Nightmares

Chapter Three

I pried my eyes open and I cursed as I realized I was on the floor of the waiting room. I must have fallen asleep and then fallen out of the chair. I sat upright, hugging my knees to my chest as I checked the clock again. Almost 10:30am.

Thinking about the dream made me realize how scared I was. I loved Phil. I was concerned for him. Hell, I didn't even know what was wrong with him. I sat for a few moments in silence before the door opened. It was Jim.

"Mr. Howell, would you please follow me?" I nodded and got up, following him out the door. He led me down a series of hallways and corridors and finally to a room. He opened the door and I could have wept for joy, because sitting in the bed across from us was Phil. His eyes were closed and I assumed, I hoped, he was resting.

However, my heart fell when I saw all the equipment attached to him. He had several IVs, a heart monitor, an oxygen mask, and wires and tubes emitting from all around his body. He looked so peaceful covered in a blanket and resting so still, but I was worried.

I turned to Jim. "Can you tell me what was wrong with him?"

"Sudden Cardiac Arrest," he answered and sighed. "I don't want to be the breaker of bad news, but he isn't in good shape. They've been working on him all morning. They've got stabilizers on him for some reason. Something about a heart defect? I'm not sure, I've been getting paperwork and helping with other patients all day."

I nodded and turned back to Phil, all my hopes deflating as I again saw the machinery. "Thank you. May I sit with him?"

Jim looked at Phil, then at me, and sighed faintly. "As long as you're quiet," he told me. I thanked him and he left, leaving me standing in the doorway alone. I could still see the image of Phil's dead body from my nightmare.

I shuddered and walked, slowly and silently, inside the room and shut the door as quietly as I could manage. I was afraid that if I woke Phil, it would happen again. I knew I was being stupid, but the last thing I wanted was to have to go through that a second time.

I saw a chair in the corner and pulled it over beside Phil's bed. I sat and looked at him for a few moments. I was so happy he was alive. Then I lay my head down on the edge of his bed and just sat there. Eventually, Phil stirred and I brought my head up. He opened his eyes slowly, blinked a few times, and then looked up at me.

"Dan," he spoke quietly. His voice was muffled by the oxygen mask. "What happened?" I was momentarily lost in his eyes, such a beautiful blue that I wanted to do nothing else but stare into them forever. Then I remember he had asked me a question.

"Well," I started, not knowing where to begin, "last night, I woke up and you were gasping beside me, so I called 999. The man that rode in the ambulance with me, Jim, said I could stay in here if I was quiet." He closed his eyes for several seconds and I was just starting to think he had almost fallen asleep when he opened them again.

"Dan, do you think I'm gonna die?"