Chapter 1: Heartbreak and Lies

Anne Harris extended her arm and pricked the needle into her elbow crease. She injected the heroine into her blood. Her blue eyes rolled back as she felt the rush come over her. “What the hell is wrong with you? The boys will be down any minute,” Misery asked her mother with a stern voice. Anne stumbled around the kitchen island and fell to the floor. David Harris ran to his mother’s side screaming for her as he moved her dark auburn hair back from her face. “David, get the phone and call 9-1-1. I think mom… used too much.” Misery said feeling for her mother’s pulse.
“I thought she stopped, I watched Uncle Drew help her.” He dialed the phone with shaky fingers. Tears gathered in Misery’s eyes and slowly fell down her cheek smearing her eyeliner. When David got off the phone he pulled his sister into his tan, skinny arms. “They’re coming; mom is going to be okay.” Misery pulled back, hearing her thirteen year old brother comforting her. She was sixteen; she needs to be the strong one, making sure her brothers are safe.
“You wait here and ride with mom to the hospital. I will take Matthew to Marcy’s and get there as soon as I can,” Misery said wiping the tears away on her sleeve. David shook his head yes and walked to the front door as the sirens came wailing down the street. Matthew was standing on the bottom step and Misery lifted him up into her arms shielding him from the paramedics. She placed him in his room, told him to work on his alphabet while she called someone important.
Marcy picked up on the third ring “Hey beautiful. What’s up?”
“My mom is on her way to the hospital. Can you watch Matthew?” Misery asked in a whisper to keep Matthew from hearing.
“Of course!” she said with excitement peering through her voice. “Do you need a ride?” This is why Marcy was like a second mother to her. She always knew when to ask and when to wait.
“Yes. Do you think we can stay with you until mom is out of the hospital?” Misery waited for an answer but only received silence. The phone said call dropped and she heard the front door snap shut. She dressed in skin tight thigh jeans and a tight shirt. She helped Matthew get dressed in jeans and a cars t-shirt. Isabelle pulled in the drive ten minutes later blasting the horn. Everyone was silent and starred out the windows afraid to speak.
Isabelle turned the jeep into the rocky drive and Misery’s attention automatically went to Jay shoveling the snow off the stairs. He stopped to let them pass and kissed Misery firmly on the lips. Misery reached the front door and Marcy was pacing back in fourth in the living room. As soon as Misery stepped in the door Marcy’s arms were around her and it helped ease the pain. Misery told Marcy what happened while Isabelle played with Matthew.
Thirty minutes later Misery was back in the car with Isabelle and on her way to the hospital. “He knocked up Vikki Green and left without so much as a good-bye kiss. I heard it was for me,” Isabelle said with a smile on her face.
“How many times has he broken your heart? Three… four times and you’re going to go back out with him.” Misery asked in disbelief.
“It was only twice and I swear this will be the last time.”
“Girl Aaron Scott is nothing but a boy who can’t keep his junk in his pants. He has a baby now and he is running away. What if he does that to you?”
“He won’t he loves me.”
“That’s what you said last time and he left you. I don’t want you to get your heart broken again.”
“Speaking of heart breaks. I hear Jay is planning one for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“He hasn’t told you yet. Girl it’s going to hit you harder than I thought. He has to break up with you because he is leaving to be with our father. You might want to break him before he breaks you.” Misery sat quiet with tears gathering in her eyes. Jay said forever and forever is going to end.
David was next to his mother’s bed when Misery walked in; he turned around with teary eyes. “She didn’t overdose. There is something else in her blood that is keeping her from waking up and the doctors have no idea what.”
Misery pulled David into her arms and said “We’ll go eat, get Matthew, and go home to get some sleep.” David wiped his tears and a pencil thin doctor with beige heels came in.
“Are you Misery Payne?” she asked.
“Yes,” Misery said as her head raced with how she knew her name.
“I’m Doctor Belle and we found this note in Ms. Harris’s hand addressed to you.” Her boney fingers held out a folded white piece of paper. Misery opened the note with shaky hands. She read:
My Dearest Misery Payne,

If you’re reading this I fear I may never wake up and you need to keep yourself and brothers safe from the dangers to come. There is also some truth you need to know and you must keep it a secret from everyone. You are not my daughter but I will always think of you as my own. You were left on my door step as a baby with a note about who you really are. You know where it is, I mustn’t say for fear someone will read this and find your true identity. I love you more than words can speak. Be strong my love. ~Mom
Misery folded the paper up, tears filling her eyes, and grabbed her brother’s hand. Misery’s head flooded with questions of what her mother meant by dangers to come, what is her secret that she doesn’t even know about, and where that letter was. Isabelle was in the waiting room and sensed something was wrong; she pulled Misery into her arms and tears flooded from her eyes. Two minutes later Misery wiped the tears away. “We need to go eat. I’ll buy.”
“Are you going to tell me what is bothering you? You’re like my sister and I will beat any b****’s ass if that is what you need.”
A weak smile appeared on Misery’s face. “Thanks but they just don’t know if my mother will wake up or not.”
“God your heart is just getting stomped on right now. How about I buy lunch and ice cream, drop David off, and we have a girl’s night of flirting and fun.” Isabelle always knew the right things to say and to do when it came to Misery’s heart. Isabelle started to walk then said “Oh and we are going to get you something sexy to wear tonight.” They ate lunch at O’Charlies and went back to Marcy’s.
They walked in to Marcy watching Nickelodeon with Matthew, and David joined them. “Mom we’re going out tonight so if you need anything just ring my cell,” Isabelle yelled to Marcy as she slipped on her six inch purple pumps. Isabelle’s dress was black, skin tight, knee length, and her brunette hair spilled down her back. Her brown eyes were brought out by the dark eyeliner which made her eyes look piercing. “Now we just have to get you sexy then we’re going clubbing.” Isabelle stood with her hips cocked to the right.
“I’m going to break up with Jay first and I’ll be down in a minute,” Misery said and Isabelle looked at her with sympathetic eyes. Misery walked up the creaking stairs to the attic without Jay saying a word. When she reached the top she could see the whole room, Jay was nowhere to be found. A paper was flapping in the wind, on top of his bed. Not again she thought, not another letter, not another loved one gone.
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