Consequences

chapter thirty two

20 days left.

I sighed as I crossed another day off the calendar and traveled my eyes to the circled day which was signaled as my last day of life. The number was surrounded by a big red circle.

Dropping the marker, I sauntered back to my hospital bed, barefoot, and once I made it to the side of my bed I looked down at the now messed up blanket and crinkled pillows. Instead of laying back in like I used to do these past six days I walked out of the hospital room.

Staying in the hospital is starting to get used to me that I made friends with the nurses and doctors who assisted me. Lauren and Maddie visited after school and right now, my stepmom is in a filed case in the court.

Maddie told the cops about how our mom treated me badly. Stepmom was loaded enough to get a lawyer.

I haven't heard from Johnny ever since he got out of the room. He didn't bother to call nor text me or see how I was doing. But that's okay, just act right player.

As days flew by, my body started to become limp and weaker. The once tanned skin of mine is now turning to pale snow. As my lips as well that it camouflaged with the rest of my skin.

My hair was growing out of its color, once happy brown to something darker. It became unhealthy and my blood is getting worse. The incurable disease has infected every part of me.

At times, I'm wanting to pass out or become active suddenly. But today I felt neither, more like just normal today like when I was on my non-sick days.

The hospital gown was very comfortable that it didn't mind me to stay in my own clothes. I don't want to disrespect the building.

"Good afternoon Mackenzie." Ms Zoey greeted me as I passed by her with a patient in a wheelchair. What occurred to me that the patient was a child. A child who looked exactly like my state.

"Good morning Ms Zoey!" I brightly said back and look at the child then bent my back a bit forward to her. "And who might this child be?"

Ms Zoey looked at the blonde girl and smiled. But it was a sad smile. "This is Mary. My daughter."

I licked my lips in awe. "Awh! She looks so adorable! How old is she?"

"Seven." Ms Zoey answered.

"Oh, wow. Must be very young to have your child in the hospital. What's the matter with her?" Okay, curse me and my curious mind.

"She has XP." She answered again and I paused. Then I just noticed the trembling fingers of Mary. Xeroderma Pigmentosum.

"Oh." Was all that left out of my mouth. Then the tears started to fall out of Mary's eyes. "She was hit by the sun, wasn't she?"

Okay. Bad move. "It's okay not to tell me Ms Zoey. I get it." I curled my knees down and bent in front of Mary to see her face and to say, she's extremely beautiful.

"It's going to be okay Mary," I said to her and wiped her tears with my fingers.

Leaving the mother and daughter alone, I got up and smiled again at Ms Zoey, reassuring her that everything will be fine.