The Hospital (Sam and colby)

The edge of goodbye

"You okay, Colby?" Dr. Taylor's voice was gentle but firm as he stepped aside, giving Colby a brief look before returning to the bustling hospital corridor."Yeah," Colby lied, swiping at his eyes. "What's going on with Sam?"The doctor took a deep breath and paused. "Come with me," he said, leading Colby to a room with a drawn curtain. "Prepare yourself. What you're about to see is..." He trailed off, searching for the right words.Inside, the room was cold and sterile, smelling faintly of antiseptic. Sam lay unmoving on the hospital bed, surrounded by a jungle of beeping machines and tubes. A ventilator hissed in rhythm with his chest, keeping him alive. Colby felt a punch to his gut. This wasn't the Sam he knew, the one who'd laugh until he choked on his soda or who could win any video game thrown at him. This was a frail, broken version, lost in a coma that doctors couldn't explain."We're doing everything we can," Dr. Taylor spoke softly, his eyes on the monitors. "But we don't know what's causing this. It's like his body is fighting a war we can't even see."Colby's vision blurred as he stared at his best friend. Sam's skin was pale, almost translucent, under the unforgiving fluorescent lights. The only color came from the bruises that painted his face like an abstract map of pain. "Will he wake up?"The doctor's silence was deafening. "We're not sure," he finally said, his voice cracking. "He needs rest. We're keeping him stable, but it's a waiting game now."Colby felt his knees buckle, the weight of the world settling on his shoulders. How could he go on without Sam? The thought of his friend not being there to share jokes, to challenge him to games, to just be by his side, was unbearable. He took a step closer to the bed, reaching out to grab Sam's hand. It was cold, but alive. "You can't leave me, man," he whispered, his voice thick with unshed tears. "We've got too much left to do."The room grew quiet, the only sound the relentless beep of the heart monitor. Colby felt a tear slip down his cheek and land on Sam's hand. It was a silent promise to be there, to never give up hope, no matter how grim things looked. He didn't know what the future held, but he knew one thing for sure: he wasn't letting goDr. Taylor offered a sympathetic nod before exiting the room, leaving Colby alone with his thoughts and fears. He pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down, his eyes never leaving Sam's face. He talked to him about their favorite movies, the latest games they hadn't played yet, and the plans they had for the summer. It was as if speaking the words aloud could somehow make them real, could pull Sam back from the brink.The hours ticked by, each second feeling like an eternity. Nurses came and went, checking machines and administering medication, but they offered no new information. Colby felt the sadness coil tighter around his heart with every passing moment. How could life be so cruel? To take away the one person who'd always been there, without warning or explanation?In the quiet solitude of the room, Colby found himself whispering to Sam, sharing every memory they'd ever made. He talked about the first time they met in band, the epic snowball fights, the nights spent building forts in Sam's backyard, and the countless laughs over the most ridiculous of jokes. He hoped that somewhere in the abyss of unconsciousness, Sam could hear him, could feel the warmth of their friendship that had lasted over a decade.

As Colby spoke, his voice grew stronger, his grip on Sam's hand more firm. He knew that if he could just reach him, somehow, he could pull Sam back. The air grew thick with unshed tears and the weight of a thousand unspoken words. The beeps of the machines seemed to echo the rhythm of their hearts, beating in sync with their unshakeable bond.Exhaustion eventually took over, and Colby's eyes grew heavy. He leaned back in the chair, his hand still clutching Sam's. The dim light from the window cast long shadows across the room, making it feel like a place out of time. With a final squeeze, Colby closed his eyes, letting the gentle whispers of the hospital lull him into a fitful sleep.

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