Ethel huffed a bit as she got to the top of the stairs, bending slightly over the banister. "There… always seems to be a few more steps… each visit". She straightened out and looked around. This was not her first time visiting Helen, but she always liked looking at the decorations in the hallway. The wallpaper was a nice neutral beige with occasional thick stripes of dark green, laces of white on each side of a stripe. A small floral pattern of blossoms scattered everywhere.

The layout of the rooms was interesting. If one were to look at it from a bird's eye view, it would look similar to a key, just without the ridges. A rectangle attached to the circle. The wooden banister was a u-shape in the center of the opening with the stairs spiraling down to the first floor. The doors that led to the rooms were six in a row along the circular section, with six more along the rectangle, separated into three on each side. There were two more stories above this floor with the exact same design, for those able to climb down a set of stairs, the first floor for those in wheelchairs.

Very quaint.

All the doors were open as everyone was downstairs enjoying a variety of activities.

Almost everyone.

Ethel went into the last door to the right side of the rectangle. The only door to be closed.

She gave it a few taps. "Helen! It's Ethel! I brought some nice goodies for you! I'm coming in!" she sung.

She opened the door to Helen, sitting in a rocking chair. Not moving, but simply sitting and looking out the window.

"Hello Helen! How are you feeling? Everything going fine, dear?" Ethel asked.

"…Well, I'm not dead" Helen remarked.

"Um…" Ethel began, trying to quickly salvage back some cheer. "Oh! Yes, like I was saying. I brought some snacks for you. Just for you!"

"Just place 'em on the nightstand…" Helen muttered.

Ethel did as she was instructed. The nightstand and lamp that rested on it were dusty, and nothing else besides the dust resided on the surface. In fact, much dust had collected on everything in the room. Though, there was not much to in the room anyway. A bed, some curtains, a vanity, a dresser, a chair, and sunlight pouring from the window. Just the basics. Helen had not brought much with her when moving in to the home those months ago.

"I'm surprised the caretakers haven't cleaned this up! You don't want to come down with some kind of disease, Helen".

"Don't like them coming into my room, so I told them to never come in here".

"Told or threatened?"

Helen shrugged. "Don't make a difference".

Ethel's eyes widened. "I'm surprised they even let you stay here and not put you––"

"What? In one of those psychiatric hospitals?" Helen turned in the rocking chair to face Ethel, her gray-blue eyes piercing through her. Ethel was taken aback by her friend's demeanor and her physique. Her short white hair, usually placed in a bun, was let loose to lie on her shoulders. She had a few more wrinkles along the creases of her eyes, accented by the dark brown dress she wore. Her face was scrawnier than the last visit.

Helen turned back to face the window. "I ain't a loon".

"But you can't continue being like this! You need to eat, socialize, enjoy these golden years!"

"What's so golden about it?" Helen retorted. "What kind of joy can I have being in this strange place, with strange people, covered in a strange… lemon odor, without…" she paused. "… Without…the people… I knew once? …Without the husband I knew…once?"

"Must we always have this conversation? I don't mean to sound callous, but it isn't healthy to dwell on one thing for too long. Let's talk about…" Ethel thought. "OH, there's a concert happening this Saturday, only a couple days away! Not one of those boring concerts we were raised with, but something more with the times. We should go out to see it together!"

Helen sighed and once again turned to face Ethel, but this time, the anger that was in her eyes was replaced with pity, for herself… and Ethel.

"Ethel, have you taken a good, hard look at yourself lately? We. Are. Old. You are just a few years away from being in my position. You can't hide it, not with all the hair dye and wrinkle cream in the world. Now, I don't mean to sound callous…" the sarcasm seethed through her voice, "… but us… being the way we are… can't do anything but just wait for the relief of death. I, for one, am tired of just being treated as just some generic old woman".

Ethel did not know how to respond. She could usually take these comments of Helen with great stride, but today, her comments were exceptionally bitter and hurtful and made her rethink the way she was living. Is…life worth living when I'm already…this age?

She tried to shake off the thought and just quietly went out into the hallway and only turned to shut the door, the hinges squeaking as she closed it.

I still love Helen dearly, but… her mean-spirit is really… growing with… age.

"Um, Ms. Hapilin?"

Ethel was startled by the voice that broke the silence.

"I could not help but overheard what you were saying".

Here it is! Hope you guys liked this chapter. :) And don't forget to review and leave a comment. :D