Weightless

11

"Alright, this is where I leave you", the officer kindly said.

"Thank you so much", John and Adrian said in unison.

The look awkwardly at each other.

"Um, yeah, we really appreciate it", John said.

"It's no problem, I hope your brother gets better"

"Yeah, me too"

"Well, y'all have a good night now"

"You too"

The patrol car departed from the curb and drove off.

"C'mon, let's go inside"

They walked into the hospital and walked up to the front desk.
An older lady in a navy blue floral shirt with tiny glasses that rested on the bridge of her nose, sat in a chair, playing Solitaire on the computer.

"Excuse me, ma'am"

She turned to them and gave a polite smile.

"How can I help you boys?"

"We're here to see my brother, Devin"

"Devin who, hun?"

"Devin Holloway"

She glanced over and grabbed her clipboard and flipped through the papers.

"And who are you in relation to him?", she asked, looking at Adrian.

"His cousin"

"Alright. I'll inform the doctor you're here. If take a seat over there, the doctor will be with you momentarily", she smiled.

"Thank you"

They walked over to the room of chairs and sat down.
The inside of the hospital was sterile- almost everything was white. John shivered at the sight of it.

"Mr. Holloway?", a stern voice called.

"Yes, that's me", John stood up.

"I'm afraid that your brother has suffered a fractured wrist, a few broken ribs and cuts on his face and arms that we stitched up. He's lost a bit of blood, and he's reading right now. But I'm happy to inform you that he'll be just fine"

"Oh thank god", John groaned, relieved. "Are we able to see him?"

The doctor bit his lip and paused for a moment.

"Alright, but only because I'm sure you've had a rough day"

"Thank you"

"Its quite alright, follow me this way"

John and Adrian followed the doctor, weaving through the other nurses, patients and doctors.

"This is his room. If you need anything or if something happens, press the red call button next to his bed"

"Okay, thank you"

The doctor nodded and walked down the white corridor.

John and Adrian entered the room.
Devin lied on the hospital bed, with an IV going into his arm.

He was asleep.

There were two chairs at on one side of the room.
They walked over and sat down.

John sighed.

"It's been quite a day, hasn't it?", Adrian laughed.

"Heheh yeah"

They sat there in silence for a moment. It wasn't an awkward silence, but a comfortable one.

"So, how have things been these past six years?", John asked Adrian.

"Eh, alright I guess. It's been pretty lonely actually. My parents never paid attention to me, so yeah"

"Why do you think they did that?"

"It's because I told them I liked guys"

"So you're... gay?", John questioned.

"Bisexual"

"Oh, cool". John tried to hide his excitement.

They sat in silence again, this time it was uncomfortable. The sound of a heart monitor filled the room.

Devin's hand twitched.

"Hey did you see that?", Adrian exclaimed.

Devin twitched again.
And again.
And again.

The heart monitor bleeped faster.

His whole body began to shake.

"Shit", John murmured. "Something's wrong. Adrian, press the button, hurry!"

Adrian ran to the other side of the bed and pressed the call button.

"Devin!", John shouted. "Devin! Devin! Wake up!"

A nurse barged in.

"What's going on!?", she panicked.

"Something's wrong with him!"

"Oh god. Step away, he's having a seizure!", she started pressing buttons on one of the machines. "Hurry, go get Dr. Gomez!", she ordered, pointing down the hall.

"Yes ma'am!", said Adrian, running out of the room.

The heart monitor flatlined.
The tension rose dramatically.
Dr. Gomez rushed through the door.

   "We've got a code blue!",  the nurse yelled.  

"Dear god", he said.

He rushed over to a box on the wall and opened it, grabbing the defibulator.

The nurse ripped off Devin's shirt.

"Three, two, one, clear!

A strong electric pulse surged through Devin's body, causing his chest to thrust up.

Nothing.

"Devin no!", John cried and lurched towards him. Adrian grabbed John and pulled him back, restraining him with his arms.

"Turn up the power!", the the doctor commanded.

The nurse complied and turned up the dial.

"Three, two, one, clear!

Another pulse of electricity was absorbed into his flesh.

Still nothing.

"Devin don't do this! You're the only one I have left!". John pleaded.

"Turn it up mo-"

The doctor was interrupted by the heart monitor.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The nurse fiddled with the machines and said "He's stable, doctor"

Everyone stopped sighed with relief. Everything calmed down.

John and Adrian collapsed into the chairs. A silence reverberated throughout the room.

The doctor walked over to the boys in the chairs, who were staring blankly at Devin's hospital bed. John's eyes were drenched.

"Hey boys", Dr. Gomez said calmly. "I'm sure you've had a long day, why don't you go home and rest, we'll have a nurse watch him for the rest of the night"

Both of them nodded.

"We don't have a ride home", said Adrian.

"Don't you worry, I'll call a taxi, and I'll even pay for it"

"Thank you sir, especially for saving my brother

"Don't thank me, if you weren't here to press the call button, he would be alive right now"

John smiled and nodded. They both got up and traveled to the front of the hospital where a taxi arrived. They got in, not saying a word along the way to Adrian's house.