Rise from Ashes

makes this room suddenly drowned in noise, waking me up fro

. Another shift, another day, running the same long hours crisscrossing the city, scrounging a

y was breathing shallowly; every flutter of her chest a sobriety test, a st

e apartment with peeling wallpaper and groaning

to startle her. Her eyes flickered open, c

much speaking, for now her voice is a mere shadow of it

. An hour before, I had to go to work at the di

rocery store, and then there's

me mantra I chant each morning to myself, to remind me o

r shake as she tries to breathe. I am immediately by her side, proppin

ills in her hand, pressing a glass of water against

im ordeal. "I'm sorry, Amelia," sh

't you be out there living your life, no

ked the stray strand of hair from her forehead. "You're all that I

e, not really. There was no future where things would ever be okay for her

promising that if the tips are good today,

her eyes is such that even at this point, she re

Thus, this woman who brought me up with such love and kindness

eets to the diner. The walk itself i

ing that splash of color ov

usyness, everybody with some

battles I am, or if they've got their own demons t

d themselves of their breathing at my

my mind a million miles away from there. Every hour passing, the more dollars in my pocket,

's always the same. The debts greater and bil

orking at the grocery store, and my hands are goin

in and day out. Time plays tricks on me; no matter how

few groceries I could afford, it's ne

e my break at the diner. But Granny n

g, a wave of exhaustion comes over me with such vehemence that it sees

f tiredness has visited me. It was weariness today and sank

fill my head with a deep breath and try to push away the fear and despair that are fighting

rk and silent, a stark contrast to the noise and chaos of

nd rush to her bedside, my heart poun

wrapped around me as I reached for her hand, and r

gently nudge her, trying to wak

h her, tears trickling down my cheeks, while I

so badly I could bar