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2022-07-23 10:45:41The cold fluid seeps from the IV into my arm, and I press the button to call Kaci back into my room. She takes a few minutes to answer the call, but I don't mind. I'm used to it.
"You buzzed, Honey," Kaci asks as she pokes her blonde head into my room, and I nod.
"Yes. Can you bring me a warm blanket? This new bag is freezing. I can't sleep," I reply as I gesture to the bag of fluids hanging from my IV pole.
She nods and shoots me a smile before leaving, and I lay my head back against the pillows I have fluffed a million times. This has been my longest hospital stay yet, and I am so done.
I miss my soft bed and my pile of warm blankets. I miss homemade meals and mom's whistling in the morning. I miss being able to curl up on my window seat with a good book. But most of all, I miss having energy. I forgot how tiring chemo is. It zaps every ounce of strength from my body and leaves me feeling like a zombie.
"Here you go, Krystal. Do you need anything else," Kaci says as she comes back into my room like a scrubs-covered tornado.
I shake my head as she spreads out the warm white blanket, and she smiles at me.
"Okay. I will see you in a few hours then," she says, and I give her a weak grin.
I instantly feel better as the heat from the blanket warms my bones. I close my eyes, and sleep washes over me within seconds.
******
"How are you today, Krystal," Doctor Ho asks as he and his colleagues stand at the front of my bed with mixed expressions.
"About the same. Weak," I answer with a slight shrug, and Dr. Ho nods before glancing at Dr. Blaylock.
"We got your test results back, and the numbers aren't looking too good," Dr. Blaylock says, and my eyes connect with his.
"Meaning," I ask, and Dr. Trott moves to the side of the bed.
She gives me a sad little smile, and a lump forms in my throat.
"There are experimental treatments, but it doesn't look good. Your cancer is fast-growing, Krystal. The radiation and chemo don't seem to be as effective as we thought...And your MRI has revealed a tumor on your spine. We have a few options involving removing it, but all will result in the loss of mobility... As it stands right now, your body is too weak. We are hesitant to schedule the surgery," Dr. Trott explains softly, and tears spill down my face as my eyes drop to my lap.
"Don't tell mom. Let me do it," I whisper after a few seconds, and the doctors I have known since I was seven all move in closer.
"We will make sure you are comfortable," Dr. Blaylock says, and I nod while wiping the snot from my nose.
"I know. I'm okay with dying. I knew when the cancer came back, there was a really big chance of it winning this time. I'm just worried about mom. I was her miracle. It's just her and me against the world. I'm going to have to leave her, and that hurts more than having no future," I say as I look up into their teary eyes.
Dr. Trott immediately closes her eyes as tears begin to escape, and Dr. Ho gently takes my hand.
"You will always be her miracle. Every day you are on this Earth, you are her miracle. You beat the unbeatable before and gave her more time with you. I am so proud to be your doctor, Krystal. I am so blessed to have seen you grow into the woman you are today. It's not very professional for me to say, but you are one of my favorites," Dr. Ho says, and I give him a sad smile.
"I am pretty loveable," I reply, and three sad-sounding laughs come from the doctors around my bed.
"We will stop your chemo immediately. The morning shift nurse should be right in after we leave with your pain medication. The dosage was upped a little bit, but we will wait until closer to time before raising it again," Dr.Blaylock says, and I nod.
"How much time do you think I have," I whisper, and Dr. Trott sniffles.
"Maybe a month. Maybe less, depending on how fast it spreads once your medication stops," she replies softly, and I nod again.
"I feel tired, so I know my body won't fight for long," I mumble absently, and the room goes still.
I know without raising my head, my mom has arrived. Her perfume is already filling the room.
"Krystal," mom says, and I reluctantly look up to find her staring at me with a terrified expression.
"What's going on," Mom asks, and the doctors all step away from my bed.
They give me a parting smile for encouragement, and mom watches them as they file out of the room without answering her question. Once the door closes, her scared eyes zoom back to my tired face.
