Page 83 of When the Stars Fall
My life was falling apart at the seams, thread by thread, and I had no idea how to sew it back together.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jude
How fuckingblissful would it be to float away on a sea of pills and whiskey?
No more pain. No memories. No flashbacks.Peace.
I pulled over in a ditch and cut the engine. Climbed out of my truck, weaving on my feet.
The pills rattled in my pocket as I walked into the field, a bottle of whiskey dangling from my fingertips. Stumbling, my knees hit the ground. Shit, that was funny.
I was laughing so hard I doubled over.
Pulling myself together, I fished the amber bottles out of my pocket and shook the pills into the palm of my hand. Threw them back and washed them down with the rest of the whiskey in the bottle.
Then I lay on my back in the tall green grass and stared up at the sky. The night was dark and starless. As it should be.
From somewhere far away, I heard music, a beeping sound.
My eyes drifted shut.
Lila.
Lila.
Lila.
Sorry, baby, I’m just so fucking tired. So fucking weary of this battle.
Forgive me.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jude
“Jude,you promised you wouldn’t leave me. You promised. Don’t you dare leave me.”
Lila?
“I love you. I love you so much. Always and forever, remember? Come back to me. Come back to me, Jude. I don’t want to live without you.”
* * *
“Goddammit,Jude. You’ve never been a quitter. Don’t start now.”
Dad?
* * *
I flinchedat the bright light shining in my eyes and made out the vague shape of a man standing over me.
“Jude. I’m Dr. Leighton. Do you know where you are?”
Fuck.
I closed my eyes again.
