Casper woke up and the burning smell of disinfectant greeted him. His head thinned and ached, causing him to squint at the bright lights. He would never get used to the blinding white and cool feeling of hospital sheets. He tried to recall the events of the night previous. They didn't add up to him. He thought he recalled seeing his only friend uncharacteristically hammered.

There was a soft knock on the door and Casper groaned. He wasn't in the mood to deal with people this early in the morning. The door opened and a blue jay flew into the room. Casper sat up erectly and flinched every time the bird got near him. He would already feel his lungs giving out.

The doctor walked in, seemingly unaware of Casper's situation. She glanced at her clipboard and her brows furrowed slightly. Suddenly she gasped and shooed the bird outside.

Casper outwardly exhaled in relief. The doctor sent him an apologetic glance and sat down in the chair next to him.

" Hello Casper, I'm Doctor Summers."

Casper grumbled in return and made no move to shake her outward stretched hand. She cleared her throat and retracted her hand.

" Anyway, you should be able to leave sometime this afternoon depending on how well this goes."

His face showed a twinge of confusion causing the doctor to continue to explain.

" I need to ask you a few questions."

Casper huffed, but nodded his head.

" What's your name?"

" Casper Molleur."

" How old are you?"

" 18"

" Have you been drinking lately?"

Casper almost snorted.

" Of course not. I've never drunk any alcohol."

He looked bored so the doctor finished up.

"Okay, it says here you have pills prescribed for your..... problem?"

" Yes, why?"

" Have you been using them regularly?"

" Recently, yes"

" Oh! Only just recently. May I ask why?"

She was replied with a glare.

" Okay, right, not my business. Um, right! Make sure not to go over 7 pills in a week and try not to use more than 3 pills a day."

Casper nodded. He knew he might have trouble keeping that promise.

The doctor left him alone after that.  He thought about the bottle of pills he kept in his bedside drawer.
He would have to be more careful about those. He didn't want to overdose.

Not yet.

~

Reece sat in the waiting room of the hospital, sucking in cool breaths of air. He could almost taste the chemicals that were used to block out the sick.

Almost like they were trying to block out reality.

Tears were streaming down his face without his consent. He was unconscious of the salty waters pouring out of his eyes. He sunk his head into his hands.

He was sinking.

Sinking into the hole he thought he had finally escaped. And just as he took a breath of the free air, he buried himself again.

His spirit crawled around the back of his neck, comforting him slightly.

He made a decision and halfheartedly pulled out his phone.

He dialed the number he knew by heart. The number he had called one too many times.

He desperately needed to hear the cheery voice that pulled him out of that hole once.

He needed her again.

"Hello?"

"Cat?"

He let out a desperate sob.

" Reece? Are you okay?"

"No, not really"

"Okay, okay. Where are you?"

"The hospital"

"What why!? Are you okay?!"

He smiled slightly at her concern, but it quickly slipped back into a frown.

" I'm fine. B-but he's not. He's hurt and and it's all my fault"

A sharp intake of breath was heard form the other line. It was hard to tell from what emotion it was coming from.

Relief?

Anger?

Annoyance?

Concern?

" Well, what happened?"

" I went to a party. I told myself I wouldn't do it." He was cut off by a sob.

" Do what, Reece?"

" I had one drink. I told myself just one wouldn't hurt anyone. I lied. "

Silence.

" I kept drinking. I wasn't paying attention. I missed it. I m-missed it so much C-cat!"

" No. No you don't you don't need it. What else happened?"

" One of- one of the people there. They- they came up behind me. I-it scared me and I- I-i"

" It's okay. Take your time."

" I hit him over the head w-with the bottle"

Cat sighed sadly.

"Alright, hold on. I'm coming to get you"