Josey was feeling like crap. Mum’s back home from up north, shagging her new boyfriend. He seems okay. Why she didn’t stay with Dad, she doesn’t know; one shitshow after another ever since.
Could be another hard night tonite; Michele wants to hook me up with some guy. Friend of a friend. Her friend. Fuck her. That last one was a fucking train wreck. If the bitch short-changes her again, she’ll kill her.
Last-minute change of plans, so fucking excited; The wonder girl got two tickets for Darkfest, the mad bitch wants me to go with her. Can’t wait; fucking Big Thief. I can’t believe it. Josh’s phone number and email, make sure it’s in my contacts.
Only one day until boogie time can’t wait to drop some acid. Hopes there are some nice boys. Must get that tent. If we host fuck boys all weekend. Such a hoe bag. It will be fun for two together. Might flag the boys, do it for ourselves. Ages since they had a proper sesh; could hotbox the tent; need to make the most of my last free summer. This time next year she will sit inside a London winter. Can’t wait.
Town this morning; Fiona saw heaps of people already. The backpackers full up. She was looking forward to the festival. Flat out all day and sold out by four. The coffee machine broke down. Poor thing, it was overheating. Even the hardware store was full.
She went into the club rooms after work to check the gear. Pretty shiny, even drug testing kits. Doug will drive the tent out and set it up.
Josey was still trying to contact Josh to score. He rang back later in the day and said he’d meet her there.
Back home, got a good night’s sleep, Mum was exhausted. She wanted to tell her I love you, but she didn’t. I must tell her before I go out to the festival in the morning.
Doug picked up Fiona. Out at the festival site, they put the tent up. Heaps of people coming through the gates. The music was going off. People wanted to be up the front. First flake out just dehydration, and after we filled him up with some water, he recovered and went on his way. Hard to tell the tricky situations, ill or just tired, hungover and needing a drink of water.
Josey saw mum in the morning at the kitchen table. Walking down the path to the car, she remembered she forgot to tell her she loved her. Into town first to the ATM. Josh texted me to say he had something stronger for me. Not sure what he meant, but it sounded wrong. Perhaps some afghani speed. Anyway, I drove out to the festival. I found them at one of the small stages. Hi, how are you? I’m good. Did you want to buy some? Yeah, I’ve got $200. He passed me a small bottle with liquid in it. What’s that? Try it, it’s the best. Make you happy have a good time. I went over to the food stores. The girls were going to meet me. There were masses of people.
Fiona’s mum rang at lunchtime to see how she was getting on. Things are pretty good, pretty slow. No actual emergencies yet, but things will hot up later in the day. She said, well look after yourself because. I will. I love you, mum. I love you too. You’ll be there all night? up to midnight. Depends on how things are going. We might be busy with people or finish up and come back home. OK, darling, I’ll leave it in your capable hands. You’re doing such a good job for people. Yeah, I love it, Mum. I love it, makes me feel like I’m achieving something. Ok love you, catch you later
We found my friends and woohoo they had some boys with them. I like to look at them so I dropped a Molly half. They had a big tent, and we had a small tent. It was early in the afternoon. Coming on to me quite hard and I didn’t mind; it was fun. Was tripping hard. Forgot about the music and my friends for a while or maybe a couple of hours. We got down to it.As the sun dipped below the horizon and the festival lights came alive, Josey felt the world spinning out of control. Her chest tightened, her pulse pounded, and her vision blurred as waves of nausea swept over her. The crowd swirled around her, faceless and distant, and her knees buckled.
“Josey?”
A familiar voice cut through the chaos. Fiona knelt beside her, her fluorescent medic vest catching the flickering lights.
“Fiona,” Josey croaked, her voice weak.
“What did you take?” Fiona’s tone was calm but urgent, her hands already checking Josey’s pulse and temperature.
“Josh gave me...something,” Josey stammered. “It was in a bottle. Said it would make me feel good.”
Fiona’s jaw tightened. “Okay, we’re going to get you out of here. Can you stand?”
Josey tried to nod, but her body felt like lead. Fiona called for backup, and another medic arrived with a stretcher.
“She’s tachycardic,” Fiona said, her professionalism masking her fear. “We need to get her to the hospital now.”
The ride to the hospital was a blur of sirens and flashing lights. Fiona stayed by Josey’s side, holding her hand and monitoring her vitals.
“Stay with me, Josey,” Fiona whispered, but Josey’s eyes fluttered shut.
When they arrived at the emergency room, doctors and nurses swarmed around Josey, working furiously to stabilize her. Fiona stepped back, her hands trembling as she dialed Josey’s mother.
---
An hour later, Josey’s mum arrived, her face pale and stricken. She rushed into the waiting room, where Fiona was pacing.
“Where is she?” her mum demanded.
Fiona hesitated, her eyes brimming with tears. “She’s in critical condition. They’re doing everything they can.”
Together, they waited in agonizing silence until a doctor emerged, his expression grave.
“Mrs. Harper?”
“Yes,” her mum said, clutching Fiona’s arm.
The doctor sighed. “I’m so sorry. The substance she ingested caused acute organ failure. We did everything we could, but her heart gave out.”
The words hit like a sledgehammer. Josey’s mum collapsed into a chair, sobbing uncontrollably. Fiona knelt beside her, tears streaming down her face.
“I should’ve been there,” Josey’s mum choked out. “I should’ve told her I loved her this morning. I should’ve—”
“She knew,” Fiona said softly. “She knew you loved her.”
---
Later, Fiona sat outside the hospital, staring at the sunrise. She replayed the night over and over in her mind, haunted by what-ifs. The festival still raged on miles away, but for Josey, the music had stopped.
Fiona vowed to find Josh and make sure no one else suffered the same fate. It wouldn’t bring Josey back, but maybe it would save someone else.
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