Falling Together

Chapter 30 (Bret)

I can't believe any of this has happened. As soon as I fall asleep on the hospital couch, I start to remember what happened in that house.

Bret: "Adrian you go get Lily! I'll get Cole."

He nods and runs inside. I knew exactly where he would be once I went inside. I get upstairs, dodging the fire, and open the room that used to belong to my younger brother. I see Cole sitting on the bed holding a picture of him and Mike at the park.

Bret: "Cole, you have to get out of here. The house is going to collapse."

Cole: "I lived for him. There's nothing left for me. I almost raped someone and assaulted two others. Go Bret, before something happens to you on my account."

He closes his eyes in disgust with himself and I thought he was done speaking until he starts again.

Cole: "I'm going to be with him. That's what I want. I deserve this, I'm a monster."

The smoke starts to go through the bottom of the door.

Bret: "Cole we have to leave!"

Cole: "No Bret, you do."

Bret: "Listen to me, what happened to Mike was not your fault. You need to understand that these things happen to people and there's nothing anybody could do. He was suffering. Don't blame yourself for what happened. Mike would not want you to do this. So, come downstairs before you kill us both."

He looks around the room, holds on tight to the picture in his hand and I can tell I finally got to him. So he gets off the bed and follows me downstairs, still holding on to the picture.

Once I look downstairs, I notice Lily and Adrian are still laying on the floor. The stairs were almost gone.

Cole: "Crouch down and grab on to me. I won't let go but your going to have to jump."

Did I hear him correctly? But he was right, there was no other way down. The second I step on those stairs; they would collapse in an instant. So I sit on the edge of the second floor and slowly start to face Cole. He gives me his hand and does all he can to help me down.

Cole: "You can trust me."

I managed to hit the first floor but as soon as I turn around to help Cole down, the ceiling over him crashes down. He catches on fire instantly but tries to take it off but there was no use, it was too much.

Bret: "Cole!"

He falls to the floor and with the flames already taking over his body he pulls the picture frame to his chest and I hear him say "Never in a billion years." I don't know what he means but I couldn't focus on anything. Both of my brothers are gone and I'm about to be next if I don't save my friends and get out.

As soon as I wake up from my dream, which was actually more a nightmare, I notice that the nurse is trying to hold Adrian down. I get up on my feet but as soon as I reach him to help, another nurse is injecting a sedative to his IV. His motions get sloppy as if he's in slow motion and then he closes his eyes and loses consciousness again. I sigh thinking of how worried Adrian must be.

I turn and look to Lily and she still hasn't moved from where she was since the last time I saw her.

Bret: "Umm excuse me? I was wondering if you could tell me how they are?"

Nurse: "Adrian is fine, he just needs to relax. We gave him a sedative so he could rest and stay still."

I let out a huge sigh.

Bret: "What about Lily?"

The nurse looks at me with a concerned face.

Nurse: "She hasn't been responsive lately. The bruise on her face will soon go away but her bruised ribs will take a while to heal. The only thing keeping her in critical condition is that, when she was hit in the ribs it weakened her lungs and according to her paperwork she was in that house for a very long time. She must've inhaled too much smoke for her injured lungs to handle."

I place my hand on my forehead and sit down on the same couch.

Bret: "Will she live?"

Nurse: "Oh honey, yes. There's no doubt in my mind. She's a strong girl it's up to her to fight back into consciousness, but she will need exercise and therapy to get her abdomen in good condition so she can begin walking normally again. We will still need to get a few more results before she wakes up."

Bret: "Okay, Thank you."

Nurse: "My pleasure."

Before she walks out the turn, she turns around and says "they are very lucky to have a friend like you."

I smile but in reality, I'm the one that's lucky tohave them.