Chapter 1

Deep pain pulses through my abdomen as I find myself sitting up in bed, hot and sweaty. It's two o clock in the morning, and I really don't want to disturb my mom and step dad but I also know that there comes a point where it's too much and I need to. I know that they can't hear me from down here, so I try to get out of bed and go upstairs. As soon as my feet hit the floor I go down on my knees and I know that I can't do it. I reach for my phone on the bedside table, and I try to text my mom, it's a long shot but I figure it's also one on climbing the stairs. I wait for a response, and then I hear the door at the top of the stairs and a light comes on, "Liam, what's wrong"she asks quietly approaching me, "mom,it's my stomach"I groan. I see my step dad behind her and they gently put hands underneath my arms and help me onto the bed. "How bad is it"he asks as she turns on the lamp, "Bad,I'm going to be sick"I say.

My mom grabs the trashcan just in the nick of time,and I throw up into it as hands touch my back, "Jules, go get me a wet washcloth,and a thermometer, he's burning up"my step dad says. My mom leaves the room and comes back with the stuff he asked for. Very gently she takes my temperature as I lean against her, "John,it's 104"she says as she puts the cool cloth against my neck, "k we need to go to the ER"he says, I whimper a little bit, "shh, it's OK"she says rubbing my back. Very quickly she sits me up and my step dad slips on a pair of sneakers onto my feet and then wraps me in a blanket and picks me up. As soon as he does the pain increases tenfold, and I find myself trying to take in a breath to make the pain go away. "it hurts"I say, "shh I know baby,it'll get better soon"she says laying her hand on my forehead. We go up the stairs and out to the car, where my mom gets in and my step dad put's me in her lap. I don't know how long the drive takes but soon enough we're at the hospital. My step dad goes inside and comes back with two nurses and a doctor. They open the door and the nurse asks my mom a question"what's his name" she asks gently putting a hand on my back, "Liam"my mom responds, "k,shh Liam,we're going to help you alright,can we get you on the gurney"she says, "Yeah"I barely groan.

Very gently the nurses and doctor take me out of the car and lay me down on the gurney. My first instinct is to roll on my side with my knees to my chest and they let me do it. Then they take me inside and into a exam room, where they close the curtains for privacy. Then a nurse helps me into a gown and lies me down on my side, and the doctor proceeds with her examination. "not feeling so good tonight huh buddy"she asks putting her hand on my back, "yeah,god It hurts"I reply,I feel her put the thermometer in and after a few minutes she takes it out. "104,that's not good, Ruby call for ultrasound"she says. Ruby does as asked and soon enough the ultrasound arrives. Very quickly she puts the cold gel on my stomach,and runs the wand over it, "what's happening"I ask looking at the screen, "nothing good,i can tell you that, I'll let you know more after I get your mom"she says. She finishes the test and leaves the room,as I lie back closing my eyes nervously waiting to find out what is happening.