Stranger, Help Me

HELP

"Hey Evangeline, thanks for call - "

"Help."

"What?"

"I - I'm bleeding!"

"I thought... I thought it would take all the pain away. I had three weeks. Three weeks of good days and sunshine and then all it took was one stupid day to break me down. I feel so lost, Gale. I...I don't know what to do anymore!"

"Please help me?"

"Evangeline - breathe. I need you to breathe."

"Okay..."

"Now, get a cloth or a towel to stop the bleeding. Where is the bleeding?"

"Just my right arm."

"Wash the blood off first and then wrap it. Put pressure but not to the point it hurts, okay?"

"..."

"Okay, I've done that."

"Put away anything dangerous. Wash your hands. Keep breathing."

"And then?"

"Clean the blood. Now bandage them."

"..."

"..."

"Okay... Okay... It hurts a lot. It stings."

"Don't worry, you'll be okay... Tell me what happened."

"..."

"Hey... It's okay to tell me."

"Oh my God, I'm bleeding again. I can't do this! It's everywhere!"

"Evangeline! Listen to me! Calm down. Keep taking deep breaths. Pressurise the blood again."

"It's everywhere! It's all red! It hurts!"

"Stay calm... Stay calm. You can do it. Okay? I'm here. Stay calm. Breathe in.... Hold... And out... Breathe in... Hold... And out."

"..."

"Stop crying. It's okay. You're going to be just fine."

"..."

"There. Are you in a bathroom?"

"...yes."

"Keep pressurising the blood until it doesn't bleed anymore, then bandage them up again. Then wash yourself, get cleaned up, so you feel fresh."

"... Okay."

"You didn't hurt yourself on purpose, did you?"

"... Not all of it."

"Oh, Evangeline..."

"The rest though... I didn't. Not today."

"Then who?"

"Him."

"Who's - "

"Sorry for troubling you but thank you. I'm sorry. I - "

"It's okay, Evangeline. Remember? I said anytime."

"But this sort of thing... I don't really have anyone else."

"Hey, what about me?"

"...oh."

"Blunt. Let's distract yourself, yeah? You like music?"

"Music? Um... I guess. I don't like punk music. They're too loud."

"Classical?"

"Yeah. I used to... play the violin."

"Oh wow. I can't play anything. That's so cool. My phone's got a bunch of music. Want to listen to it?"

"... how about my arm?"

"Is it still bleeding?"

"Well, no."

"Pain?"

"Not really... nothing's too... bad."

"Then let's listen to music."

"... okay."

"... I know this sou - "

"I tried so far, and got so far, but in the end, it doesn't even matter..."

"You can sing?"

"Not really. Just this song."

"You skipped the rap."

"Don't tell me you're a secret rapper."

"... no."

"You lie! You totally - "

"Shhhh!"

Beep, beep...

"She's embarrassed."

"..."

"..."

"Cute."