Hunger

Austin: Corpse

I live for Rory's visits. Now that I can sit up and remain conscious, it's the only part of my hospital routine I enjoy. As soon as I'm well enough she brings Pixie up to see me.

"AUSTIN!" Pixie shouts, running full speed at me.

She jumps onto the narrow space between my body and the edge of the mattress so she can throw her arms around my neck. I bite back the cry of pain that almost escapes my mouth. The wound on my shoulder throbs where her little elbow is, but I don't care.

I'm crying tears of joy as I hold my sister close to me. She's wearing a Frozen shirt, of course, paired with pink tights and a frilly ballet skirt. New clothes. Who bought them?

"Why are you crying?" Pixie demands.

I rub the tears out of my eyes. "I'm just happy."

Pixie smiles and shakes her head like I'm an idiot. "Austin, you don't cry when you're happy."

"Sure you can! You can cry for lots of reasons," I say.

"Nuh-uh."

"Uh-huh."

"Nope."

"Yes."

"No way!"

"If you keep arguing I'm gonna tickle you!" I say threateningly, holding up my best attempt at a claw hand.

"Nope, nope, nope, n-"

I start to tickle her and she goes crazy laughing, and the sound fills me up with joy. Later, she starts coloring picture after picture and hanging them up around my hospital room. She's so engrossed in the task Rory and I can talk freely without her listening.

"She looks like she's doing really good," I say happily.

"She is," Rory says, but her smile looks weird. I can tell she isn't telling me something.

"What is it?" I ask.

Rory sighs. "She's had three episodes since they brought you in here. Once she got out of a hotel room and was walking down the sidewalk alone in the middle of the night."

"Rory!" I exclaim, then glance at Pixie and lower my voice. "Why aren't you telling me this stuff?"

"I just wanted you to focus on getting better," she mumbles.

"Well it doesn't help me to not know that my little sister is having a mental breakdown and wandering the road in the middle of the night!" I snap.

Rory looks down, and I immediately feel guilty.

"I'm sorry," I say.

She shrugs. "It's okay. This is a stressful time."

"Have you... um... heard anything?" I ask meaningfully.

Rory looks up. "About Ray?"

I nod.

"He made bail. It was set at two hundred thousand, and he made bail. I couldn't believe it."