Echo • Cashton•

PART FOURTEEN

Calum's pov

I could hear Ashton screaming and crying as three people came into the room. The sunlight was peeking through the window, hitting my dying body. I was falling in and out of consciousness. I could feel hands lifting me up then placing me on a soft mat. I watched the ceiling pass above me, my body felt numb. I tried moving my arms, my legs, my hands, anything, but nothing would move.

I was still alive but I feel like at any moment I could die. Something plastic was placed on my mouth and it made it easier for me to breath. Outside the morning air was cold, the sky was pink and blue. Birds chirped, the sirens of police cars had ceased since they arrived about an hour or so ago.

"Calum" my eyes opened and closed lazily, but they widened when I heard his voice. It was so soft and sweet yet terrified at the same time. All I wanted to do was swing my legs over the side of whatever I was on and hug him. With all the strength I could muster, just hold him tightly in my arms.

"Sir step back" I looked up at one of the EMTs and glared at him. Ashton's eyes were red and puffy. He was looking at me as if he didn't believe I was really here. I tried reaching out to him but my arm wouldn't move, everything felt numb. I tried to smile and show him I would be ok but the plastic thing covered my mouth.

"Calum" he screamed again, my ears were ringing. I could see a large bright light above me, I squinted as I looked around. I was inside of an ambulance.

"Sir can you hear me?" a male voice asked from beside me. I tried nodding but once again my head wouldn't move.

"Sir blink twice if you can hear me" I followed the instructions. I felt the ambulance jerk forward, then it drove smoothly. There were voices all around me but Ashton's was still stuck in the back of my head. I smiled as I closed my eyes, picturing him in the darkness. He was the last thing I saw before everything went black again.

-

"Ashton" I yelled out. My bare feet were planted in a field of grass. A playground was a few miles away from me, trees surrounding everything. I turned in circles trying to figure out where I was.

"He's kinda hot" I turned around again and my eyes widened at the sight of my old childhood friend. Luke Hemmings and I were the best of friends, we knew each other better than we knew ourselves.

"Luke?" I questioned.

"What's his name again? Anthony? Alvin?" he spoke, his accent thicker than usual.

"Ashton" I smiled as the name rolled off of my tongue, leaving a sweet taste in my mouth.

"Ashton. He's hot" he nodded, seemingly in approval.

"Luke where are we? What am I doing here?" I asked. He chuckled, stepping forward. His blonde hair was quiffed perfectly. A Green Day shirt was hung loosely on his broad shoulders, tight black jeans covering his bottom half.

"What's wrong, you don't want to talk to a childhood friend?" he asked.

"Of course I do, I just need to know where Ashton is" I explained.

"Don't worry mate, your boyfriend's  fine. He's actually sitting in the hospital waiting room" he said.

"What, why?" I asked.

"He waiting for you Calum. He needs you" he said..

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"If you were to die, what do you think will happen to him?" Luke asked.

"I think he'll be sad but I don't think it'll impact him as much as you think it would. He'd go on. That man's dead, there's nothing for him to be afraid of anymore" I said. Luke sighed as he turned his back to me.

"Follow me Cal" Luke called. I jogged after him trying to keep up with his long strides. He stopped in front of the park. There was a large metal box with a foggy glass door resting in the center.

"What is this?" I asked.

"Go inside" Luke instructed. I pushed the door open and stepped through, Luke following me. The room was all white, a hospital bed placed in the center of the wall. A boy with long brown hair, hanging down to his shoulder blades.

"Who is that?" I asked Luke.

"Go take a closer look" he said. I walked around the bed so I was standing directly in front of him, it was Ashton. Her eyes were empty, her cheeks sunken in, she looked... dead inside.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"St. Nina's mental institution" Luke said. My eyes widened, my heart racing.

"Why is he here?" I look scanned over his body, his skin was red and irritated, his hands shaking.

"After you died he had a mental breakdown. Police found his family and they took him home. He never slept, he didn't eat, he wouldn't stop screaming and crying. After two weeks of continuous breaking down and sobbing they checked him into St. Nina's" Luke explained.

"I want to go back now. I want to go back to him. I get it Luke, he needs me" I rushed out of the words. Before Luke could reply the door opened. A man walked in with a tray a white cups.

"Ashton it's ti-" he was cut off when Ashton started screaming. He rushed out of the room and the screaming ceased. A women walked in holding a single white cup.

"I'm sorry Ashton. He's new" she smiled.

"What was that?" I asked.

"He lost you, you were his rock. He became terrified of men after your death" Luke explained.

"Luke I want to go back to him, please take me back to him"