"Krystal? Tell me what they said. Was it about your test results" Mom asks, and I nod before moving to the right side of my bed?
I pat the free space, and mom sits down. Her eyes are searching my face, so I grab her hand and give her my best smile.
"Don't be scared. Everything will be okay," I whisper, and my mom squeezes her eyes closed instantly.
She begins to shake her head back and forth while mumbling to herself. I patiently wait it out.
Denial is my mom's go-to when bad things happen. She will often deny the information and have an episode just like she is having now. But if I just wait, she will calm down and let me explain the facts.
"It's not true...You will get better, just like last time. You beat it then. You will beat it now," mom mumbles, and I rub her knuckles with my thumb.
"This time is different, mom. The cancer is spreading. I have a tumor on my spine, and the treatments aren't helping to slow it down anymore. It's time for me to rest and enjoy what time I have left," I whisper, and a loud sob explodes from my mother's mouth.
"No! No. You will get better, baby. You will. Nineteen years isn't long enough. It isn't long enough," Mom screams, and I yank her to me with my remaining strength.
She collapses into me, and I stroke her hair as we both cry. After a few minutes of loud sobs and disgusting sniffles, mom begins to pray.
Sadness for my mother fills my heart as I listen to her beg the heavens over and over again to heal me, but I stay silent. I know it's my time, even if she doesn't. My body just can't take anymore, and I want to be free of it. The only thing I hate about the fact I will die soon is leaving my mom alone.
She had me young and raised me with nothing but love. She never dated, even though guys asked her out everywhere we went. She said she was happy with it being just us. She would joke when I asked her about it. But she always said the same thing, "I was given my miracle early in life. What would a guy be able to offer me when I already have you?"
As my mom continues to pray, anger enters my heart. It was cruel of God to make her love me so much, but at the same time give me cancer. She didn't deserve this pain. She deserved a healthy child that would take care of her in her golden years. Who will be here for her then?
"I love you, mom," I whisper, and her sobs get louder as she hugs me tighter.
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Harvested   35 R
"Are you ready," Burk asks softly as he hands me my cup, and I nod even though I feel super nervous. The process of making the drink that will link our systems only required three buttons, and then it began dispensing as if this wasn't one of the most significant moments of my young life. I was expecting at least ten minutes to prepare myself, but it was more like twenty seconds. "Do not feel pressured, Krystal. We can wait. This has been a very traumatic day, and it is late. I do not want you to regret anything," Burk says softly as he watches me stare at my cup hesitantly.I bite my lip while I think over my options. I know that I want Burk. He is definitely the guy for me. I feel a connection to him. A connection that has pushed me to risk my life for him twice. I know my connection will only grow as time passes, so why wait? Yes, it is happening fast, but one thing I have learned in my nineteen years is you never know what will happen tomorrow. What if a bad guy kills Burk or
Harvested   34
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Harvested   33
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Harvested   32
BURK POV Stiff air and motionless land surround us as we move through the outskirts of Gafrops' abandoned cities. My ears are primed for an attack, but no sound can be heard for miles. "Looks like the Gafrops are close to losing this war," Nole says lowly, and I nod while glancing towards an abandoned store. We haven't spotted a living soul in ten miles. Not even an animal. "They probably centralized their population in a well-protected area. But, the lack of wildlife is telling," I reply, and Modok grunts in agreement. A beep comes through my bracelet, and our feet halt instantly. The scanner's report comes through, and Krystal's DNA signature gives me instant relief. She is here!"Seventy...They underestimate us," Nole says as he reads the numbers, and Modok chuckles. "They will transport out. They aren't idiots. We need to move now! Modok set location. We transport to her now. Nole notify Garlof and his men. The scanner will spook them into a new hiding place. We hav
Harvested   31
