Affinity (RDJ)

Chapter 52 - Hold Pressure

Author's note:

I'm sorry.

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It's crazy how the brain works. How it reacts to things. How its responses are ingrained so deep within itself that your conscious mind has no idea what will happen next. Which reaction it will choose.

Fight?

Flight?

Freeze?

You'd think your brain would make consistent choices in these times of trauma. You lived the accident exactly as it happened. It wasn't a blur like people describe in books. Your memories of the events aren't scrambled together like some movie you hardly remember. You recall it exactly as it was, minute by minute, because you lived it in real time. You couldn't fight since the car had already won. You couldn't flee either since you were trapped in its mangled wreck. Does screaming upon realising that your world has fallen apart constitute freezing? Maybe.

Today, though... today is different. It's like time has stopped. The harsh whip of the gunshot rings through your ears until it becomes too high a frequency to even register. Nothing in you even attempts to flee. Or fight, even. You just sit locked in your chair as if nothing even happened. As if Robert is just going to stand back up and continue teaching any second.

Self-preservation? Maybe.

But then there's everybody else.

Why are they screaming? You're almost confused that they're reacting so excessively. They're running but it's as if they're on an escalator going in the opposite direction to their feet because they're just not getting anywhere. Some just duck behind the seat in front of them and pray desperately, hoping for their god to actually show up and magically pluck them from their nightmare.

You find your head turning slowly to follow that strange man as he calmly walks out of the room, leaving disaster in his wake so nonchalantly as if it's something he does every day. He doesn't even look back. Doesn't even attempt to hide the gun as he disappears on the other side of the opening. It's then that the shiny plaque on the door registers with something in your rational brain.

Room 201. R. Downey.

Robert.

'Remy! Remy, get up!'

Lexi is yanking you up by the arm. Her voice is muffled as if you're underwater and she's yelling through a solid wall of stone. She's never looked this pale and shellshocked and you're finally realising why when your eyes fall upon George hunched over Robert's lifeless form.

It takes a second to register that the pool of blood surrounding them is coming from him.

'Remy! Come on!'

Suddenly, the room comes back into focus and time resumes its regular speed. Lexi almost snaps your shoulder out of socket pulling you up and you finally comply, wide eyes never leaving Robert as she drags you towards him. Panic begins to rise and you drop to your knees beside his head, instantly slapping a shaking hand to your mouth when you realise the extent of his injuries. 'Oh my god oh my god what do we do? Tell me what to do, George!' Lexi screams, hands trembling as she kneels over him.

'Hey, hey it's me. Robert, can you hear me? Oh god-' Your voice trembles as you take his hand in yours.

'I need more... more fabric! Anything! I gotta pack him!' George's voice breaks through your muddled words and you snap your stunned stare at him and his crimson covered hands which are applying pressure to Robert's chest. You watch as a vaguely familiar guy frantically rips a shirt into strips which Lexi snatches and hands to George. Just as he reaches Robert's chest with them, you almost scream at him as you grab his wrist firmly, stopping him from going any further. 'Rem, stop! I need to-'