THE LAST PROMISE

CHAPTER 6 | Already Done Too Much

“Sir, please answer me, where did they shoot you?”
“Che….chest. my chest.”  He answered although  was struggling.
“Where's the damn ambulance, give me towels damnit!”
“The ambulance is coming!” Someone shouts.

They give me the towels I put them on his chest and press hard. His hand goes weak then I see his eyes showing the white eyeballs.
“No, no! Wake up damnit! Don't sleep, please don't sleep!”
“Maya, are you okay?” Deli shouts.
I hear footsteps of people running in, shouting then I'm being forcefully moved off him but I fight them because this man got shot because of me, he saved my life and I need to save his.

I hold on tight to this man refusing to let go and begging him to wake up when I feel two strong arms pulling me off him like I weigh nothing. I try to talk but my body suddenly feels heavy and my mind is tired. I weep and ask them to save his life because I will never forgive myself if something bad happens to him then I pass out.

I try to shift and lie on my side but my right hand feels heavy. I try again but I'm still feeling the same thing. I open my eyes and that sharp smell hits me, I look around and I'm in the hospital and there's someone sleeping on the chair and the other next to me.

“Deli, Mbali” I try to sit up. “Guys, wake up”
Their heads shoot up. I can see they have changed clothes.
“How did I end up here?” They both throw their arms at me and then I remember what happened at the fast food restaurant.
“We thought you were dead. Oh my God Maya.” Deli cries.
“I'm fine. I'm not hurt.”
“We were so scared, there was blood on you and…” Mbali shakes her head.

“Please tell me he's alive? Is he okay?”
They look at me.
“He's okay. He's somewhere in this hospital.” I released a huge sigh of relief.
“Let's go home. I'm okay now.”
“You're not okay Maya, what happened was very traumatic…”
“Story of my life. I'll be fine. Please let's go”

The doctor walks in and assures my friends that I can go home. There's nothing wrong with me other than being in shock because of what happened but I can see that he wants to talk about something else he saw and I totally shut him down before he even begins.

I sign the discharge forms, my friends help me change into my clothes, take my bag then we walk out of the ward. It's now that I notice that this isn't a government hospital but a private one. God I can just imagine the bill. They shouldn't have brought me here because the bill is going to take all my money.

I just want to go home, take a bath then sleep. Maybe I'll forget about the nightmare that happened earlier.
“Maya?” Deli softly calls my name.
“Hmm.”
“Don't you want to see him?”
I take a deep breath. “I want to but I'm scared. Did they let his family know what happened?”
“Yes. We asked the nurse and she said he was with his family.” Mbali explains.
“That's good.”
“ His brother came to see you and asked us to call him when you wake up.”
“I hope you didn't, Deli. Please tell me you didn't.”

“Hey calm down. Of course we didn't. He doesn't blame you for what happened. You actually….”
“No, I didn't save his life. I almost ended it because I didn't listen to you. I shouldn't have left wearing that! I should have just let that man take me. Maybe…” I sniff
“Don't you dare say that. They would have raped you then killed you!” Deli grabs my shoulders and shakes me.

“ What if he's never going to be okay because of me?”
“Maya, you did nothing wrong. You didn't ask for those thugs to rob that fast food restaurant and you certainly did not ask that man to save you or for him to get shot. He did that because that's what an honest man does. Saves the life of another person above their own. He wasn't going to stand there and watch that thug try to take you. The workers told the police everything that happened. It's not your fault.” Mbali tries to explain. I just nod.