CHAPTER 82

  Raleigh:

  Fire.

  That was all that I could feel. Just this burning, constant fire in my soul, charring my insides, kicking my back, the air knocking out of my lungs.

  It was well past midnight. Cindy was sleeping on the couch beside me. I couldn't fall asleep. The constant beeps and bops of the machines by my bedside table rang consistently in my ear, forcing my eyes open whenever I wanted to rest. Not only that, but nurses kept filing in and out of my room, feeding me medicine from syringes or fixing the blood tube behind my back. It was like they knew whenever I was falling asleep to come and wake me up.

  I hated the hospital.