1 The Cycle

It is cold and dark, Blair is walking home from a hard day's work at the construction site, he carries his empty lunch tin with him. The streets are crowded with other men all heading home to their wives and children, carrying themselves with fatigue, the smell of mildew lingers in the air from the local buildings as Blair walks past them. Checking his watch it shows 10:38pm. He hears running faintly behind him; he waits a moment before sighing and looking up at the sky, gripping his lunch tin in his right hand. The running is closer now. Blair starts to count "5…4…3…2…1" Swak- he hits the target, "OwCH!".

Johnathan rubs his shoulder "How'd you know it was me, Blair you know you could have really broken someone's jaw with that thing" Blair sighs "John, who would be running after me at approximately 10:40pm, every night." Johnathan stares blankly at Blair, then starts to laugh. "you need to knock that off John, I'm not kidding." Blair says looking at him with a fed up look, John wipes his tears from his cheek "okay,okay I'll stop" John and Blair walk for half an hour talking about work before finally reaching Blairs front steps.

"Oh I forgot to ask how's little Hailey, is she getting better at all?" John asks curiously "she's doing okay, she's still bedridden and has got that horrible cough still, the doctor said that the best thing for her is to just rest for right now..." "She'll get better soon I just know it" John pats his back "I'll see you at work tomorrow, tell Hailey I said get well soon." John starts heading down the sidewalk, "I will, see you tomorrow" Blair walks up his stairs and unlocks the front door and heads inside all the lights are off, he sets his keys on the small desk next to the door. He heads into the kitchen carrying his empty lunch tin, his mother sits asleep in the dining area across from the kitchen to the left. Blair puts his lunch tin in the sink and heads over to his mother gently tapping her shoulder. On the table is a old worn down picture of his pasted father and opened past due bills Blair sighs scratching his head he grabs the bills, putting the bills and photo in the junk drawer slowly closing it so not to spook her, he walks over to her "Mom, let's get you to bed." he carefully puts her left arm over his shoulder and lifts her up, half awake she walks with him into the living room and up the stairs heading up to her room, Blair opens the door and sets his mom on her bed he looks on his mothers night stand there sits another old photo, one of the whole family when everyone was healthy and alive Blair picks up the photo and sets it on its face, he can't help but feel saddened when remembering the good days, his mother moves softly hugging one of her pillows, he pulls the blanket on her before quietly leaving closing her door behind him. He walks down the hall heading to the upstairs bathroom and sees a light flicker on in Hailey's bedroom.

Blair opens his little sisters bedroom door, her face is pale and covered with pearls of sweat she is sitting, trying to stand "Hailey what are you doing lay back down you're not supposed to be up at this hour.." he says walking over to her "I was thirsty" she starts to cough and points to the half empty pitcher of water her weak thin arm struggles to stay up. "here lay back and I'll get you a glass." he helps her sit back onto her pillows, he fills her a glass, then walks over to her "here, drink slowly" he gently helps her drink it "thank you.." she says coughing a little he looks at her with a worried face knowing that she must be in pain. he checks her temperature with the back of his hand, she has a low fever "I'll be right back I'm going to go get a rag." "Okay…" she responds softly trying not to provoke coughing, Blair heads to get a cold wet rag and comes back, he folds the rag and gently sets it on her pale forehead "thank…you" Hailey says slowly drifting into sleep, blair kisses her on the cheek "Good night Hailey." he turns off her side table light and grabs the glass cup and sets it down on the table, He quietly closes the door behind him, and takes a shower before heading to bed.....

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