Emily's Escape

Chapter 34

Hello?" I said in a small voice.

"Baby?" Carter's voice sounded through the speaker. I lost my breath and put my hand in front of my mouth.

"Carter! You're alive," I said. I knew it probably sounded crazy, but it just flew out of me. I heard him sniffle. "Carter? Are you okay?" after my surprise of him answering the phone stopped I noticed the mood on the other end. It wasn't good.

"Emily." He didn't say anything else, but I heard a lot more than my name. He was sad. He was crying. I hadn't seen Carter cry. I know he cried the night I had a breakdown, but I didn't really notice it. I did now and it was a surreal feeling. I felt even more like a punch were given to my stomach now.

"What happened?" I said in my most supportive and gentle voice I could. He made a choking sound and I knew he was trying to hold it in.

"Carter, it's okay, you can cry."

"He's in a coma, Em," he said in an even smaller voice than I had answered the phone with. I didn't know what to do, what to say.

"Who is?" I asked. I had a feeling but I had to be sure.

"Louis. I hit him and now he's in a coma. The doctors aren't sure he's gonna make it. I don't know what to do." the last words came out in a sob. "They said it was close and that he's lucky to even be in a coma. Emily, I nearly killed him," he confessed and I heard him cry more. I couldn't be there for him right now. The only thing I could do was talk to him over the phone and I hated myself for it. I put myself in this situation and now I couldn't be there for a person when he needs me the most. A person that has been there for me when I didn't even know I needed someone.

"Carter, you didn't kill him. He's going to be fine," I tried to say something I thought could help, but I knew it didn't.

"You should see him, he's completely bruised. I feel so bad, so guilty. I feel like my hands are soaked in his blood." Carter's voice brought tears to my eyes. He sounded so ashamed.

"They aren't, Carter. You both signed up for this, this is what happens sometimes. It's nobody's fault. Trust me, Carter. It isn't your fault. You both signed up for this." I didn't know if I was saying the right thing. I didn't know what to say in a situation like this.

"He didn't sign up to be in a coma," Carter said, and we both knew it was true.

"No, he didn't, but he did sign up to fight you, he even asked for the fight. You are all aware of the consequences there is when you're fighting another human being." I tried to explain. I knew it didn't' reach Carter.

"He's only 16. He's still a child. I put a child in a coma," he whispered more to himself than to me.

Carter, he isn't a child. You aren't a child at 16. He's a guy that signed up to be in a fight with a professional. It's horrible that this situation happened, but you can't blame yourself as much as you are."

"He's only 16," he repeated.

"You fought at 16. Carter, do you remember when you were 16. You weren't a child and you know that. This is horrible, but it isn't entirely on you."

"But it is, though. I put him here." He had stopped crying, but I knew he was still shocked. His voice sounded spacey and out of focus. Hearing him like this was breaking my heart.

"I have to go now," he said after a while of silence.

"Okay. But Carter, I love you and you aren't to blame on this. You will understand when he gets better and wakes up, okay?" he was silent for a moment.

"Okay," he simply said and then the line went flat. This was the first time Carter hadn't said I love you back. He sounded so out of his mind. Like he had gone to another place. He didn't sound good. I held the phone to my heart as if it was Carter. This was terrible and I felt so bad for him. Also for Louis, because even though I told Carter he wasn't a child, he was. He really was only 16 and I really hoped he would be fine. A text popped onto my phone.