The Reporter and The Photographer

XXI

Abigale

"Tintin... Ah! If I live threw this remind me to never jump in front of you again... Because this hurts." I say through tears. Tintin looked at me strangely, it's like he was breaking. "Don't say that, of course you are going to live. I'm not letting you die, Abigale Dougless. " he said. He hand his hands over the wound, blood had stained his jumper and coat. He was applying pressure but I don't think it was helping. I placed my hand on his cheek. He looked at me with determination in his eyes. "I want you to tell Lilian if she doesn't name her child Abigale, I will come back and haunt her." I said with a smile. He wasn't amused by my jokes of intimate death. And he had sent Lilian and Rose to go find help,So they weren't going to laugh at my jokes.

"Tintin will you just crack a smile. This is not what I want, I don't want you to be frantic. Because that makes it more real. I don't want the last thing I see to be you crying because I'm gone. I want to see a smile or at least a sliver of hope. Because I swear that makes this situation a whole lot better," I said as the tears finally started streaming down my face, " I don't want to die knowing I hurt you, and if I do die I don't want you to remember me like this. I want you to remember the time we had a water fight in your kitchen, or when I made all of those inappropriate jokes. I don't want to be the reason your unhappy."

Tintin looked at me with tears streaming down his face as well. "I can't lose you, Abi, you're my friend. One of the only ones that I have." He told me. I nodded in understanding. "Maybe it's time to make some new friends. " I whispered. I coughed and I could taste iron. I could only imagine how that looked to Tintin. "Abi?" He said.

I could feel myself getting sleepy. "Abigale talk to me. Tell me about anything! Tell me about how stupid my hair looks. Just keep talking."  He instructed. I could feel the pressure he was applying increase. My eyes were getting heavier and heavier. Every so often they would flutter open and closed. Tintin shook me. "Stay with me!" He yelled but it was so faint. "Hey Tintin?" I asked. He looked me dead in the eyes. "Yes?" He replied. "I love you." I said. I drifted off into a deep sleep, for all I knew I was never going to wake up from. I could still hear Tintin yelling, but soon even that faded as did the pain.

........

To my surprise I actually did wake up. I look around only to find I'm in a hospital room. I tried to prop myself up but that hurt worse than getting shot. I laid back in the position I was originally in. I look to my left to find a surprising sight. There in a reclinable chair was Tintin slumped in an awkward position and drooling of all things. "That's attractive." I whispered. Then I heard a slight whimper. I tried to peak over the bed side but the pain was immense.

That's when Snowy jumped on the bed and started sniffing me. "Okay, okay. Cut it out. I'm fine just a little banged up." I reassured him. He sat down and tilted his head back. "Snowy don't you dare!" I whisper yelled. He did it any way! Snowy let out a soft and gentle howl just loud enough to wake Tintin. "Thanks for nothing you useless mammal." I said harshly. Tintin jolted up, and we stared at each other for the longest time.

"Hello" I finally spoke. He hugged me tightly. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Tintin I'm glad to see you to but OW!" I gasped. He let go immediately. "I am so sorry, do you need anything. Pillows, water, pain medication." He said rambling on. I grabbed him by the collar and kissed him. "Just shut up." I told him.