“I’m sorry, Miss Hayes. The results confirm it is cancer.”It was loud in the kind of way that gets into your teeth and sinks deep into your cranium. Every moment fades into oblivion, which seems more like the effect of the drink, but I know better.The bar was packed, not shoulder-to-shoulder, but thick enough that the air was hot and heavy, soaked in the smell of sweat, spilled beer, cheap cologne, and that lemony disinfectant they swiped across the counter every hour like it made a difference. It just never did. Or maybe it was me.Neon signs buzzed above me, radiating everything in sick blues and reds. A jukebox fought a losing battle with the crowd noise, blaring out some old rock song no one was listening to.The laughter became the music and the pleasure, the rhythm. Oh, I hate this place…I was hunched at the far end of the bar, where the light didn’t quite reach and no one bothered to look too long. My stool wobbled every time I shifted, but I didn’t care. The wood under my a
Last Updated : 2025-08-19 Read more