A New Life: Sequel to Amber

Chapter 39

Link's POV

I opened my eyes and groaned. It felt like my body had been run over by a train. Rhett's eyes were closed and he was slouching in the chair slightly. My throat was sore and dry. I closed my eyes again and barely managed to get out a word before ending up in a coughing fit. "R-Rhett?" I started coughing uncontrollably and Rhett's eyes opened. He had a concerned expression plastered over his face and he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Link? You alright, brother? Do you need me to get you something? A nurse?" He bit his lip nervously and squeezed my shoulder. I closed my eyes and put my hand over my chest as I continued to cough. There was a sharp pain in the back of my rib cage. It must be the broken rib being bothered by how fast my rib cage was expanding and contracting as air was suddenly forced in and out. 

I squeezed my chest and finally the coughing slowed to the point where I could talk. "W-water... please." 

"Alright, brother, I'll be right back with that. Hang in there. Just breathe slowly and deeply. I will be as quick as possible." Rhett jumped at and ran out the door as another coughing fit started. After about a minute, he came back with a water bottle in his hand. He knelt down beside my bed and offered me the water. I stretched out a very shaky hand and grabbed it. The bottle immediately shook, but my grip was too weak. The bottle fell onto my bed and I closed my eyes. So helpless. 

I had stopped coughing, but my throat was so dry, I couldn't even talk without coughing like crazy again. My breathing was difficult and strained. Rhett grabbed the bottle and opened it. It felt like all the strength in my body had just drained away, leaving me weaker than ever. "I've got you, buddy. I'll help you. It's alright." Rhett carefully slipped his left hand under my head and neck and propped it up slightly. He brought the lip of the bottle to my mouth and I started to gulp down the cold liquid, letting it quench the thirst of my parched throat and mouth.

I ended up finishing the whole bottle in one go and Rhett gently set my head back down on my pillow. I looked up at him and smiled weakly. "Th-thank you, Rhett." My voice was raspy and quiet, but Rhett heard it and smiled.

"You're welcome, brother. Don't feel bad that you needed help. I want to help you as much as possible. Is there anything else you need me to do?" He looked concerned, but the ends of his lips were curved into a small smile. I lightly shook my head.

"N-no. Thank you so much, Rhett. I really appreciate all the things you've already done for me. You comforted me when I broke down sobbing and was scared to death. You helped me drink 'cause I'm too weak to do it myself. That all means so very much to me. Thank you, brother. You are honestly the best friend anyone could ever wish for. I'm honored that I get to say that you're my best friend. Thank you for being here. Thank you for everything." I smile weakly again. Rhett smiled widely and he pulled me into a gently hug, holding me up because I still can't do it myself.

"You're welcome, Link. And thank you too. So very, very much. You are the best friend you could possibly be. I honestly think we have one of the strongest friendships in history. I will always, always be there for you no matter what obstacles might stand in way. And thank you too for always being there for me. I could never tell you how much I appreciate our friendship. Thank you, man. Thank you so much." 

"You're welcome, dude. Gosh, even though I feel like a train ran over me repeatedly, I feel so happy. Thanks Rhett. You help so much." I smiled and forced my arm to weakly hug him back.

"I'm glad. I want you outta here as soon as possible." He gently laid me back in the bed and sat back down in the chair. He smiled and I smiled back. "Why don't you try sleeping a little more. Maybe you'll feel better. Y'know, you look like a mummy right now." I laughed faintly.

"I'm sure I do. Head to toe covered in bandages. I uh... can't remember what I was gonna say. Hey Rhett, what were we just talking about?" I wrinkled my eyebrows together as I tried to think about what was just said.

"Dang. Alright, don't freak out. You'll remember in a second, but you're gonna go through another unexplainable wave of emotion. I'll be right here the whole time. No matter what emotion gets you. Even if it anger." Rhett smiled comfortingly and I nodded. This didn't make sense. 

Suddenly, the memories rushed back and I sighed. A chill ran down my spine and my strength returned. I hugged my arms and rubbed them, shaking my head. "No... no." Crazy thoughts started going through my head and a single tear fell from my eyes. Rhett reached out and put his hand on my shoulder. I jumped and moved it away. 

"Don't touch me! Please! Y-you hate me. You all hate me. All along, you've just been acting, but you all hate me. Wh-why? What did I do? Why do you hate me, Rhett?! Why have you fooled this whole time? Oh... I get it. You thought it was funny. You all were acting and when I trusted you, you thought it was funny! Y-you hate me. Everyone hates me. I'm so alone in this world. Forever and always alone..." I started to cry and my body convulsed. They hate me and they always will.

Rhett's POV

My eyes were wide and a few tears started to fall. This was way worse than last time. I couldn't even touch Link without him freaking out. How am I supposed to help this time? Link buried his head in his hands and sobbed. I reached out my arms and hugged him tightly. He screamed, not in pain, but in fear. He was afraid of me. I couldn't even tell what emotions were affecting him right now. It seemed like paranoia and fear. Link struggled to get free from my embrace, but I held him tightly. "Link, Link, calm down! I don't hate you at all! No one does! No one."

"Don't hurt me. Just please leave me alone! Don't hurt me! I'm so afraid, let me go!" He started sobbing harder and went limp in my arms. He was still conscious, but all the strength in his body had melted away once more. He thought I was going to hurt him. That crushed my heart.

"Link, brother, I will never, ever hurt you. Ever. You mean too much to me." I held him in my arms as he sobbed and shook his head.

"Let go of me. Let me go. Don't hurt me. I-I don't trust you. Please, you're scaring me. Just let me go. I'm begging you!" I hugged Link tighter and he started to shake in fear. I wasn't letting go until he was alright. "You have no mercy! You're hurting me. You really are. M-my rib. Please, let me go. It hurts so bad!" I actually was hurting him. I gently set him back down to lie in his bed and he looked up at me. There was such hurt and terror in his eyes. His hair fell in front of his face, piercing blue eyes stared through it at me. I fixed his hair and he flinched at my touch. Tears spilled out from his now squeezed closed eyes and he lightly shook his head. "Please. Don't touch me. Don't hurt me anymore. I'm begging you. Please, just leave me alone." 

His voice was so broken and scared. His body shook in fear. My heart was breaking. I promised him I'd never hurt him and I did. He was terrified of me. I knew he didn't mean any of this, but it stung. I sat back in the chair and started to cry. "I-I'm sorry, Link. I never meant to hurt you. Ever. I'm so, so sorry." I heard him start to move again. I felt something warm and soft grip my hand and squeeze it tightly. He was holding my hand.

"R-Rhett? What did I do? What did I say that hurt you so much. I-I'm so sorry, brother. What happened?" Link's voice made it clear he was holding back tears. No longer were they tears of fear of me, but of a horrible feeling of suddenly realizing he accidentally crushed my heart.

"Oh Link. Y-you're back!" Before I said another word, I had knelt back down and was hugging my crying friend. 

"Rhett, please, tell me what I said. What did I do to make you cry? You have no idea how sorry I am. I didn't mean it at all! Not at all!"

"I know you didn't, man. It doesn't matter what you said or did. I'm alright now and you're back. That's enough to raise my spirits to the heavens. I'm okay now. I forgive you. Always have. Always will."