Loving him was red

14: Sad beautiful tragic

The sterile scent of the hospital corridor overwhelmed Caleb as he rushed through the sliding doors, the harsh lighting casting a dark shadow over the surroundings. His footsteps echoed in the empty corridor.

The rhythmic beeping of the monitors in the hallway seemed to synchronize with the pounding of his heart. He swallowed hard, the taste of fear lingering on his tongue.

The reception area was a blur as Caleb approached the desk. The nurse behind the counter looked up, her expression a mix of empathy and sympathy. Caleb hesitated before uttering the words.

- I need to know about a patient.

The nurse guided him to a waiting area and pointed to the room number 2611. The door to the room opened with a quiet creak, revealing the heart-wrenching scene inside. She was laying motionless on the hospital bed, surrounded by medical equipment. Tubes and wires connected her to machines that monitored and helped her breath.

Caleb sat by her side trying to maintain his composure. As the minutes passed like hours, he clutched her hand, desperate to offer any comfort he could. He spoke to her, sharing memories and telling her about all sorts of things that would normally make her laugh. But the room remained silent, except for the ominous sounds of medical equipment beeping.

Suddenly, the monitors emitted a shrill alarm, piercing through the air like a knife. Panic seized Caleb as the medical team rushed into action, administering medications and performing chest compressions. Caleb stood frozen, his eyes fixed on his sister's lifeless form as they moved him out of the way.

"Clear!" shouted one of the doctors, as the room momentarily filled with the sharp smell of ozone. The defibrillator paddles pressed against Amelia's chest in a desperate attempt to resuscitate her.

- Come on, you can't leave me - Caleb whispered angrily, his voice choked with emotion,

The room buzzed with frenetic energy, but the only response was the monotonous beep of the heart monitor flatlining.

Caleb shook his head as the flashbacks flooded his mind and senses taking him back to that fatidical night. Each scene from the past unfolded with vivid clarity, as if the moments were playing out in real-time.

He tried to breathe deeply in the backseat of his friend's car. Nick was reassuring both April and Caleb, telling them that Daisy would be okay, while racing to the hospital.

The ride to the hospital felt like an eternity for Caleb, anxiety and worry gnawing at him with each passing second.

As they arrived at the hospital, Caleb's heart raced. The reception area was a whirlwind of activity, nurses at their stations, families waiting anxiously, and the scent of disinfectant flooding the air. They approached the information desk where a nurse told them that Daisy Wilson was still in surgery and that the doctors would update them when there was news. When they heard his words, it all suddenly felt really real, as they sat in the waiting room.

- So, Daisy and Caleb are... together? - April whispered, trying to take her mind off her friend's surgery. - They are like... polar opposites...

- I think you have to talk with Daisy about that - Nick whispered back with his arm around her shoulders.

April looked down worried and wondered if she'd even get to talk with her after today. Nick noticed her concern and let her head rest against his chest.

- She will be okay, April... she will.

Hours passed by as they waited, the ticking clock in the waiting room echoed in their ears while they waited in silence. Finally the surgeon emerged.