I wish I had some ibuprofen. My jaw feels like it is broken. I know the punctures on my arm are deep, and they hurt, but they are nothing compared to the pounding pain in my face. When we transported an hour ago, my adrenaline was still pretty high, so my pain was tolerable. But with every passing minute, I can feel the swelling in my cheek getting worse."No moving, human. Remain silent," the freakishly tall alien growls as he drops me on a stone floor covered in trash and filth. I nod fearfully while glancing around. This is the first building we have come to. When we transported, we were outside in the middle of a field. But it wasnt like any field I had ever been in. It was dead silent, and the air seemed frozen around us even though it was warm. While the other two Gafrops continue walking out of the room with a now silent Zor, the hateful beast with a mean slap doesn't leave. He approaches a black panel of buttons and begins to type like a mad man. I can't help but watch his
Harvested   30
ZOR POV"You look green, human," I whisper harshly as Krystal and the other humans sit down. She reluctantly turns her head my way, and I see dread pass over her features. The feeling is mutual, human. She looks at me for only a moment before turning to watch the Glortinons walk across the field. As she watches, her eyes shift to sadness, and curiosity spikes within me. What does she have to be sad about? She was saved from her fate on her awful planet. She didn't do anything to deserve her standing. None of the human females did. She looks at her comrade, and they take each other's hands. A sense of comfort passes over both females, and I instantly grow jealous and resentful. Yor was always my comfort when my father told me no or forced me to do something I didn't want to do. He was my best friend until we turned eighteen, and he was immediately sent away for training. Krystal glances at me smugly and smirks as if she senses my pain. Hate nearly swallows me within a sing
Harvested   29
Silence falls around Zor and me as the other females leave the room. Tension begins to charge the air around us, so I look away from her still body. I don't want anything to do with her, and now that I have proven I am a virgin, she should leave me alone. Burk and I will get to leave Kea for the second time today. She will have to face the consequences of her actions. If she had just let me enjoy my life no one had to know about her. She could have been happy with Garlof. "I was supposed to mate with the best. Commander Burk is gold status, and he was supposed to be mine...How did you lure him away from me so quickly," Zor suddenly demands, and I turn my head back to find her staring at me carefully. "I didn't lure him. I didn't do anything special. I was just me," I reply, and she shakes her head. She looks at the door as if expecting someone to be there, and I let my eyes travel over her perfect body. She could have anyone is wants, but she doesn't base what she wants on
Harvested   28
BURK POV My eyes scan Garlof's face again as we wait for the results on our females. His face appears calm, but the slight tick in his eyebrow lets me know he is as anxious as I am. Annoyance and anger fill my mind as I continue to stare. He doesn't glance back at me even though he is fully aware of my gaze. His female is causing all of this because I wouldn't fight for her. She let my rejection hurt her pride, and now my new life is being interrupted. He has to know these things. His mind is as sharp as mine is. "It shouldn't be much longer," Pagin says, and I look towards his tranquil features. Garlof shifts in his seat in my peripheral vision, and my jaw clenches slightly. "What will happen if the results prove that a female lied," Garlof asks, and Pagin glances at me before the male Makskin smirks. "The human would be killed. Earth is under our protection due to the Harvest treaty. They do not send soldiers, so their harvested females are expected to follow every g
Harvested   27
BURK POV"Don't make this harder than it needs to be," Pagin says quietly so Krystal can't hear, and I growl."My mate will not be going anywhere," I snarl, and the other males tense while moving forward.The male from Makskin places his hand on the hilt of his knife, and I feel my body expand as my muscles prepare themselves."Princess Zor's allegation will be verified," he states, and I shift into a defensive stance."My. Mate. Will. Not. Be. Going. Anywhere. With. You," I snap, and he smirks just as Hij growls from behind me."I will go under two conditions," Krystal says loudly from behind me, and I spin around to find Hij trying to reposition her behind him in a respectful way.She dodges his attempt, and he stops trying to move her. She looks at me for a moment, and I realize her fear is no longer visible. Her eyes look as angry as I feel. She looks strong. Like a soldier prepared for battle and my anger lessens. My mind goes to her past, and my heart swells. My mate is a fighte
