Ineffable ꕥ Joost Klein ꕥ

31.

Elke let out grunts as she helped carry Joost through the carpark. His large, unconscious frame slumped around their shoulders and Elke had to push through the buckle of her legs.

The stranger who she learnt was Donnie was silent. They waited for the lift with the man noticably favouring his left leg. From the quick glance Elke had been able to make, she saw the rip in his pants and the blood that soaked them. It matched the blood that covered Joost's white football jersey. But instead of just one rip, Joost had two; one on the left side of his chest and one over his left collection of ribs.

Elke's eyes were watery as the lift took them to the fourth floor. Her gaze was drawn to Joost's torso and her grip around his wrist tightened. Before the lift dinged, she held her breath as Joost's head lifted from its slump in a moment on consciousness.

'Joost?' she said in barely a whisper. From beside him, Elke watched his eyelashes flutter open as he peered to the lift's opening doors. But as Donnie took the lead out into the hall, Joost's head slumped forward and Elke's heart plummeted again.

'Can you get his keys?' Donnie asked as they stopped in front of the green door. Elke let him take Joost's weight as she slipped her hand into his jean pocket.

Stepping into Joost's apartment, Elke retook his arm around her shoulders. She clenched her teeth to stop more tears from dropping down her cheeks. She hated not knowing what had happened and couldn't help but feel responsible.

When Joost dropped her at work that morning, Elke didn't want to believe that he would return in this way. She had convinced herself that the backpack of money was not from the world it was, but while lowering Joost onto his bed, Elke acknowledged that she had been miserably naive.

Donnie left the bedroom in a limp and Elke heard him rummaging through the kitchen. Lowering onto the edge of Joost's bed, she watched Joost's chest rise and fall.

His blonde hair was damp from sweat and his complexion was sickly. His arms that were limp beside him were stained, just like his shirt. Elke could see bandages through the rips in the fabric. They were tight and wrapped professionally, making Elke question if he had been at the hospital.

Elke made the move to take his glasses off his nose and put them folded on the bedside table. As she sat back in her space, Elke jumped to see Joost staring back at her.

'Joost,' she gasped and shuffled further up the bed. Her hand fell onto his, her thumb immediately stroking and disturpting the crusted blood on his skin.

With her eyebrows pinched together in concern, Elke couldn't control the tears that welled in her eyes again. If it wasn't for the usual blue irises barely piercing through his heavy lids, she would have thought that Joost was still unconscious. He looked tired, lips parted to breath easier and his forehead glistened with sweat.

When she felt Joost's hand sliding out from under her own, she leapt forward to help him sit up. He groaned and winced at the pull of his two wounds. Elke hated to see his face contort as she propped up his pillow to sit behind his back. When he was leaning against it, Joost adjusted and sighed shakily.

'Elke... what-uh... what are you doing here?' he managed between breaths.

'I watched your car from the street,' Elke answered. 'I helped Donnie get you up here. Joost, you've... you've got blood all over you...'

'I'm sorry... I'm sorry, liefje.'

Joost's thumb ran over her cheek and spread the wetness that fell from her eyes. His contorted features turned downwards at seeing her cry over him. He couldn't do much with his wounds and his urges to give in to the pull of sleep. But the last thing he wanted was for Elke to see him like this and shed tears when the target was still on her back.