O U T | The Group Chat

CHAPTER 13

Uneven steps echoed in the staircase. Sun was low, its rays turning from yellow to orange and minutes away from filling the town's streets with their upcoming bloody glow. They slipped into the staircase, unmasking all the dust filling its air, and barely bouncing off the dirty walls. It would be peaceful, calm, if it wasn't for the heavy breathing, quiet hisses and bangs on the railings.

A crash of the front door swinging open and probably hitting the hallway wall, leaving a dent where the handle collided with it. The sound cut through the still air of the empty apartment on the second floor like a poisoned knife. Shuffling steps followed, rustling of clothes and growing sounds of discomfort. The living room stood still, growing darker each minute along the whole apartment located on the east side of the building with only the glow sent by the sun rays bouncing off the apartment complex opposite of it illuminated the windows softly. It stood still, ready to welcome whoever had just returned.

"FUCK" Yumi wailed, backing up against the wall, his spine digging into the harsh surface. He held his trembling hands in front of himself. He didn't know what to do with them. He couldn't hold one of them, couldn't press them tightly to his sides because of how much they hurt. His knuckles burned, skin itchy and painfully swollen along the most likely broken bones "Shit!" he spat out again, this time fear and strain much more evident in his voice.

In front of him, against the opposite wall Nick had slid down, knees bent and leaned to the side as he stared blankly at the floor with half lidded eyes. His whole body shook with coming and going spasms of pain and exhaustion.

Grunk had come deeper inside the hall but also sat down, legs stretched out in front of him and his arms close to his sides while his head was leaned back with his eyes closed though his whole face was fixed in a frown of discomfort.

Larry had stormed straight to the kitchen, Tanner following suit with robotic steps. The shorter almost tore the cabinet door off their hinges as he opened them and threw his medical kit into the counter. His hands shook violently as he skipped through the enormous amount of meds and stuff in there, grabbing everything his eyes spotted and brain deemed useful, dumping it onto the counter next to the red box. He turned around and locked eyes with Tanner who was staring intently into his head this entire time. Larry swallowed thickly. But grabbed all the medical stuff he'd taken out and rushed back to the hallway.

"Yumi?" he asked worriedly, looking at the older who was hissing angrily at his hands.

"Nick first" he spat out nodding at the man on the floor.

Larry dropped to the floor beside him and gave him a once over "What hurts the most?"

"Everything" Nick rasped out and chuckled bitterly "Stomach"

Larry ushered the man to lie down so that he could take a proper look at his abdomen. Nick hissed and cursed under his breath as he did so but once he was relaxed against the cold wooden planks his body almost sank into them.

"Stay with me here Nick" Larry ordered and the taller chuckled again.

"No promises"

He grabbed a pair of scissors and carefully cut the bloody piece of torn fabric that used to be Nick's shirt. The older stiffened, eyes barely opened while he clenched his teeth desperately to not swat Larry's careful arms away. Each time he moved the fabric it would tug on some crusty scab that managed to patch up a wound, effectively ruining hours of progress Nick's body made. As much as he hated causing his friend pain, part of him knew that thanks to it he was more likely to stay awake. Once he had a full view of Nick's torso he tried to conceal his worry to a simple frown. He quickly turned to scan the things he brought with him, experienced hands quickly fishing out everything he needed to start properly stitching up the cut on Nick's stomach which now was partly covered in crust by the edges but all around was just a lake of clumped blood, crumbling in some places then leaking out right next to them. Larry was used to the view. Didn't mean he enjoyed it. And most definitely didn't mean he could contain the slight tremble of his hands when it was his friend he needed to help.