“I’m so sorry,” she said. “I don’t know what happened.”
“She is outside and safe,” I said, grabbing her shoulders
to steady her. She winced at my touch, but met my gaze. “I was just with her.”
“Thank you,” she said softly. “They won’t let me see him.”
“Go with them to get looked at, I’ll check on him,” I
said, glad she picked up on avoiding our names. We would have to give them
some. “It will be ok, Joann.”
She nodded slowly and I helped her into to grasp of the
firefighter. He gave me grateful look and started leading her down the hallway.
I didn’t know what names to use. That was the only one I could think of. With
Bethany out there somewhere, and Mark looking for us, it just felt like a bad
idea to be in a hospital under our real names.
“I need to see my boyfriend,” I said to one of the other
firefighters.
“You need to be back downstairs,” he said to me softly.
“We have people with him. There is nothing you can do up here.”
“I am not leaving until I see him.”
“I can’t let you in there,” he said again, just as firmly.
I stared at him for a minute before turning. He thought I
was going to leave. Instead, I darted into the door Mel had exited from. The
door connecting our rooms was pushed to, but not actually closed. I flung it
open before anyone could stop me.
I froze. I knew it was Onyx. There was no one else it
could be. He was burned severely. Two EMTs and a firefighter were at his side.
They were talking rapidly about vital signs and other numbers I could not
process. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and wrenched myself away from it.
I flung myself on the floor next to him and took his hand. The barrage of pain that filled him almost made me drop his hand. I held it tighter. As tears spilled from my eyes, I willed some of the pain to leave him.
(All excerpts are taken from a lightly edited first draft. The content may change or be removed entirely from the finished novel.)
No comments:
Post a Comment