SERAPHIC BLISS

22. High on life

Victoria is immersed in her thoughts and the computer screen , she doesn't notice the noise at her room. She was too busy researching on Mr. Lavitsky. The man who Lucas lost the deal to , though he hadn't asked her to , curiosity got the best of her , like it always does. Curiosity changed her life , the same curiosity that made her look up Thomas after a night of an unexpected encounter , the curiosity to pick up the drive Lucas ever so carelessly threw on the day she wanted to propose to Thomas. Curiosity was the basis of her life changing decisions.

She doesn't notice the sound at her door and continues typing away , but then it happens again, and she slowly straightens up trying to understand the voice . Its not knocking , its something hitting against the wooden door. She slowly abandons her laptop and makes her way to it.

That's when it strikes her , breathing.

She picks up a gun on her bedside and extends her hand to the door , wrenching it open with one hand she almost trips over a body.

"Elizabeth ?!"

She slums to the floor as Victoria watches , her relief is completely cut off and replaced by horror. Crouching down to her level , she now fully registers the extent of damage , Elizabeth is barely breathing , a needle pierced through her bony forearm and other clutching a brown packet like her life depends on it . She is wearing clothes twice her size and alarmingly the portends of her skeleton is almost forcing to stand out of her thin translucent skin.

Her body is caving in , fraying it seems. But that isn't scaring Victoria

It's her heartbeat , as she pressed her thumb down on Elizabeth's forearm , its too fast and too soon. She snaps out of her horrified fixation and hooks her arms under Elizabeth , lifting her half dragging her inside the room.

Victoria calls out for David and Vincent , but no avail. She heard Vincent mention she was supposed to be discharged a day a ago , but given her reaction a few weeks ago Victoria decided its best to not join them.

Elizabeth's heartbeat is now hammering against Victoria's chest , as she tried hauling her up on the sofa as gently as possible minding her head. She lays her down , and huffs out.

"Elizabeth , can you hear me?"

She makes an indistinguishable sound , a cross between a moan and a grunt. Then opens her eyes , they are flat , devoid of any color or depth. They are unfocused , its like someone just abated the spark in her eyes so harshly rigged that there was nothing but faded grey whispers of what used to light up the room.

"Vic?"

Victoria hunches over to her level and pushes out messy blonde locks out of her face , "What were you thinking , Elizabeth?"

Victoria pulls out the empty needle that hung out of her skin , to her surprise there is no blood but only earning a long hiss of pain from Elizabeth's cracked lips. She coughs , in between failed attempts of breathing , Victoria almost backs away and is ready to dial an ambulance , but the dry coughs are now turning into flattening gasps. It's truly heart wrenching watching someone hang between death and life.

But she was still high , they could take her in for possession of drugs , she stays in her position , Her voice is rushed and breaking as she pleads to Elizabeth "Hey , hey ....listen to me , You're going to be okay , Okay? i just need you to get up , so i can get you some water...we'll get Martha here. Just get up , okay ? please?"

She holds her head and urges her to get up , holding her arms , hoisting her up in sitting position , a shiver runs through her as she feels the cartilage of her spine under her palms. It dangerously prominent.