RED PARALLEL

Chapter 66: So Much I Hate It

Traviz shut his eyes and shot the fatal needle in Phants's exploding neck, and pressed all its content. So much liquid, so much life or so much death. It was now, it was not. Is he living, is he not. He didn't notice, but G.Klo' was holding Traviz's shoulder, whispering words like a prayer:

"You did good. You did great. You did the right thing... You did the best, you did great. Son, son, it's alright... It's alright-"

"Phaaaants..." Traviz burst out crying, head hitting the now unconscious friend's chest. "Don't die, don't die, don't die-"

"He's gonna live, it's fine, he's breathing better, look-"

He was not listening to his kind dad, he was not listening to his own words, he just wanted to hear someone's voice, one voice only, one and only, one-

"I love you, I love you, I love you..." Traviz wept, sobbing over his friend.

"He loves you, too, son-"

"... I love you, I love you..."

G.Klo' held both his son and the pale friend. A large piece of wood fell over the car, and G.Klo' pulled the kids and his massive body out of the crash. Traviz didn't even feel the move. He just wanted to feel one thing only, one beat. That chest only. Nothing else. So why don't the world just shut up and let him listen, let him feel. In peace.

But he felt nothing on the chest he laid on. He heard a breath, yes. He heard a beat, yes. Yet it didn't feel right and good as it should be, it didn't feel like something was not wrong. Something was wrong. Why?

Long minutes. Long minutes... The beating so dead, the body so cold, his hand wrapped on his hand, refusing to step back, to leave him, to give up, to lose his senses and die far from him, leaving a half-alive one.

"Phants..." Traviz mumbled, watching the low move of such a weak chest. He pressed his hand tighter, wishing it could wake him up, make him open those green eyes, and make him say it was all right.

He heard a rough voice from beneath him. "Get off my chest, idiot..."

The sound of Phants's pissed voice hit Traviz's mourning senses. Phants had spoken. Phants was alive.

"PHANTS!" Traviz pressed a tight hug around the skinny survivor, goddamn fucking relieved. "OOOOH!"

"Let him breathe, son." G.Klo' smiled, content.

"Oooh, Phants..." Traviz scushed his head on his friend. "Maan, you scared the hell out of me- Oh, okay, you wanna get up."

Some noises were heard from afar, and G.Klo' walked toward the huge gap exit.

"Son, take care of him," he said. "I'm going to calm the neighbors down."

"Alright, alright... Dude, commere."

Traviz held Phants and helped him stand up. The crazy syringe worked; Phants stood up with a little struggle, but he was awake, eyes staring at Traviz, ready to say something. But Traviz, flooded with excitement, didn't wait for it.

"Dude, dude, what happened to ya? I thought you were dying!"

"Ah, dying..." the green-eyed survivor mumbled. "That's cute..."

Phants had recovered his ironic self, too, and that was great. Goddamn syringe! Traviz beamed and hugged him again. Phants smelled something acid and strange, but not that he cared. He didn't know if Phants was actually glad about the embrace or if he was willing to release himself but with not enough strength to do so. Not that he cared, either.

"Phants, I missed ya!" Traviz exclaimed, squeezing the skinny arms. "You said nothing yesterday, that was so weird... Did you miss me, too? Yes, right?"