Final

“I…refuse…” I mumbled, trying to push my voice out through weak muscles that I wasn’t use to using. Everything felt so surreal and as I continued to mumble through the haze, unsure of what I was even saying, when something glinted out from the corner of my eye. Slowly turning my head, I watched in horror as he drew air into a needle. When he finished, he grabbed what was connect to my arm and brought the needle close to it. I knew what he was about to do and a fire ignited my soul and flooded throughout my entire body, which was something I hadn’t felt in who knows how long. I furrowed my brows “I refuse to go back!” I shouted and then kicked my leg upwards, catching him off guard as he flew off the bed. Just then a girl came in with a nurse.

“Oh my!” She covered her mouth. A cop came from behind and the girl sprung into action. “I-I think he tried to kill her!” She pointed to the man on the ground. He looked stunned for a moment and then a look of betrayal flashed within his eyes.

The cop nodded and strutted over to arrest him. “Wait!” I shouted and looked over at my step sister. “You didn’t think I would have known?…” I cocked an eyebrow in her direction. “…Don’t act so innocent, you both knew my addiction and tried to make it look as if it were an accidental suicide.” I crossed my arms and smiled. “Before passing out, I heard everything.” I glanced at both of them and shook my head, my heart felt as if it were about to rip in two. “Fortunately l, I felt something was off with you two and made sure to watch your every move… I am in utter shock! And to think it was my own murder.” I shook my head once again then glared at my husband, my eyes stung for a bit but I manage to compose myself well. I looked him deep in the eyes and managed a meek smile “I truly loved you with all my heart.”

“No… I wouldn’t dare to kill you! Please I can’t go to jail! Someone like me can’t survive! Nabi…” he said my nickname with what I used to think was love, but all I could hear was desperation and deception. This beautiful nickname he gave me meant butterfly in korean and now I don’t know what to think of it after today. My heart sank yet my mind was crystal clear and uncaring. I was back and I didn’t need either of those two, a new life was calling and I was ready to leave this all behind. “Nabi… please… it’s me!” His desperation became angrier and his words filled with hatred, slander and threats as they dragged him away.

“Wait!” My step sister backed away from the other cop and then looked at me. “We’re family! You can’t do this to me!” She screeched.

“Were we?” I cocked my head to the side. “Even though your mom was the one that came between mines and caused her suicide?! I tried to be nice… I really did but now that I know everything that you guys tried so desperately to keep from me, I will not let any of this go, I made my empire so don’t think you and your mom can continue to live off of me.”

“We raised you! Your dad…”

I glared at her “Don’t ever speak his name! Because I’m sure if he were still alive, his greatest regret will surely be meeting the likes of you two.”

As soon as she left, I laid back onto the bed. Without a second to waste, I asked the nurse if she could take me outside. As she wheeled me around, I put my arm out to stop her.

“Do you know her?” The nurse asked as a girl with pale skin, who was also so thin that she looked like a skeleton being swallowed whole by the wheel chair she sat in, stopped just in front of us. Studying her fully, I could finally see what others had seen. Her hair was long but thin, lacking any proper nutrients and her eyes were sunken in. She looked so frail and pathetic.

“Baby?” Her mother said “Do you know her?” Seeing the love in her eyes and just how frail she looked, stabbed my heart. I never realized just how loving they were and how much they cared and yet I was so swallowed up in myself hate and depression, that I couldn’t see the things that truly mattered.

“You’ll be a better me.” The girl in front of me nodded, then gave a small smile.

“It’s good to see you also got a second chance.” She responded back. She looked up at her mom “I don’t know her.” Mom looked confused but decided to leave it alone in the end.

Also not wanting to dwell on the past, I too, let it go, ready to begin my second chance at life.