Trustworthy help

9. Story

I arrive at the appartement complex and run to his door. I knock multiple times. When it takes really long to answer I bang against the door. 'Please open up, it's me.' I say. The door unlocks and he opens it. I let out a breath and pull him in for a hug. Like before I left, he hugs me back with one arm.

I hold his arm 'does it hurt?' I ask. 'No.' I look up to see that his eyes are red. 'Oh hun.' I hold his face between my hands and he closes his eyes. 'It started yesterday, right?' I ask. 'Yes.' He whispers. 'Why didn't you tell me?' I ask. 'I didn't want to ruin your time at your sisters place.' He says. 'Are you nuts?! That could have waited.' I say. 'Okay, I'm sorry.... Please don't be mad.' He says as he looks away. I move his face so he's looking at me and kiss him. 'I'm not mad, just worried.' I say. 'Sorry.' I hug him again and let out a breath. 'Now please explain what's going on.' I say as I pull him with me to the couch.

He tells me about how there's something wrong with his vision. That the doctors said it may be a brain tumor. And he tells me how he can't afford anything because something went wrong with his health insurance, and paying for it is way to expensive. He tells me how he's scared. That if anything were to happen, that he'd be alone. He talks about muscle pain, how the doctor won't actually make the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. How he has nothing and no one as his situation worsens.

After he finishes his story, he looks up at me as if he's guilty of something.

I'm in tears as I look at the kind man in front of me. 'I'm so sorry.' I say as a tear leaves my eyes. The fact that he chuckled here and there while telling me is even worse. 'I promise I'll be here for you. You're not alone anymore.' I say. He takes my hand in his and sits closer 'I guessed that.' He says. 'I'll help you out. I'm a nurse after all.' I say. 'Military nurse is different.' He says. 'How is it? I went to college for it like everyone else. I learned everything just like everyone else.' I say. 'Right.' He says. I sit back 'have you called a doctor?' I ask. 'It's Sunday.' He says back. 'Right, forgot.' I say.

There's a small silence as we both sit back and take a moment to breath.

'What about you?' He asks out of nowhere. 'What messed up shit do you have going on?' I look at him. 'Nothing as bad as you.' I say. 'So there are things?' He asks. 'Well kind of.' I say with a chuckle. 'What's most recent?' He asks as I lean a little more into him. 'I got shot.' I say. 'What?!' I hold his arm 'got shot on a mission while being deployed.' I tell him. 'How? What happened?' I flinch, not really wanting to relive what happened.

'We had to go to a possibly hostile location. We went as civilians. We entered the building to scout. We did have our supplies and weapons up in some room but we didn't carry any of it with us to blend in as well as we could. We were there for quite a while before anything happened. People started to panic around me, and I didn't know what was wrong. I didn't have communication with my group. Eventually I found some others and they told me there was a terrorist attack. Soon after bombs went off somewhere, shaking the building. Seeing that the situation was now hostile, we started to make out way up to the stairs that made a way to our supply room. It's was packed with panicked people and the small stairs were full with people of my group. I was second at the top of the stairs, having lost my buddy on my way. After a bit we were allowed to go in in pairs. So me and the guy in front of me first. We stepped into the hallway to find someone shining a flashlight straight at us. Because of the light I couldn't see whether or not they were ours, but when my eyes adjusted to the light I saw the silhouette of our uniform and equipment. He signaled for us to walk to him. There were people with camera footage that were looking at many terrorists. When we passed the guy into the next room, a lazer pointed at the man in front of me.'

Corpse looks at me, clutching my hand in his 'sniper.' He says.

I nod 'a sniper was pointed at us, so people started yelling. Through the yelling the guy in front of me got shot, making me go for cover at the next flight of stairs. I started to go up, but someone yelled for me through all the noise. It made me pay less attention to what was going on behind me....' I swallow hard as corpse squeezes my hand. 'When I turned around there was one of the men I saw on the little screen. He grabbed me by my shoulder, put the pistol against me and pulled the trigger.... I.... I don't really know what happened then besides many people yelling and feeling the warm blood run down my back.' I say. Corpse moves his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer. 'That must have been scary as fucking hell.' He says. 'At that moment the situation was a little scary. But being shot wasn't really. Like I said I didn't notice much after, so no pain or anything.' I say. 'Well that's good at least.' He says. 'Yeah.' I breath out.

'Anything else terrifying?' He asks. 'Not like that. Just seeing people blow up and being shot as medic.' I say. 'Fucking hell.' I pull my legs up to my chest. 'Last time was as shooter and when I was shot. From now on I'm going as nurse, so I won't have to leave the base.' I say. 'That's better.' He says. 'Mhm.' I say as I lean my head on his shoulder. I close my eyes for a bit 'tired?' He asks. 'Little bit.' Him not sleeping while being tired comes to mind. 'How come you only sleep like, three hours at night?' I ask him.

'Chronic insomnia.'

I so badly want to help him, but I can't, can I?
How can I protect him from his own body?