-Tylers POV-
"Jordon, where'd Johnny go?"
"For a walk."
"He's been gone for a long time...." It's been at least an hour an a half since he left.
"He'll be back soon." I bite my lip and continue pacing the length of the room. I can't sit still.
"You should get some sleep Ty."
"No, I'm not tired."
"Shut up. I know you are. Now get some sleep while everything's calm. I'll wake you up when Johnny gets back."
"Fine." I grumble. I lay down on the couch next to Jordon with my head on his leg. I close my eyes and realize how exhausted I am. Johnny better get back soon.
***********
When I wake up no one's in the room. I sit up and rub my eyes. I go to Danny, Jorel, and Dylans room. There's a nurse standing by the door.
"Can I go in?" I ask.
"Go ahead."
I go in. Matt's quietly talking to Danny and Jorel. Dylan seems to be asleep.
"Hey sleeping beauty." says Matt.
"Hi. Is Johnny back yet?"
"Not that I know of. I haven't seen him."
"What about Jordon?"
"Hes visiting Aron."
"I'm really worried about Johnny. Shouldn't he be back by now?"
"He's probably fine. Here call him and find out where he is." Matt hands me his cell phone. I go by the door and pick Johnny from the contacts. The phone rings. And rings. And rings. It goes to voicemail.
"Hey, this is Johnny. Leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."
I try again. It goes to voicemail.
"Matt, he's not picking up!"
"That's not like him." says Jorel. "His phone's not off is it?"
"No. It rang and rang then went to voicemail. Its definately on, but he isn't picking up!" I can feel myself starting to panic a bit.
"Calm down Ty." His phone starts ringing. "That's probably him right now." He puts it on speaker.
"Hello?"
"Umm, hi is this Matt?" This isn't Johnny.
"Yes, why do you have Johnnys phone?"
"I-I found him lying in the street! I called the ambulance and they took him away but I still had his cell and you were one of the first contacts!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on, what? Slow down. Come down to the hospital, I'll meet you out front."
"Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can." Matt hangs up.
"Holy fuck!" I say a little louder then intended.
"C'mon Ty, we're going to go talk to this chick."
I follow close behind Matt. We go out to the front of the hospital and wait.
After about 15 minutes of waiting a young woman approaches us. She looks extremely normal. Average. Generic.
"Excuse me, are you Matt?"
"Yea, and this is Tyler. Now, what happened exactly?"
"I was on my way home from work - I was walking - and when I came up the street near Kinsmen Park I found him unconcious on the ground. He was covered in blood. It looked like hed been stabbed. I didnt have my cell with me so I checked his pocket and found his and used it to call an ambulance! Oh, here's his phone." She pulls Johnnys phone from her purse. I snatch it from her and tuck it in my pocket. I don't trust her. Most people would be more distraught from finding someone bleeding out on their way home from work. She looks too calm. Too pulled together. Like she's acting.
"What's your name?" I ask.
"Melissa Rey."
"Let's go find Johnny, Matt."
"Alright, Ty. Thanks Melissa." I cling to Matts arm as we go back inside. I peek over my shoulder and see 'Melissa' smiling. Creepy. I dont listen or pay attention as Matt tries to figure out where Johnny is and if we can see him. A nurse brings us to the ER waiting room. Jordon calls asking where we went and soon joins us.
Theres a few other people in the room. A twenty-something-year-old man with, presumably, his five or six year old son, an older woman, and a thirty-five-ish-year-old man and his wife who looks to be about the same age.
The little boy has a toy car that he's playing with. He rolls it back and forth, back and forth. He rolls it too hard by accident and it stops near my feet. I sit on my knees on the floor and roll it back to him. He smiles and sends it back. We send the car back and forth across the room until a doctor comes into the room. Everyone stops what their doing and looks up.
"Where's the family of George Ragan?" Matt, Jordon, and I stand up.
"Here." says Jordon.
"Come with me please." We follow him into the bowels of the hospital. He brings us into Johnnys room. He's hooked up to a variety of machines.
"He lost a lot of blood and has gone into a coma. We've done what we can but he's on life support right now and there is next to no chances of him regaining consciousness. If he doesn't wake up within three days we will be forced to pull the plug. But we can do it sooner if you wish." I can't handle this. If Johnny dies....I don't know or want to know what it'll be like without him. I'm to shocked and scared to even cry.
"You gotta be kidding!" I say loudly. "Three fucking days?! That's it?!"
"Sir, please calm down. After that point there will be no chance of him waking up. That's all we can allow." I'm breathing hard and shaking. "How do I get back out of the ER area?" I ask. I can't be in here. It's too stuffy. The doctor gets a nurse that brings me back to the waiting area. From there I go upstairs to Dylan, Jorel, and Danny. In the elevator tears begin spilling down my cheeks. I go as quick as I can to their room to avoid getting stared at.
"Danny!" I go over to him. "Ty? What happened to Johnny? Where's Jordon and Matt?"
"They're with Johnny. H-hes gonna die Danny! He's on life support and he's in a coma and they're only giving him three days before they take off the life support and let him die!" Danny hugs me with one arm weakly and lets me cry into his shoulder.
"Johnny's strong. He's probably trying to wake up right now."
"Stop trying to make me feel better by lying! I know he's gonna die." I sob. Suddenly Dylans heart rate monitor speeds up and he starts shaking. I rush over and press the nurse call button. The monitor stops beeping and makes one long noise. A nurse runs in and comes over to Dylan. She calls a doctor and tells me to stay back. I go back to Danny. It feels like everything's happening in slow motion.
They bring in a defribulator and try to get his heart started again. Dylans whole body jumps from the shock. They try again and again but it doesn't work.
"DYLAN!" I shout. I can do nothing except watch in wide eyed horror.
They try one final time......his heart doesn't start beating again. They turn off the machine and the room is silent. I turn to Danny.
"Danny,....Dylans....gone...?!" Danny and Jorel both have tears on their faces. One of the nurses comes over.
"I'm sorry..." She puts her hand on my shoulder but I flinch away.
"Can you get Matt and Jordon? They're with George Ragan in the ER."
"Of course." She looks at me with pity in her eyes. I haven't had someone look at me like that in a long time. Not since I was 6. I sit down. I can barely breathe.
"Ty..." Danny reaches over to me.
"I'm gonna go see Johnny." I move before he touches me. I take the stairs down this time so I won't have to pass Jordon and Matt. I go to Johnnys room.
I just watched Dylan die.
I sit next to Johnny and let it all out. I talk to him and tell him everything. Every detail of everything I love about him and Dylan and Jordon and Matt and Jorel and Danny and the music.
"Please don't die." I choke on the last word. "Johnny I love you, and I don't know what I'll do without you." He doesn't respond.
