A favor for Julia (working title)--first draft

The walls surrounding the door ways of Julia's house jut out, like they have hooks attached to the ends. It makes manuevering from room to room an awkward and uncomfortable experience. I don't know if that's its natural architecture, or if the senilty my sister is suffering from now has found a new way to manifest itself through the enviornment she inhabits.1

Maybe like me, the house understands that my sister is too young for this.2

The aroma of brewing coffee barely masks the constant venom seeping in the walls. I keep intending to replace the coffee maker--pick up a new one from target maybe, but I never quite get around to it, so once again I can hear it struggling to percolate. Soon its calamitous sound will be joined with a fresh scream that let's me know Julia's tea is done.3

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There is a buzzing sound that seems to have placed itself just inside my ear where I can't reach it. 5

It seems her symptoms towards senility are becoming my symptoms towards postal.6

"Laura!" she cries out for me.7

Today the ghosts in the walls have told her my name is Laura.8

"Coming!"9

"It hurts!"10

"Just a minute!"11

"It fucking hurts!"12

I know it hurts. I'm hurting too. My hands hurt, my back hurts, my head is throbbing. The world is full of pain, get over it, I want to say to her.13

"I'll be there in a minute," is what I say in it's place.14

My hands are trying to shield my eyes from the bastard sun that keeps coming through the livingroom window and won't take no for an answer.15

"What are you doing?"16

"Nothing. I'll be there in just a minute!"17

The longer I don't get rest, the more I need distractions. Soon, I find myself pacing the room; with every pace I am finding something new out of place. Something more to wipe down, disinfect, re-arrange.18

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Moua, the pharmacist's voice comes back from putting me on hold.20

"I am sorry about this," she says. "Usually mistakes like this one do not happen. I will have your prescription ready for you pick up today."21

I keep thinking maybe I can sue. Hippa laws or something like that. Lord knows, I can use the money.22

"What time today?" I ask.23

"Around two O' clock?" Moua asks, as if a wrong answer will get a whole new round of lip from me.24

I pause to think about the tea kettle, hold her in suspense, just to make her wait. Make her crawl a bit.25

"Sure, two is fine."26

"Great." Moua sounds relieved. 27

"What would you like me to with Ms. Platty's pills? Is she aware that you guys gave her the pills intended for my sister?"28

"Um..." She sounds worried again.29

"You know, I can call her myself since her information is on the side of the bottle." 30

"No, no, no. There is no need to do that. You can just bring them in when we give you your prescription--that way we can take care of it."31

"Who are you talking to?" Julia is about to start screaming again.32

"Just a minute!" 33

"Are you on the phone?"34

Moua is still talking, but I can't keep my attention on her.35

"Two will be fine," I say to her. "I will bring the other prescription in with me. Bye."36

She is still talking when I hang up.37

And now I have been holding so long, I have to pee. Bad.38

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"IT FUCKING HURTS!" She screams for me.40

"I KNOW!" I scream back.41

I don't mean to scream back at her--I know she is in pain, but there is only so much of this I can stand.42

I try to figure out what to do first. Obviously, Julia is about to go into a fine stage of fit, but she is going to do that anyway regardless of what I do, so she is a non-variable. I feel bad about thinking that, but the truth is, she is going to die. Probably without knowing where she is or even who she is. She will debilitate further than she already has--I will become nothing more than a stranger who gives her candy and tea. She may have weeks, she may have days. She may have hours. The only thing I know for sure is that she is going to die; no matter how much I want it, wish it, or would pay for it, she is not going to get better. Ever. She is going to get sicker and sicker until she just never comes back. But until that happens the only thing I can look forward too is her pain getting worse.43

I go to the coffee table where I have made a make-shift see through medicine cabinet and look for the strongest thing I can find.44

Percoset. That might work.45

I open the bottle and pop out a couple of pills.46

"Coming," I say.47

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