Falling Daisies

Chapter 25

I emerged from the exam hall like an unexplainable weight had been lifted high off my shoulders; I could have surely flown if I had had wings. It was finished. It was finally over. I couldn’t wait to go back to Ben’s and make love over and over, without a care in the world holding me down any longer. I wanted to race back to him there and then but I decided to try and think rationally, being that I desperately needed to go home and change first and then I had to collect my phone and check in with Mum to let her know how it had gone.

I got into my car and began the short distance back to my house, allowing myself to drive leisurely, taking in the bright sunny morning and smiling to myself at just how good life was right now. I turned on the radio and conveniently the opening bars of James Brown’s “I Feel Good” blared out at me. I turned it up louder and sang alone cheerily and out of tune to the music.

“Whoa-oa-oa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now! I feeeeel good, I knew that I would, now! So good, DUN, DUN so good, DUN, DUN! I got youuuu!”

Parking the car in my drive I saw my Mum’s wasn’t there which meant she must be out; and as it was only just coming up to twelve noon, I figured Tess would still be at school. I pouted, deflated that there wasn’t more people to share my joy. The exam hadn’t even been that bad and I was quietly confident that I had done a reasonably good job. Still, I thought Scott might be in, if he wasn’t at Maggie’s.

I unlocked the front door and was immediately greeted by the sound of crashing and banging and shouts coming from inside the kitchen.

Scott? What the-?

I ran inside the kitchen and saw my brother standing by the sink, the water tap turned to full strength and he was banging something down the plug. I looked around the whole kitchen and my stomach dropped; the medicine cabinet was open and its content was in disarray around the room. Little white and red pills littered the floor, bottles lined the table top, some tipped over, a few had been smashed and then some still stood; unopened.

“Stupid. Fucking stupid. STUPID. STUPID. STUPID!” Scott screamed; not to me but to the pills, as he punched hard into the sink.

What was he doing? Please tell me he wasn’t having a relapse. Please tell me we weren’t back to square one...

“Scott...?” I broached with apprehension as Scott turned around and launched himself at me. I prepared myself for an attack, an echo of what had happened the time in my room when I found him looting, but instead he did something much more surprising. He threw himself into my arms as his sobs rung out.

Oh god not again.

“Scott... What have you done...? What have you taken?” I asked seriously, pulling him to look me in the eyes. But when I looked into his I only saw the bloodshot red of tears, not the dilated pupils of a comedown.

“No... Not me – Maggie... Daisy... This morning – No. Pills. Stupid. Pills. Stupid FUCKING PILLS!” Scott was hysterical and I didn’t understand what he was saying.

But he had mentioned Daisy... What about Daisy?

“Scott... I don’t understand... Please try to calm down and tell me slowly...” I was no longer calm though as worry coursed through me thinking what could have gotten my brother into this state.

He didn’t say anything... He didn’t quell his tears, he just simply reached into the back pocket of his jeans and clicked and scrolled on his phone till he pulled up a message and thrust it into my hands. It was from Maggie:

“Sorry this is by text. I just can’t speak right now. Daisy was found dead this morning at 8:58 in her room. Morphine overdose. Can you come round please? I need you with me right now :’(.”