chapter two.

For some reason I couldn't get that encounter with that Riley guy out of my mind. Something about the incident put chills down my spine.

"Chris, who was that boy?" Dawn asked when we walked into our house. I sat on the sofa and told her that I didn't know who he was. She gave me a long look and eventually went of to her room to pack her school bag. Our uniforms were pre-pressed and cleaned.

When dad came home I was setting the table. We were going to have potatoes, broccoli and grilled chicken for supper. Dad pre-cooks the meals and leaves them in a pan for us to put in the stove an hour before supper. Its quick and easy since Dawn and I are usually on the go most of the time.

I took my insulin like usual after supper and went downstairs to get everything ready for school. I packed my back-pack with my school supplies, put my lunch money in the front pouch and my extra blood testing kit and two extra doses of insulin, just in case.

I went to bed and fell of almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.

School the next day was interesting. Because Dawn was in grade six, she had to be to the bus stop a whole hour before me. Dad said that was a good thing because it meant I could help her get ready for school while he was at work and I'd still have time to get myself ready too.

For the next couple days, we fell into a pattern. I'd help Dawn get ready for school and then I'd get myself ready. I'd come home, pop whatever casserole dad had made into the oven and then do my homework. It was a painfully predictable schedule but for whatever reason, no one could seem to break it. It was depressing as much as comforting.

Today was Friday and Dawn, who was doing better at meeting friends then me was going to a sleep over. I was helping her pack her bag for the night.

"Did you pack your inhaler?" I asked, knowing my sister's asthma rarely acted up but it always seems to happen when she doesn't have her inhaler with her.

"Yes, mom!" she said dramatically.

"Well, I worry about you," I sighed. Our mom died only two years ago and I'm not sure any one of us has moved past that but we are doing our best to accept it. She had pancreatic cancer.

"I know, but I'm fine," she said looking into my eyes.

I smiled and gave her a quick hug. "Well, you go have fun. I have to conquer a scary mountain of homework," I said, envying my sister for being able to go out and have fun while I got to do Calculus and Physics and English. I was leaving Biology and Math until tomorrow.

I went to my room and after three hours I finished my homework for tonight. It was right then that my stomach told me it was time to eat and with my diabetes, it's not good for me to step out of schedule with my eating.

I went into the kitchen and grabbed a Caesar salad from the fridge and threw some grilled chicken with Balsamic dressing. Balsamic is a rare treat but my sugar was a bit low today, so I will need an extra sugar boost before I take my insulin any way.

I ate quickly and went to the bathroom. I quickly checked my blood sugar. I was used to the prick now, so I barley noticed that. I took out on of my pre-filled needles and frowned.

I had a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was almost like some part of my brain telling me not to give myself this needle. I pushed it aside.

I rolled up my shirt and patted for the right spot to put the needle. I did it the way I always did. I plunged the needle in and squirted it all with one quick swift motion. It makes the whole thing quicker.

But then, something strange happened.

The injection site started to get warm… Really warm… okay… TOO WARM! It was getting hotter and hotter by the second. And it was spreading slowly to the rest of my body. Getting hotter and hotter as it went. By now it was feeling like my blood was being replaced by white hot lava.

I clutched the injection site and screamed. I tried to make it to the phone to call for help but the sheer agony of whatever I just injected myself with was too intense for me to do anything other then collapse on the floor and wither in agony.

It was spreading to the rest of my body. FIRE! I screamed as loud as could for someone, ANYONE to come and make this agony stop. And then, slowly, very slowly the pain too over 100%. I just hoped it would end soon!