I looked up to see the sky turning a dark gray. Not a moment later the rain began to fall, burning my skin with each acidic drop. I ducked down and sprinted towards home. The smell of mold and dust hit me as I ran through the door. I climbed the rickety stairs to the third level and opened the door to my apartment. Mom lay sprawled across the couch. Her glazed-over eyes stared into nothingness, her lips fixed in a grin. I slammed the door behind me as hard as I could, but she didn’t even flinch; she merely fixed her gaze in my general direction.

“Lisssa,” she slurred. “How’sss my baby gurll?”

I chose not to respond.

“We…found a new…drugssstore.”

I rolled my eyes. “I can tell. Where’s Jane?”

“…what?”

Nausea returned to my stomach. I couldn’t deal with this again, so I turned and left. I walked into the hall to see Jane standing before me.

Her eyes were wide with anxiety. “I was gonna try to tell you before you got home.”

I shrugged. “Don’t worry, I’m used to it. Nobody has perfect parents.”