A.N: Where have I been, you might ask?

Just the PITS OF HELL
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The hospital was without a doubt the nicest building in the city. Everything else in the area— from houses, to the school, to city hall— had been made out of cheap materials. The materials probably weren't the healthiest or cleanest, but they worked. One place where they simply could not be used, however, was here, the hospital.

Rae had been excused from class and gotten on the last transit just before it left. For a moment, she doubted if the hospital was even open. After all, the front area seemed fairly empty.

Rae had her breath taken away by the work put into this structure, but she didn't get enough time to study the details as she would've like to.

As she ran up the steps, she could only hear one thought between the thuds of her feet:

Ethan...

Ethan, please be alright...

As she got her health card signed and was directed to the right floor by a nurse in blue scrubs:

Ethan...

I should've figured it out...

Why didn't I figure it out?

Even as she rode an elevator, the first time riding one in her life:

You were supposed to be my responsibility...

We used to be able to read your face so easily...

Where did you go?

Her heart didn't stop beating until she entered a hospital room and spotted her mother. Anne Casey's eyes were red, and she was clutching at her handbag as if holding onto her life. She looked as if she had been crying. Rae noticed she seemed to be doing that a lot these days.

"Rae, dear, you be getting here okay?"

Rae nodded, "Where Ethan be?"

Her mother nodded in the direction of the nearest blue curtains obscuring the view of whatever was behind them. There seemed to be about 5 different sets of these curtains in the tiny room, and noises could be heard behind each one of them.

"He be asleep the last time I checked." Mrs. Casey got up out of her chair, "Come on, you be seeing him."

Rae followed as she pulled aside the curtain. Inside, was a hospital bed, confined to the small space that the curtains blocked off. A drip was attached to some hospital equipment and was filling up with what looked like a clear liquid.

But Rae didn't notice any of that.

Ethan... what happened this time?

There he was, pale as ever, his blond hair unusually messy. The drip was stuck into his wrist and his glasses were placed at the end of the bed. He seemed to be asleep, but seeing him in this state, Rae had to keep reminding herself that he was alive.

"How— how did it happen?" Rae asked her mother, who seemed to be prettified at the sight of Ethan.

"I not be knowing... I got a call from the school... Ethan be fainting, and I be bringing him here... the doctors said he be needing energy, and they hooked him up to this fancy equipment."

"Did he be saying anything?"

"He be waking up a few times, but he be too tired to speak. I be letting him sleep. Sorry you be having to miss school, Rae."

"It be okay. It not be like I be wanting to go.," Rae realized she hadn't sold a single book that day, but then felt bad for even worrying about, especially with Ethan lying here. "And dad?"

Mrs. Casey glanced at the clock, "He said he be leaving work as soon as he can. He should be on the transit by now."

There was a silence. Rae watched her mother carefully tuck one of Ethan's stray hairs away from his face.

"Poor baby.", Mrs. Casey whispered, "This be all my fault.... I be sending him to school without his breakfast pill... I should've done something!"

"This be my fault, mom. I never checked on him like you be telling him to, and I missed all the signs—"

"No, no, I be his mom, not you. Don't be feeling like you should be responsible for anything—"

"I can be hearing you, you know."

Both of them looked down as Ethan's eyes snapped open. He groaned and stretched his arms (Mrs. Casey had to hold onto his wrist so he didn't move the drip).

"Ethan, how you be feeling?", Mrs. Casey cooed.

"So now you be deciding to wake up," Rae snickered, but even she couldn't make light of the situation. If she were honest to herself, she was more relieved to see Ethan awake than she let on.

"Do you be remembering anything, sweetie?" Mrs. Casey asked him.

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

Ethan cocked his head and groaned again, "Man, my head be hurting like crazy..."

"Wait here, I be getting you some water." Mrs. Casey sniffed quickly and opened the curtains to leave. She'd left her handbag on Ethan's bed.

"Like I can be doing anything else..." Ethan's eyes started to droop.

"You be giving mom quite a fright, you know." Rae said to him.

"S-sorry." He yawned.

Rae heard a cough come from the bed on the other side of the curtain. She couldn't help but whisper, "Why you be doing it, Ethan?"

Why didn't you tell us what was going on?

" I don't know." He went quiet. And spoke again: "It just be getting a bit hard— stupid things they be, really... but I be missing a pill once, it it be feeling... good."

"Don't you be hungry?"

"Yeah. That be why it be so good. I feel like I be punishing myself... and I be deserving it." Ethan shook his head to knock off some sleep. "I don't know when it be starting, actually, but soon it be like a contest. I be trying to see how far I can be going. I guess... this time it be going to far."

"Your body not be a game, Ethan." Rae said, "Promise me you never be doing this again. Promise."

She got no response. He was already asleep.

Rae sighed and leaned over to fix his drip. By now, she could hear voices outside the curtains, so she got up to investigate.

There was her mother, holding a small glass of water. Her father, still in his work clothes. And—

She gasped, "Sir Wagner?"
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A.N: I'm sorrryyy if this chapter was cringy.
Oh, and sorry for not updating in forever. Please still keep supporting this story, I'll work on it whenever I can!

Has anyone noticed the cover? Isn't it pretty? Thanks g_beckford, you are amazing!

I feel like I'm running out of funny things to say... I'm pretty sure school is stealing my sense of humour.

Yes, that must be it.