Shoreline

31

Bloodied. Arthur crouched over me panting, two hands wrapped around my throat but the blood seeped through his fingers as if it were lace, "it's going to be okay Ava, I promise. The ambulance is on their way," he said. Like a wilting flower I was fading fast in front of Arthur and he knew it. He had managed to kill George but not without him nicking my neck. What seemed like an eternity the ambulance crew were here, they did what they could but only the hospital could help me now.

I passed out. The last thing I heard were the sirens and the sobbing of Arthur. Next time my eyes opened my head groggy and spinning, high pitched beeping split my thoughts apart. I tried to move but my limbs felt heavy and numb. "Ava, Ava," Arthur called over and over my head flicked over to him, my eyes met his gaze immediately. I looked at the tubes lining my arms, the one that stood out was the red one. "Don't move, you're still far too weak."

"A....Arthur?" I squeaked.

"Easy, we have plenty of time to talk just get better," he said.

"W...What is that beeping?" I asked, Arthur chuckled.

"It's a machine that confirms you are alive," he replied.

"Whose blood is that?" I asked.

"I don't know, stop talking and rest," he gently stroked my hair and kissed my head. I laid my head onto the pillow reluctantly and stared up at the ceiling.

"Where's the glass?" I panicked.

"Safe," he replied. It wasn't long till a nurse came over and checked on my progress.

"Has she spoken her?" She asked. Arthur nodded and gently kissed the knuckles of my hand. "I'll get her something to eat." When my food finally arrived Arthur helped me sit up and because I was still too weak he had to feed me himself.

"This is embarrassing," I said feeling my cheeks warm up.

"Not at all," he chuckled.

"What about Alexander?" I asked.

"He's in surgery, but he should be fine," he said.

"I hope you're right we need to figure out what we're going to do about the broken glass," I reminded him.

"We do, but first we need to focus on getting you better," he replied and placed the empty plate onto the table next to us. "Are you feeling any better? You still look a little pale." He wrapped me in his strong arms resting me on his chest.

"I am, but it's just the scar I am worried about," I replied.

"It's a scar to be proud of," he said.

"No, a scar with horrible memories," I said.

"Let's not focus on the negatives," he said and hopped off the bed as the doctor walked over to remove all the tubes.

"When can I go home?" I asked, I always hated hospitals.

"Easy, Ava. You were on deaths door a few hours ago," Arthur said.

"He's right, you need to stay a bit longer we need to make sure your blood is not going to reject the donors blood, we also need to make sure that whatever he used didn't leave an infection either," the doctor explained and walked away. I huffed, crossed my arms over my chest and sunk into the bed.

"Sulking baby," Arthur chuckled and squeezed my knee.