The Hospital (Sam and colby)

The waiting room

Colby sat rigidly in the harsh plastic chair, his knees bobbing up and down with nervous energy. The sterile beige walls of the emergency room seemed to close in around him with each painful tick of the clock. Sam, his best friend since childhood, had been unresponsive for hours now.The smell of antiseptic hung in the air, a stark contrast to the thrill of the hunt they'd embarked on that night. Colby's thoughts raced as he replayed the events in his mind. The sudden cold spot, the unexplained noises, and Sam's sudden collapse after being grabbed. He'd called 911 and drove his friend to the hospital, his voice shaking, and watched as his friend was whisked away on a stretcher. Now, all he could do was wait. The muffled cries and distant beeps of machines echoed through the corridor, each sound a cruel reminder of the uncertainty that lay before them.Each minute felt like an eternity as Colby clutched at his phone, willing it to buzz with good news. His heart hammered in his chest, and his stomach twisted into knots. The weight of the silence grew heavier with every second that ticked by. He  knew he should have insisted they leave when the place had started to feel so eerie. But he had been the one to suggest the adventure, eager to catch some paranormal evidence for their youtube fans.The emergency room was a cacophony of pain and fear, but it was the quiet moments that were the most unbearable. Whenever a doctor or nurse passed by, Colby's eyes would follow them desperately, hoping for any hint of information, any indication that Sam was okay. But their faces remained stoic, eyes focused on the charts in their hands. The chill in the room seemed to sink into his bones, and he wished he could shake off the dread that clung to him like a second skin.Finally, the sound of squeaking sneakers grew louder, and a doctor emerged from the double doors leading to the examination rooms. His eyes scanned the room, searching for someone to deliver the news to. When they landed on Colby, the young man's breath caught in his throat. The doctor's expression was unreadable, but the way he carried himself suggested urgency."Are you the family of Sam Golbach?" the doctor called out, his voice cutting through the din. Colby's heart dropped. Why would they ask for family? He shot to his feet, his knees wobbly. "I'm his best friend," he croaked, his voice barely audible over the pulse thundering in his ears. "Is he okay?"The doctor's gaze softened, and he beckoned Colby over. "You'd better come with me," he said gravely. The world seemed to tilt as Colby followed him, his mind racing with fearful scenarios. What had they found? What could be so serious that they needed to speak to family? He could feel the eyes of the other patients on him, their curiosity and concern a palpable presence as he stumbled down the hallway.The doctor pushed open the door to a small, private room, and Colby stepped inside, his eyes immediately drawn to the single chair that sat facing a wall. The chair was empty, but the sense of finality it held made him want to run. He knew that chair was for him, to hear the words that could shatter his world. The doctor closed the door, enveloping them in a silence so profound it seemed to swallow all the noise from the hallway.Colby's breaths grew shallow as he perched on the edge of the chair, his palms sticky with sweat against the cold plastic. The doctor leaned against the desk, folding his arms across his chest. He took a deep breath before speaking, his eyes never leaving Colby's. "Sam is in critical condition," he began, his voice steady despite the gravity of his words. "We're doing everything we can, but we need to run some more tests."Colby felt his stomach drop to the floor. "What happened to him?" he demanded, his voice cracking. The doctor's eyes searched his, looking for the strength to handle the truth. "We're not sure," he admitted. "His vital signs are all over the place. We need to perform a few more tests to understand what's going on."Colby's mind was a whirlwind of questions and fears. What had they encountered in that abandoned house? Was it really a ghost, or something else? Something that could do this to Sam? He felt a tremor of doubt, wondering if he'd led his friend into something far more dangerous than they'd ever anticipated. The doctor's words echoed in his head, a stark reminder of the precariousness of their situation.The clock above the doctor's head taunted him, the second hand moving in slow, deliberate arcs that seemed to mock the racing of his heart. Each tick was a silent scream of agony, a reminder that time was slipping away and Sam was still out there, fighting for his life. Colby's knuckles turned white as he gripped the chair, willing himself to stay calm. But the longer the doctor took, the more his thoughts spiraled into darker possibilities.The doctor left Colby in this private room as he went to check on Sams condition for any new updates he was gone about 2 hours but it felt like an eternity to Colby he just sat there heart pounding in his chest, he was biting his lips and picking his skin on his fingers raging with anxietyThe sound of the doctor's footsteps grew louder, and the door swung open. The doctor looked at Colby with a mix of concern and exhaustion etched into his features. Colby's heart stopped. "Mr. Golbach," the doctor began, and Colby felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Why was he asking for family? Panic bubbled up in his throat like bile, choking him."What's going on?" Colby managed to ask, his voice barely above a whisper. The doctor's eyes searched his, looking for the strength to deliver the words that would either save him or break him. "We need to talk," the doctor said, his voice low and urgent. "Please, come with me."Colby's legs felt like jelly as he followed the doctor back down the hallway, his mind racing. Was Sam going to be okay? What if he wasn't? The thought was too much to bear, and he had to fight back the tears that threatened to spill over. He'd always believed that their bond was unbreakable, that they'd face anything together. But now, with Sam lying in a hospital bed, he felt utterly alone.

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