The lights flicker as I reach the top floor of the apartment complex. The smell of rot engulfs my senses as I steadily make my way down the long hallway. Thunder continues to roar beyond the paper thin walls as lighting flashes just as the lights flicker. With each step the floor creaks beneath my weight as the silence deafens the place. Water drips from my soaked clothes as my hair clings to my face in a tangled mess. The bag I was carrying becomes heavier the closer I get to "home". Clutching my keys I let the pounding in my head distract me from my thoughts as the keys dig into my skin.
Just another day, I just need to get through another day. I tell myself.
Just as I reach the door thunder roars as a lightning bolt crashes near by almost blinding me as it causes car alarms to got off and ending the suffering of those flickering lights. Darkness consumes me as I stand by the door staring as if the door would magically open itself. Standing there for a few seconds I get myself in order as I close my eyes and repeat to myself "just one more day".
Unlocking the door, the uneven ground causing it to swing open in a slow creepy creak I tentatively walk into the apartment. Silence greets me as darkness blinds me.
Sighing as I let the tension inside me slowly release as I focus my thoughts and attention to the small thump within the dark.
Locking the door I see through another flash as the keys I was clutching left a few scars. Ignoring them I head to the kitchen which is just beside the door to the left. Big enough to hold a fridge and a stove I dump the bad I was carrying onto the small table right beside it.
Thump....thump....silence...thump. The sound was fading each day as it would grow quieter and quieter until one day it'll just stop. Until then I had to keep it together because one more day was better than none.
The rain hitting the glass was the only sound that kept me from screaming. I focused on that instead. Since it was strong and raging.
Getting the bread that I had managed to get from the store I worked in for practically nothing was on its last breath as mold seemed to start forming on some loafs. Reaching for the yet untouched ones I start to make dinner. Tuna salad sandwich, my moms favorite.
A small groan comes from the hunched lump on the sofa. I quickly finish making one sandwich as that's all I could muster to make. I grab a glass from the cabinet and fill it with tap water I grab the sandwich and head to the lump on the couch.
Still dripping wet I sit on the coffee table in front of my motionless mother. Her blank stare greets me as I try to manage a smile but sadness over comes me. Leaning to kiss her forehead I feel her burning skin on my lips as I sigh. Another fever.
"Hey, mom. How was your day?" I ask fully knowing I wouldn't get a response. "Sorry I'm late, had to pull a double. Daniel needed me to cover for him since he needed to study." I inform her as if she were listening. I'm sure she doesn't even know I'm here as her blank stare continues to look right past me. Even her breaths have become shallower as if breathing came as a challenge to her. Which I don't doubt it has.
Reaching to the night stand I grab her medication holder that I had personally organized for her. Not that she would take them on her own. She won't even eat and now breathing seems to be a burden.
"Okay, now I'll need you to work with me here. I can't do this without you." I say softly as I place a pill on her lips. Tilting her head back a little I grab the glass and pour some water onto her mouth washing the pill down with it. She manages to swallow. Thankfully the rest of the meds go just as smoothly.
Reaching for her sandwich I tear a small piece and start feeding it to her. Little by little she would chew it and swallow it. It went on for a bit as she managed to eat one third of it before she refused to accept anymore. She would lock her jaw and not open it until she was full and ready.
As water kept rushing down my face I couldn't manage to do anything else but stare back at the motionless body in front of me. She stared into nothing while I saw the broken and emotionless being I cared and loved wither away.
Another bang came from the outside as the storm began to calm.
Getting up I reach for the blankets that mother had managed to get tangled on. "How did you even manage to get this tangled?" I ask as I struggled for a few minutes. Finally freeing her I almost but carried her to the bathroom. The small space seemed crowded with the two of us in it. I settled her on the toilet lid as I turned the faucet on.
"I'm going to change, I'll be right back." I tell her as I go the only room and fish out my sweats and a baggy shirt to change into. Leaving the wet clothes on the floor I go check on my mother and the water as a loud creaking sound comes from the living room window.