Played For A Fool

The Days That Last Forever

Death is many things, though none of them are nice. It is one of the only features that every living organism has in common. It is, for some, the end, while for others it is the beginning. It can either bring everyone together, or tear them apart.

Kai had experienced his fair share of death in his life. He was an orphan due to Death's welcoming arms. He was broken because of Death's alluring presence. He was all alone in the world, except for one heartbeat that was fighting to stay with him.

The plastic chair was cold as Kai flung himself on it yet again. It was a continuous rhythm of pacing and sitting; never being able to sit still. He needed to move, to feel like he was doing something even if he wasn't.

It had been hours since Cinder had been taken into surgery. Kai hadn't seen her since the ambulance, where her heart had officially stopped. The doctors had been able to start it again, but still weren't sure if she would make it.

Kai had gotten to the hospital just past two in the morning with Jacin, Winter, and Kinney. Kai hadn't wanted to drive by himself, and everyone else had been taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

All the others who had been at Luna Hospital were being kept at Commonwealth Hospital. Surprisingly enough, very few of them had been extremely injured, the worst of them all being Cinder, Iko and Thorne. Everyone was expected to make a full recovery. Well, everyone except Cinder. They didn't know what would happen to her.

Kai began his pacing again, trying to rid his mind of its sad lament. He blamed himself that Cinder was not okay. He cursed the fact that he had lost it when he saw Cinder. He should have been on top of everything. He should have remained calm and focused on saving Cinder, rather than going to pieces like he had.

The nauseating smell of blood permeated the sterile hospital air, giving Kai the urge to gag. When he had been taken to the hospital they had given him clean clothes and offered him a chance to shower, though he had declined the latter. He didn't want to miss Cinder, no matter what condition he was in.

Others had been in and out of the waiting room, bringing words of comfort and condolences. All of them had been trying to help soften the pain, though every single one had just made it worse.

Kai hated when people tried to comfort him. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate that they cared, but the fact that he was trying to forget the pain. He didn't want someone to tell him that they were sorry and to hug him, or even someone to just sit in silence with him. What he needed was a person who would distract him from it all, someone to quiet the pain within him, not throw salt in the wound.

Maybe that was why Kai had bonded so well with Cinder. They hadn't even been on a first name basis until a few weeks ago, but had helped each other navigate through the pain of losing someone loved and dear.

From the moment that Kai had met Cinder he felt a connection. It was like they were best friends that had known each other for years, immediately getting along with each other. She was one of the only good things left in his crazy life.

Thoughts of everything that had happened kept swirling through Kai's brain as began his pacing again. He was so caught up in his mind that he didn't notice that the door had opened, revealing a nurse in blue scrubs.

"Mister," The dark skinned nurse called to him, breaking his endless train of speculating. "Come with me."

"Is Cinder awake?" Kai asked, his voice peaking with hope.

The nurse looked at him patiently before repeating herself. "Come with me."

Kai did as he was told.

Hospital rooms were no new occurrence to Kai, seeing how his father was a doctor and founder of the very hospital Kai stood in. The particular room that the middle age nurse led him to now was the same as any other: white, sterile, and smelling of liquid cleaner.