Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 31

(Angel's POV)

It was happening again.

Another treatment. Another day when I couldn't breathe.

I watched Hendrix from across the room. His face was pale and his eyes looked unfocused. He sat on the edge of the bed and his hands trembled slightly as if he was trying to hold it all together. But I could see through it.

I always saw through him.

"They're doing it again," I whispered and my voice shook. I couldn't help it. My stomach twisted into knots as I pictured him in that room with those needles and those machines.

The door swung open and Dr. Nixon stepped in. She was cold and clinical. She didn't even look at me.

Just Hendrix.

"Are you ready?" she asked him in a low tone.

Ready? For what?

Another round of who-knows-what. My fists clenched at my sides.

Hendrix nodded and his jaw tightened. He didn't say a word. He never said anything about these sessions.

And that scared me more than anything.

I bit my lip to keep myself from screaming and from grabbing him and pulling him away from here. From this nightmare.

"We need to talk," I blurted out and my voice was sharp in the heavy air.

Dr. Nixon finally looked at me and her eyebrow arched. "Now?"

I nodded and stepped forward. I felt the weight of Hendrix's eyes on me but I didn't care. Not right now. I needed answers. I needed to understand what was happening to him. What was happening to us. "Alone," I said with a firmer voice this time.

She sighed and glanced at Hendrix before nodding towards the hallway. "Fine. But make it quick."

I followed her out of the room as my heart raced and my pulse drummed in my ears. The door closed behind us with a quiet click and I was alone with her. With the woman who held all the cards. The woman who could tell me everything if she wanted to.

"What are you doing to him?" I asked as my voice barely rose above a whisper.

Dr. Nixon crossed her arms and her expression was unreadable. "I'm helping him."

"That's not what it looks like."

She didn't respond and just stared at me with that same detached, almost robotic calm that made my skin crawl.

I stepped closer and my voice trembled with anger. "You said... you hinted that his illness might not be real, that something else is going on here. I want to know what you meant."

She watched me for a moment as her eyes narrowed like she was deciding whether to say something. Then finally, she spoke.

"You already know there's more to this place

with implication, but it wasn't enough. I

me the truth. What are

her voice dropped to a near whisper. "I'm not the one you should be worried

My blood turned cold.

does

end of the hall where I

"Some people have their own agendas. And not everyone is interested in curing patients." I stared at her and

I choked out even though I already knew. I

She didn't.

place. "You should be careful, Angel.

and demand more answers, but she was already walking away and her heels clicked against the

left standing there, feeling like the

...

go back into

and stared at the closed door while my hands trembled at my sides. Dr. Nixon's

everyone is interested in curing

something was wrong here. But now

owned everything. Like he was playing a game and we were all just

everything he was going through and everything they were doing

...

bed again and staring at his hands. He looked up as I

he asked in a

lump in my

Hendrix's brow furrowed. "Careful?"

said and sat

I couldn't help glancing at him from

did he have

and reckless stepbrother I grew up with.

yet... someone I couldn't

in the dim

He was my

said suddenly and snapped me out of my thoughts. "Are you

blinked and turned to face him. His eyes were dark and filled

shouldn't feel this way. I shouldn't want him to

But I did.

I said in a voice that was

against mine and I felt a spark shoot

something else there, something deeper. "What's going on? Why's Dr.

away and stood up quickly. My heart raced and I felt like I couldn't breathe.

today," I said and tried to change the subject, to distance

narrowed slightly. "Why are you always so worried

say. I didn't know the answer

to get hurt," I

that, isn't it?" he asked and his voice was

my eyes and my fists clenched