Troubled Souls // 5SOS

XVII ∞ Blood

• Luke •

I feel the force of a strong push against my back and I fall to the ground next to the curb, scraping my palms on the asphalt.

Nothing could have prepared me for the scene that was waiting when I turned around.

There's blood everywhere. I don't even know where it's coming from, but it's dark red and running onto the street below Ben's body. I run to his side and prop his head up onto my lap. This only causes the blood to stain my jeans and the hem of my shirt.

"Ben! Ben, oh my god, what do I ... oh my god ... "

He can't seem to hold his neck up as he lays against my knees. There's more blood running down his face from his nose and his mouth. He looks up at me, his eyes glistening from the pain. "Luke ... "

He tries to reach up and touch my face, but he winces and drops his arm.

The car has stopped abruptly and I hear the door slam. The driver, a young woman, gasps in horror at the scene in front of her.

"Oh my god," she gasps, swearing under her breath. "Oh my god, oh my ... I'm calling an ambulance!"

She runs back to her car and leaves me without a clue or a hope. I don't know what to do.

Ben's eyes keep fluttering open and closed. The red liquid continues to drip down his face, making me feel sick with fear.

"Ben, you have to hold on," I beg, trying as hard as I can to deny what should be obvious. "They're going to bring the ambulance and take you to the hospital. They're going to fix this, it's ... it's gonna be okay, I promise. It's gonna be okay."

"Luke," he says again, causing me to look him in the eyes. "I-I'm not gonna make it."

Hearing him say those words makes my heart drop into my stomach.

He's wrong.

He has to be wrong.

"No ... no! Don't say that. I-It's going to be okay, you're going to be fine. You're going to make it, Ben, they're going to help you. They're going to fix you."

He laughs softly, grinning up at me. Why is he laughing?

"I love you, kid," he says, his voice weak. "Tell mum and dad and Jack that I love them, too. And Annabelle. Make sure she knows."

"Don't talk like that!" I exclaim in return. My eyes are filling with tears that are starting to spill down my cheeks. "Please, Ben. It's gonna be okay."

"It is gonna be okay, Luke. You're going to be okay. I promise."

"Not without you. Ben, please."

He reaches out slowly and takes my hand. "It's going to be okay."

He turns his gaze away from me, staring up towards the sky. I don't know if he sees the stars or not before his eyes lose their light. His hand goes limp in mine.

He's gone.

"Ben, no. No, please, Ben! No no no, please ... "

I realize that I've been staring intensely at the wall the whole time I've been telling the story. I'm shocked when I feel tears silently streaming down my face. The minute I started talking, I was back in that moment, reliving everything all over again. I can't help but wipe my hands on the thighs of my jeans, trying desperately to get rid of my brother's blood that's stained them.