find any of that out. " He wasn't angry, but something very close to it.  His glare was almost hurtful. 

I pushed my hair back, gingerly. My tears were close to flooding my eyes. " I didn't want to feel the pain anymore... and as long as I'm in this pain, I don't think I'm gonna stop, dad." My tears stung my eyes. 

" Why can't you just talk to me anymore? What changed?" He asked, clearly calmer and not as upset. I looked up at my dad, who held my hand. It looked so small compared to his pale hand. I was warmer-toned than him. " Your mother wanted to have you so badly. Even though she was sick everyday she carried you, she didn't regret it. She brought you life at the expense of her own and the last thing I want to see you do is waste it by intoxicating yourself. I was scared when I heard what you did." He was trying to stay calm but he was very much breaking me from the inside out. He hugged me tightly and it stayed this way for a while. 

My father's love for my mom showed unwavering, even after the many years she'd been put to rest. " She wanted you to grow up and go to school. She never wanted too much because she believed you would make the right decisions. But I only have one request." I waited patiently. He probably wanted me to just cut back. I respected his asking but I knew I'd be back at it as soon as another wave of pain hit I would stock my room with liqueur. " Stay away from Tristan. Please."

I nodded. I didn't question it. Of course I didn't even know how he knew Tristan, but I wanted to go to bed. I would sleep on it.

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( Flash-forward )

I lie in a cold, white hospital bed. Why, I didn't know. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came. All I could feel was numbness along with the underlying throb of my pain, waiting for the painkillers to wear off; Just waiting to attack and take me out. A nurse stood next to me. I couldn't see properly.

It smelled of sterility and all around hospital " Miss..." I whispered.

She looked over at me in surprise." Oh! You're awake! How are you feeling honey?" I looked up to see a wavy short haired blonde lady. I was almost horrified. I had fallen asleep last night, and I was fine. What happened? I looked around my bed side. My clothes were in a clear bag with my name labeled on the front. The furniture near my was a regular solid wood chair in this weird burgundy leather. The sun was hidden behind fuzzy gray clouds that muted the brightness. 

I looked around, not understanding why or how. " What...?"

She moved closer and gently touched my hand " Can you see me?" I nodded.

" Can you hear?" I nodded. Where was my dad? I started to panic a little bit.

" You're in the hospital. You had a seizure in your sleep and your heart stopped." I looked at her in shock. How could that have happened? I had tablets I took every night that I- Holy shit. I hadn't taken it!

" We're gonna get you something to eat, ok?" I nodded. She walked out the room. I was having an entire meltdown, a mental breakdown. 

Her blonde curls peeped back through the door, cheerfully " Also, you have a visitor." I nodded. My dad walked in. He gently sat down by my legs. He moved my hair away from my face. His touch was like a cool breeze. I looked into my fathers eyes and saw everything. His eyes welled with hot tears. I tried to sit up. He shook his head and told me no. I looked at my chest. So many tubes and wires. 3 different medications were coming in, so I was feeling  kind of dopey. He kissed my face. The pain was being numbed using morphine.

 I heard a few doctors and nurses talking in the background. " I love you. Your mom loved you. And we would and will never stop. No matter what happens Katy." I burst into tears. It had to be serious. I could not come back from this. He wiped my face gently and moved into the chair to my right. He was silently fighting back tears while holding on to me. I developed a disease over a year ago called Encephalitis. I was constantly in pain, or weak, or would just blackout but the blackouts started more often.

 The doctors always told me I shouldn't have rem cycles while blacked out, but I had this reoccurring dream of burning. Except my body wasn't on fire. My body was getting hotter and hotter. But a lust was coming. Something so good I would kill to have it. I wanted it so much that I was mad and would be encased in my madness until I was satisfied.

I tried to relax. Panicking wouldn't help me much. My head gently moved to the side as I was so numbed by the drugs. I tried not to move the arm with the needle in it.  A gentle knock came at the door. His icy eyes were worried. My dad's grip stiffened. I looked at my dad. " It's okay." I whispered. I looked back at Tristan who sat to my left . I smiled weakly.

" Stop pretending you're okay when you're suffering." He hissed almost coldly. It didn't make me upset but it made me realize a lot. I'd been doing this a long time. He touched my hand and I knew. The nurses and doctors came in the room " How would I look in my coffin like this?" I chuckled, jokingly. My father and Tristan paled heavily. I shut my mouth and sighed.

" No." my dad whispered, morbidly disturbed. The doctors respectfully stayed at the door  " We have to prepare her for surgery, I'm going to need you all to step out."  A doctor with stark white hair and friendly gray  eyes kindly asked. I pulled Tristan's black sleeve and beckoned him closer. I whispered in his ear. He looked back  at me, with wide eyes. He wanted to know if there was truth in my words. I nodded. 

I bit my lip anxiously, looking at my dad " Bye daddy." I whispered softly. He stood and kissed my cheek, squeezing my hand in his own. 

He couldn't speak right, as he genuinely  wasn't okay " Alright. Come back to me." He choked. I experienced a severe discomfort quickly after and I passed out from the pain. My whole world was dark. I had the strange dream again. Except it was different. It was a mirror that faced me. I had fallen to my knees in pain. I clawed at my body as I felt like I was suffocating. The girl in the mirror looked like a savage, ready to claw me apart. My naked body was hurting. 

Kaity, try to stay with me. 

" I can't...!" I growled, screaming.

I ripped my mother's necklace by accident while clawing. The girl in the mirror stopped and finally, the burning stopped. She gave me suggestive wink and disappeared. The floor opened into an endless cavern of darkness. I was moving unbelievably fast, which was not well paired with my weak limbs. I felt my body catch on fire and it felt terrible. I cried out for help and got no answer. My body hit the ground and I woke up. Tristan looked down at me, bored

I know I'm late but I can explain! I've been very sick. I could barely sleep right last week as my back was in severe pain. Thanks for waiting!