All American: Winter Break

Chapter Forty-Two: "It's Not a Goodbye...It's a See You Later," (Part Two)

The world around her fell to an ominous silence, the second the constant ringing in her ears had settled from the sound of a gun that was shot at close range. Making direct impact with her chest, the bullet entered her with such force, it knocked the air out of her lungs, feeling immediate pressure upon impact. As if she'd been punched in the gut a thousand times over. Her body ran heavy, already alerting her system of the foreign object settling inside of her and making its home. Her eyes widened and with immediate reaction she clenched her chest feeling her white shirt she'd been wearing soaked beneath her. 

Her hands trembled registering what had just happened. As her body began to fail her, she could feel the alley she'd been in fade in and out. Her vision became blurry, and her teeth chattered at the realization and the adrenaline she'd felt kicking into full gear. Her lungs ached from the breath she'd been holding in knowing very well it might be her last. The tears that streamed down her face causing her vision to only become more cloudy, as the agonizing pain numbed her. She didn't want to look down, because she'd known this feeling all too well. 

She'd heard that sound all too well. She knew the signs and she knew the symptoms of what she'd been feeling. And as much as she tried to fight it she was losing the battle quicker than she'd realized. Looking down, her greatest fear was now a reality as she saw her hand soaked covered in bright crimson red. Gently removing her trembling hand, she could see the blood spewing out of her like a fountain of death. Leading a trail of river down her shirt and onto the concrete as the pool of blood was waiting for her arrival. She called her friends name as her voice came out in desperation realizing in that very moment she was dying. 

Her knees collapsed from underneath her and within seconds Preach had already been by her side falling to the floor with her. She couldn't hear his cries calling for her to stay with him, as her body felt numb, weightless even the second they dropped to the floor. Coop called for her friends name once again but this time it came out like a whisper. As her voice and breathing became shallow, she faded in and out of consciousness. Trying to focus on her friends words, she looked up to the night sky as she could see that the stars had been the brightest she'd ever seen them. They sparkled and danced across the night sky in almost a welcoming way. 

"Stay with me Coop!" Preach called out in desperation. He gently slapped her cheeks to keep her awake. His voice cracked in pain putting pressure on the gaping hole Coop had in her chest. Preach screamed as his whole body trembled coming to the realization that his friend was dying. 

"Coop! Stay with me. You gotta fight Coop! You gotta stay alive for me, for Patience, for Spencer! You can't leave us. Not like this. Not yet Coop! Your life is just getting started. You can't die! Not today, not tonight, not right now. You gotta keep fighting. Please Coop don't do this to us, to me, to your family!" Preach cried out in pain seeing that his friend was drifting in and out of consciousness. "Preach-" Coop trailed. 

Her voice was raspier than usual. His eyes blurred from the tears that burned streaming down his cheeks. Widening at her words he quickly replied. "I'm here Coop. Help is on the way. Stay with me,". Coop could feel her body a little heavier that normal as if a weighted vest was sitting on her chest holding her down. Her body ran cold, numb even, as she couldn't feel her fingers or the foreign object that now was deep inside of her chest cavity. 

"The stars-" Coop trailed as a small smile spread on her lips. Preach blinked letting the tears fall so that he could look up to see the stars. A smile spread on his own lips seeing how vibrant they were. "I see them-" Preach fell to a whisper stopping the agonizing cry that wanted to so desperately escape him. His lips trembled holding Coop more tightly against him. 

"There just...so beautiful...I've never seen them this vibrant before. Maybe I just...never stopped to pay attention to them-"Coop trailed. Preach agreed shutting his eyes tightly sucking in a breath before replying. "No Coop...they're shining brighter tonight just for you-" Preach trailed. Coop could feel her body grow cold, and with each second that felt like a lifetime, she could feel her eyes getting heavier. Making it harder to keep them open.