Meeting the Jokers

Part 25

It was urgent.

"Hello?" I groaned, unconsciously half awake.

"Get up. Get everyone up. It's Q." Sal ordered.

The hastiness in his voice made my heart run marathons. I was already up, bed head and all, banging and Joe's door.

No reply.

I hit the door again.

Hastily, Joe answered, his hair ruffled and his eyes still adjusting to the light. "It's Q," I rush, running to Murrs room, banging it forcefully.

Murr awakened. (Just like his new book).

In all the ruckus, the producers were in the hall, arranging the transport and taking the bare necessities. These guys really aren't given enough credit for what they do.

20 seconds went by and we were racing through the lobby and into one of three cars waiting outside.

Sal called again. Still no answer to what happened.

We panicked. We just analysed his call on the way to the hospital- Sal didn't sound distraught- so no death or near death. He sounded sad- so something not good has happened.

The hospital was quieter in these early hours- meaning there were less people to crash into as we ran. We were all so nervous and anxious that we would sacrifice hurting someone by accident to get to Q.

What made us more worried was that there was a nurse waiting for us at reception. She had a solemn look and guided us slowly to his room.

At least the crazy fans had gone.

My heart was caught. I felt like I couldn't breath. Joe's face was red, Murr only faced the floor.

Our steps minimised as we knew we approached his room. We took this walk 100 times, we knew it like the back of our hand but we didn't want to face what was in front of us.

Joe cleared his throat, "I'll go first."

He disappeared into the unknown of Q's room, Murr second, then me.

Sal's face was bright red, his eyes bulging from exhaustion. He stayed awake all night.

"What's happened?" Joe asked quickly.

"Q's heart rate has fallen significantly," Sal sighed, "they said it's a race... against time."

Simultaneously, we took a sigh of sorrow- pain. Everything would be ok.

Right?

Sal turned away, hiding his head as he wiped a small tear forming.

Q lay there, still. The beating of his heart was slower.

Beep.
                                   Beep.

Beep.
                                    Beep.

"Is it something they can fix?" I asked, sitting beside Sal who flinched slightly.

"Yeah, Yeah," he replied over enthusiastically. Making it sound the complete opposite. I raised my eyebrows at him. "They... the think that he may only have a small chance of waking up."

Sals voice was tiny, making us lean in to hear his last words.

It was all too much again.

Q couldn't die. They were a team. If ones down then how long until the other 3 get back up again? What if they don't?

Their best friend of 20 years suddenly dead beside them, lifeless with so many memories just floating out of him. Dissipating.

Nothing.

We sat.

In silence.

For 3 solid minutes.

Joe was staring down at his clean white shoes- as if praying.

Murr was looking all around, a guilty face spread across but lightly covered with a sad smile that could fool no one. He knows what he did.

We all do.

Q was still gazing up at the ceiling. He was just laying down, maybe at a picnic, enjoying the beautiful night stars. Just frozen in time. That made things better to think about.

Frozen in a beautiful moment. Of course Q wasn't. His last few memories are of agony, pain and a huge rollercoaster that isn't allowed to open because of Q.

"Please be ok," I whispered, Sal looked me in the eyes and squeezed my hand. We were all a union. We were in this together.

"Q's a warrior, he'll make it through."

And Q's heart rate increased.

Beep beep.
                           Beep.

Beep beep.
                           Beep.

——
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