Arthur had stayed with me in a hotel next to the hospital. We just stayed up that night while [Matthew and Gilbert] were blasting their Eminem music through their apartment... and ours. The only thing that Arthur ever enjoyed was showing me how well he could rap with [Eminem].
We went to sleep for the night, planning to wake up particularly early to check on Alfred.
In the middle of the night (about midnight, or an hour past), Arthur woke up with a scream in our pitch-black room (no windows). I turned on the lamp on the bedside table next to me, and began to comfort and cuddle the crying Arthur Kirkland.
As I asked what happened, he spoke through his sobs. But even then, his voice was a bunch of slurs, and I couldn't understand a single word he said. I saw the door open and Yào and Kiku came through it. I told Arthur that they were there, and that there was nothing to worry about.
He still cried. - Francis Bonnefoy
---
We were panicking. I had to take Arthur into my own arms and pet him a little, but it didn't help. [Honda] was trying to speak to him, but he wouldn't stop crying. Not even Francis's voice would get him to calm down. There was nothing in this world that would make him stop crying.
That was when Francis said something about Alfred.
Arthur's eyes widened, he was quiet, and then he bawled his eyes out even more. I tried to console him, and so did Francis. We were just laying there for hours, trying to get him to stop crying before we got a word out of him.
We had to rush to the hospital. - Yào Wáng
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There are no signs of Death's approach in the cicadas' voices. - Honda Kiku
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They rushed us all awake, and we all ran right into the hospital. We ran right to Alfred, fearing for the worst.
Feliciano wouldn't let go of my arm. - Ludwig Beilschmidt(?)
---
Alfred's skin was taking on a gray tint. He looked like he wasn't going to live much longer, and he was still on life support. I sat next to him, like I had the day before, and did what I had done. I ran one of my hands through his hair, and I put my hand on top of his while I spoke comforting words.
That was when we heard the flatline. - Elizabeta Héderváry, the Republic of Hungary
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Counting By Twenty (W-A 2017)
Fiksi PenggemarYou ever wonder what happened to America during 9/11? This story explores exactly what happened, including a week prior to and a week after the incident. Alfred F. Jones's (America's) closest friends and family have been interviewed, bringing togeth...
