Double Crossed

Chapter 26~Drake

I must've fallen asleep in Aria's room because all of a sudden I'm being jarred awake with adrenaline running through my system. I realize why when I see Aria shaking in bed like she's having a seizure. I can just see the white of her eyes peeking out from underneath her eyelids.

I jump from my seat and run out the door in a flash.

"Help! Someone please help!" I yell.

A doctor and four nurses immediately come running into the room and jump into action. They begin looking at the machines and at Aria. All of a sudden Aria stops shaking and just collapses on to the bed.

The doctor begins spewing things I don't understand and can barely hear. A nurse tries to get me to leave but I don't want to. I want to stay with Aria. Only one sound pierces through my panic. It's the sound of Aria's heart beating rapidly. Beating too fast like it's trying to run away from the horrors of the world. Then all of sudden it stops. It stops and only becomes one long beep.

"She's crashing! Someone get me the paddles!" the doctor yells.

The nurse runs over to help. I'm still standing by the door but I can feel my legs growing faint. Aria can't be dead. She was just alive. I was holding her hand.

"Clear!"

Aria's body lurches up as the paddles are placed on her chest. She crashes back down. The nurses are yelling things but nothing is louder than the sound of the flatline. They try again and even a third time. I watch tensely waiting for something to happen but nothing does.

The doctor lets the paddles fall helplessly in his hands as he shakes his head sadly. The nurses look down sympathetically at Aria's still figure which will stay still forever.

I must've made a sound of some sorts because all of a sudden all eyes are on me. They didn't realize I was still standing there. The doctor opens his mouth to say something. But what else can he say? I just saw the girl I love die in front of me.

Before he can say anything I turn around and run out the door. The hospital is a maze of halls which suit my desperate need to get away. I run and no one stops me. Maybe they think I have someone to go to. Maybe I'm too fast for them to stop me. Or maybe they just don't care. I certainly don't anymore but I have to do something to keep from completely blowing up.

I still can't understand what I saw. My mind can't but my heart must because it feels like it's being stabbed repeatedly by a thousand shards of glass. Or it could be from sprinting for almost thirty minutes, but I don't think so.

I wander aimlessly for a long time. When my legs burn out and can no longer carry me I just stop in a hallway and sit against the wall with my knees brought to my chest and my head in my hands. I breathe heavily from the long run and the tears that won't fall.

I thought I knew of every single pain out there. I was there the last night my parents were alive. I heard them get murdered. I never really had anyone growing up. The other mother figure I had died. I moved out when I was barely fourteen and started working like a robot. I've been hit, shot, and stabbed over the years. I was alone. I let Aria go even though it practically killed me. Paul turned out to be my worst enemy, the reason for all my suffering.

I went through all of that and survived. But none of that prepared me for this pain. Losing the love of my life. I feel like I'm going to go insane just at the thought of it.

I'm about to explode. I can feel it. So I take a deep breath, close my eyes tight, and lean down. I stay in that hunched position for hours because if I don't, I'll lose it. No one bothers me. Maybe they can sense I'm a ticking bomb destined to explode. I just sit there hoping I'll die.