One

Imperilment: Exposure to possible harm, loss, or injury.

"Words are tears that have been written down. Tears are words that need to be shed. Without them, joy loses all its brilliance and sadness has no end."- Paul Coelho

Callie

I found myself screaming at the top of my lungs, something I truly haven't done since I was little.

My fists are shaking from how hard they are clenched shut, and I try to steady my breathing as I listen to my scream echo around the walls of the semi-empty parking garage of the hospital. I fucking hate it here.. it gives me panic attacks just thinking about it. It's the place that I came to sit with my mother during her chemo sessions, the place where we held hands and shared positive words with one another. A scary place, but a place with hope.

Not today, though. Today it is the place where I watched her die.

"Fuck hope." I mumble to myself before taking another swig from the bottle of liquor. I never drank, so this was definitely going to do a number on me fast.

It was convenient that there was a liquor store so close to the hospital. It was pretty smart of them to put one there, I thought with a chuckle. I never thought I could cry and laugh at the same time, but here I was.

Another swig!

I turned 22 last week. I knew that she was holding on as long as she could to not pass on my birthday. I saw it, and as hard as it was I told her it was okay and that she could let go- but she was stubborn and held on. It wouldn't have made a difference, birthdays were never really important to me. She always tried to make them that way though.

Another tear rolls down my cheek just as I swore no more could physically be in my body. I angrily wipe it away and kick the tire of the car nearest to me, wanting to get my anger out in some way other than screaming.

"Easy now, I just got those replaced." A voice echoed from just a few feet away from me. I gasp and visibly jump in fright, surprised that there was anyone around this late.

"Didn't mean to sneak up on ya." He adds, and I turn in the direction of the man that almost gave me a heart attack. My eyes focus on his shoes and work their way up as best they could with my vision starting to blur.

He was wearing blue scrubs, and god, I've seen enough people with those on today. I look up a little higher now, finally gaining the courage to show my bloodshot eyes that were sure to have heavy dark circles under each of them. I haven't slept in a week.

His eyes widened a bit, and I somehow felt like I might fall into his gaze the moment I look into them. They were so blue, deep blue, like the depth of the ocean. He had a clean cut face and a strong jawline that I could see even in the shadows of the dimly lit garage.

"Sorry." I mumble, feeling blood fill my cheeks. I bet he heard me scream, too.

I need to get out of here.

I scurry in the opposite direction of the man, not even knowing if my car is that way. I would find it eventually..

"Fuck!" I cuss sharply just as my head collides against a metal light post in front of me.

"Jesus." Was all I heard as I felt the bottle being taken away from my hands.

"Yeah, that's who my moms with." I slur, feeling myself slowly get drunker after that last big swig I took. I loved how I was starting to feel emotions less and less..

"Come on." The mystery man said before putting my arm over his shoulder. His voice was stern, but also warm.

It practically pulled me to him as soon as the breath jumped from his lips as he spoke. I turn my head around slowly and return my gaze to those eyes that were now so much closer. I was glad that he was holding onto me in that moment because I felt I might have stumbled again. Was he an Angel?

"Nope. Far from that, I'm afraid." I hear him say as we get to the passenger side door of his truck.

Shit, I said that out loud?

I groan and plop myself onto the seat as he helps me. His hands were burning holes in my skin each time he touched me it seemed, because the ache lingered even after he's pulled away. The mystery man's touch was gentle, but the skin of his hands were rough and told another story.

What's your story, mystery man?

I gazed out the window as he exited from the parking garage and away from that dreaded hospital. The lights of the city flickered across my gaze as I looked out onto the world. I was dizzy and everything was starting to turn into blobs, but it was somehow breathtaking. I never paid attention to the lights and the buildings downtown this much- I never had the time.

I was always either at work, in school or with my mom at the hospital. Now I guess I have some time freed up.

"Here. Take little sips of this." Mystery man tells me while placing a bottled water in my lap.

"No." I say, pushing the bottle off of my lap, letting it roll down onto the floorboard. "I want more drink."

"Well that's not going to happen." He replies too quickly- and I huff like a child. Who the hell does he think he is?

"You're not gonna happen!" I shoot back, realizing it made absolutely zero sense- but I stand by it anyways. "Take me home." I add, crossing my arms across my chest.

"I don't know where you live, it's too late and I'm too tired to give a shit right now so I'm going to let you crash on my couch." He says slowly, trying his best to keep his patience. He's clearly growing more annoying by the second. Maybe he's had a long day too.

"Then you can figure yourself out in the morning." He adds, pushing his fingers through his chestnut colored hair. It looked so soft..should I reach over and touch it?

No..no.

"What's your name, mystery man?" I ask. The reflection of the red stop light beaming against his skin made him look so beautiful somehow, even if he was starting to become a blob in my vision.

He sighs and opens his mouth to respond, but it was too late.

"Oh god." I slam my hand over my mouth before swinging open the passenger side door and vomiting onto the street. I thanked whatever god existed that we were stopped at a light in that moment, and there didn't seem to be anyone else around due to it being almost 2 in the morning.

I feel the hand of my angel pulling the hair away from my face behind me, and I stop puking so that I can breathe and cry some more into the night as I'm comforted by a stranger that's probably wondering what the hell he's gotten himself into.