Hello Everyone! I swear after receiving my first review I was so happy that I almost cried! Like I've said on my profile, this is very therapeutic that helps me cope with my depression and the stress that I get from my job everyday. Most of the experiences that you read about will be from my life. I know that everyone is begging for people to review but please! *lol* Email me or review - I love hearing advice, and fan fiction recommendations. And I know that a lot of people don't like reviewing, but can you follow and favorite my story! It only takes a few clicks.

Also, I have no rights to Twilight - They are owned by the talented Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter 1:

I originally wanted to work nights at the nursing home because I believed that it would be the slow shift. You would think that with everyone sleeping everything would be quiet. I was even under the impression that I might be able to squeeze in some time to do my homework. What a fool I was! A dramatic reaction perhaps but being a nursing assistant tends to make you a little bitter after a while. The long hours, little pay, and high stress is exhausting.

This is definitely not a career that I saw myself going into. But when I tested out of high school and began taking college courses I needed to get a job with little training, good job prospects and a good paying salary. At the end of the day there weren't many good job prospects for a sixteen year old, so when I started here I knew it was the best I was gonna get at this point. I remember everyone asking me why I made the decisions I did, but with my mom living the life that she does, someone had to be the responsible one.

She has been addicted to drugs and participated in prostitution ever since I was twelve years old. It all started when she was working part time at the strip club to make some extra money. First she was a waitress, then she became a dancer. After that she would be asked to do some "private showings", which then lead to prostitution - and with the help of her pimp she started taking and selling drugs. At this point there is nothing I can do but make sure her bills are paid, there is food in the fridge and that she is still alive every day when I go to check on her. But what can I do about that now? All I can do is focus on my work and hope that it works as a good enough distraction. Maybe it's a good thing that we're always so busy.

In the last two hours I have taken five people to the bathroom, two on the bedpan, dealt with one schizophrenic patient who ranting to me for almost half an hour because she was upset that Ronald McDonald did not deliver some big mac's to her room! Ugh! Not to mention trying to keep them corralled in the building. A man just tried to escape out the window a few minutes ago. Can't I get a few minutes to myself.

"Bella could you please come to 212, I need help putting her on the bedpan". Of course, now the nurse is calling on the radio, and it reminds me that I have to do rounds soon. "I'm coming Susan".

As I'm on my way to 212 I see one of the residents as she is walking towards the emergency exit. I know the nurse will be upset if I'm not there soon so I call to warn her I might be late, "It might be a few minutes Susan". As I intercept her I see that it is Helen. I'm try to reach her before she sets off the alarms, "Hi Helen! How are you"? She looks over her shoulder at me and smiles. "Hi Granddaughter", and before I know it she is shuffling her feet towards me and is pulling me into a hug. "Helen, do you mind if I walk you to your room. I would love to wish you goodnight". With so many residents in a certain facility there are a lot of names to remember, personalities to please, and the occasional curse words and punches to the face to receive - not fun! With Helen, she always seems so happy. She always brings a smile to my face. So even though I have perfected the fake smiles and polite responses I never have to do that with Helen. Every time I see her I'm so genuinely happy that I can't help to smile.

"I would like that very much dear. Just make sure you don't stay up too late. I hope I didn't wake you up. You have a bed here to sleep in don't you"?

I always thought it was funny that the residents actually believed that we were sleeping.

"That's OK Helen. Let's just get back to your room". On our way there I see something out of the corner of my eye. It looks like the shadow of a large man. I turn to look but all I see is an empty hallway. I wish that I would stop seeing things that no one else does, or hearing things that no one else can hear. I always have this weird feeling whenever it happens, but I always blame it on the fear of spiraling into madness.

"Here is your room Helen. Is there anything you need before you go to bed"? She turns around to answer me and instead of the smile that she is usually wearing I see a serious expression cross her face.

"You have taken care of me for a long time. You have never treated me like I was an invalid. You treated me better than I ever had been before. Things will happen in your life that will confuse you, but remember that you are not alone. There will always be someone there to help you".

I have seen Helen at a point in her life when she couldn't remember her own name and thought that there were people sleeping in her closet. She spoke with such conviction, but at the same time it was the most confusing thing she has ever told me. A second later I see her face relax and the friendly expression return to her face.

"I would like some water please". She smiles at me and turns to walk into her room. It wasn't a difficult request considering the water fountain is right next to her room. As I walk back to her room I try and calculate in my head how long it will take to help her to bed and then go to 212 but when I step into the room it seems that my planning was unnecessary. I see her lying in bed but it looks like she has been sleeping there for hours. And after staring at here for a few moments, I realize she is not breathing. I check her pulse and I can't find one. How did this happen?

"Bella! What is taking so long"? I know that she is upset but it takes me a minute before I can answer her. "I need you in 208. A resident has passed away".

As I listen to Susan typing up her reports and charting on Helen's death I continue to have this awful feeling. I feel like there is something lying on my chest and it is slowly getting harder and harder to breath. Suddenly the phone rings which jerks me back to the world around me, but the feeling in my chest seems to be experiencing even more pressure. What is going on?

"Bella. Honey, a state trooper just called and said that your mom got in a car accident. I'm sorry honey but she didn't make it. I'll have one of the on-call girls come in to replace you".

As she gets on the phone all I can do is focus on breathing, until Helen's last words to me come to mind. Everything that she told me seems to be happening right now. How could this happen? How did she know?