Running to the Edge of the World...

Count To Six And Die

Chapter 22 – Count To Six And Die

I smiled as I walked, hand-in-hand, with Marilyn, down the street. I’d needed another maternity dress, so we’d gone out. I was seven months pregnant, but determined to walk around. I was so excited…two months…and I’d be a mum! My smile widened at the thought of Marilyn as a dad…that would be amusing.

Marilyn’s eyes darted around nervously as people came up to us asking for his autograph. He smiled and signed this and that, but he always kept his security manager, Big Jo, in sight close by. The psychotic fan that had been stalking us had upped her anti…there had been threats at the house…saying things along the lines of he could never be happy with me and that I didn’t deserve him…and that if I didn’t leave…she’d find a way to kill me….

That thought did make me shiver from time to time. I looked about myself nervously as we walked home again. Marilyn kisses my hair and rubbed my arm reassuringly as we neared our home. He took a few steps ahead of me…and that’s when the unthinkable happened.

A gunshot rang through the air. I froze. Marilyn spun, terrified, to look at me. I saw my own shock and terror replicated on his face. I looked down, numb…looking at my now blood-soaked dress… and then my legs gave out underneath me, as my eyes went dark, I heard two words leave my lips. “…the baby…”

***

Marilyn paced back and forth frantically as he waited for the doctor to tell him Shannon was out of surgery. He’d been waiting for hours, his anxiety increasing exponentially with each passing minute.

He saw a doctor emergency from the emergency area and look around, seemingly searching. The doctor’s eyes fell on Marilyn and he came towards him.

“Mister Warner?” he asked, eyeing Marilyn curiously. “I’m Doctor Clayton.”

“Yes…is she alright?” Marilyn asked, wringing his hands together. “The baby…is it-”

“The baby is fine, Mister Warner, just fine.” Doctor Clayton nodded.

“And…my wife? Is she alright?” Marilyn felt his heart plummet at the look in the doctor’s eyes.

“I have to be honest with you…we had to put her into an induced coma to perform the surgery.” The doctor paused. “However, in certain circumstances, if injury is grave enough…the induced coma becomes and actual coma. Now, right now, she’s fine, she’s healing…but…there may be complications if she doesn’t wake up in the next few days.” Marilyn’s heart all but broke as he heard this. “Each day that she doesn’t wake up will only decrease the chances of her actually coming back to us.” He offered Marilyn a consoling smile. “For now though, everything is going well and, as yet, there is no cause for worry…you can go and see her now…”

Marilyn brushed past Doctor Clayton in a daze, his heart aching. He felt a tear slide down his face as he sat next to his unconscious wife, holding her hand. He cursed himself for not having seen this coming. If he’d stayed closer the damned psychotic bitch wouldn’t have taken the shot for fear of hitting him!

Marilyn was vaguely reminded of when he’d sat by her in hospital before…after her father had hurt her. He kissed her forehead tenderly, murmuring softly as he did so. “Come back to me, Shannon… I love you… so very much…please…come back to me…”

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Okay, so this one's rather short, but essential!!

This story will be wrapping up in I predict...2 chapters.

Do comment! I need to know your opinions ;)

Much love to you all!

              Shan~Leigh