Black Bird Fly

I stared at the green walls, everything a blur. I squinted my eyes, rubbed them, and put eye drops in them; nothing helped. Well, I guess you can’t expect to be done being blind over night. I grabbed for my glasses and slid them on my face.

I jumped down from my bed and headed for the door, my dog following right behind me. I skipped down the steps and over to the kitchen table where my mom was slowly sipping some black coffee and looking at something on her laptop.

“What are doing up so early?” She asked, her eyes peering up above her glasses that hung on her nose.

“I don’t know, I just felt like being up right now.” I rolled my eyes and went over to put some toast in the toaster. “I thought you might enjoy spending time with me.”

“Oh hush, you know I love spending time with you. But, it is 5 a.m. on a Saturday morning, when most kids want to sleep in. Plus, your doctor wants you to get as much rest as possible.”

“Yeah,” I grumbled taking the toast out of the toaster and throwing them on the marble counter. “Because he’s a dick-weed and has no children of his own so he can’t possibly know what’s good for a teenager and what’s not.” I took a bite of a piece of toast and threw it back on the counter. “I want a second opinion.” I mumbled with a mouth full of food.

“He’s the best doctor in Washington.” My mom stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Well, he’s also a two hour drive away. I could die by the time we get there!” I shouted shoving the rest of the piece toast in my mouth.

“Stop being so dramatic, Riley.”

“Why can’t we get one here in Forks?”

“Because, I want you to have the best.”

“I don’t feel comfortable with him, he smells the cheese.”

“You like cheese.”

“Not on a person.”

“Riley,” She sighed.

I sighed heavily and leaned on the counter poking my other piece of toast with my finger. I looked down at Sushi, my dog, and back at my toast. I threw it down at him and he gobbled it up in one bite. I brushed the crumbs from the counter into my hand and dumped them in the trash can before looking back at my mom.

“What if there is someone better mom, what is he’s here right in Forks and he could help me live. To be able to survive and you never gave me that chance.” I decided to play the guilt trip in her. “Mom, I am begging you, please, I want a new doctor.”

“Why are you so damn dead set on this!”

“Because I am bull-headed mom.”

“I don’t know Riley, I’ll think about it while I’m at work. I need to get there before Charlie does.” She grabbed her purse and headed for the door. “I love you Riley.” She called before leaving the house.

“At least you understand Sushi.” I looked down at my dog and pet his head.

I headed towards the living room and fell down onto the couch sighing. I stared up at the ceiling

I stared down at my feet, people were walking in and out the room, babies were wailing, kids were throwing up, and one guy was bleeding horribly. My stomach turned, butterflies growing in my stomach.

I looked up, my eyes searching for my mom. I found her at the desk talking, more like yelling, at the lady behind it.

“There is something wrong with my daughter, can’t you get that through your damn skull! I don’t know what’s wrong with her, if I did do you think I’d be sitting in the hell hole!? I want my daughter seen right now!” Her screams could be heard over the crying, the vomiting and the loud chatter. But nobody ever looked up from what they came here with.

I looked down at my hands, they were twitching uncontrollably and my arm was throbbing horribly. Tears started to fall down my face, which rarely happened anymore. Everything was just getting to me, these pains and twitches, my dad leaving, my mom not talking to me, it was all to much for me to handle. I was only 10 years old for god’s sake!

“Sweetie, the doctor is going to see you now.” Her light voice was caring, a voice I haven’t heard for almost two months.

“Mommy, it hurts to much, I can’t.” The tears were falling down my face like rivers now.

“It’s okay baby, it’s all going to be okay.” She whispered in my ear softly stroking my hair. “I promise everything is going to be okay.”

“Hello, Riley. God, someone was in serious la-la land.” Jamie’s voice echoed in my thoughts and caused me to snap out. “Oh my god, she’s back. I thought I lost you there for a second!” He shouted grabbing me.

“Get off,” I grumbled pushing him and standing up. “What time is it?”

“7 a.m. I got up early just to come over and see you. How long were you lying like that?”

“About two hours,” I mumbled rubbing my head. “How did you get in here anyway?”

“Spare key, remember.” He stated jingling his keys in front of my face.

“Oh yeah, I forgot. I am allowed to one forgetful moment each day so bite me.”

I walked over to the stairs and started climbing them, Jamie and Sushi following right behind. I walked into my room and over to my dresser picking up a pill bottle.

“Uh-oh, time to shoot up already Miss. Sommers?” Jamie teased from my computer chair, twirling himself around in it.

I looked at him oddly before turning my attention back to my bottle. I opened it up and got the pills out, swallowing them. I put the bottle back down on my dresser and sighed.

“What are we planning on doing today?”

“Bugging my mom on getting a new doctor for me.”

“Ew, no, that sounds disgusting.” He whined. “You know I don’t like doing things that involve you and you dying. Sorry.”

“But this will help me live!”

“How do you know?”

“Because I’m psychic, get use to that fact.”

“And you’re also a dork.”

“Are you coming with me or not?” I growled grabbing my clothes off my bed where Sushi currently lied. I pat his head and kissed him before walking over to my bathroom.

“Um, not, your mom is still ticked at me for that stunt down by the ocean.”

“She’s not ‘ticked’ at you, she’s just . . . . disturbed that you would let me do that.” I rolled my eyes and pulled my shirt over my head.

“She’s ticked.”

“Whatever,” I grabbed my hoodie from my sink and exited my bathroom. “Then I guess I’ll talk to later then.” I got on my tip-toes and kissed him on his cheek before running down stars and out the door.