CHAPTER 10

'You are aware your sister's episode was most likely due to substance abuse?'

There was a brief silence, punctuated by the steady beeping from close by. It was the beeping sound that I'd heard first, the insistent noise reaching out to me in the darkness and I'd followed the beeps up to the surface, like I was following a trail of breadcrumbs out of the deepest part of the forest.

I knew what it was. I'd heard it before, after I'd OD'd the first time and Addi had panicked and brought me to the hospital. He'd taken me to A&E and left. Davey's orders . I'd woken up surrounded by strange faces with cold, unsympathetic eyes and that irritating beeping sound which haunted my sleep for days afterwards.

'Yes. She's on a drug counselling program, she's dealing with it. At least trying to anyway. This is just a blip.'

Not Claire. Not my sister. A man's voice.

A man's voice that I recognised.

I froze just under the surface, scared to open my eyes.

'Well, Mr.