Graffiti Boy

Chapter 19 - The Hospital Incident

I dropped to the floor clutching Eli in my arms, "Eli, say something!"

He didn't respond.

I quickly checked for a pulse and for his breathing.

I couldn't feel anything.

"HE'S NOT BREATHING!" I shrieked, the tears were flowing down my cheeks.

This wasn't happening.

"I'm calling the ambulance," Dad told me frantically.

Xavier dropped his gun and ran to Eli, "Elijah, wake up, you don't get to die on me."

I heard the sound of Andrea chuckling, "This is what happens when you mess with me."

I didn't think twice, I grabbed Eli's gun from his waistband and pulled the trigger.

Andrea collapsed to the floor.

Lifeless.

"And that's what happens when you cross me, psycho."

I dropped beside Eli again and stripped off his shirt. I began chest compressions. I wasn't a doctor of any sorts but I had done my CPR training. I prayed that it would work. I kept on performing chest compressions, increasing my force with every push.

Eli began to cough up blood.

Crap. That signified internal bleeding.

He was breathing though, which was a good sign.

"The ambulance will be here in two minutes," Dad informed me.

That was good news.

I gently turned Eli over to examine the bullet wound. It had hit him near the middle of his spine, which was a critical place to be shot.

"Riley, get my bag, there's a ton of bandage inside of it," I commanded.

Riley ran out of the hall.

"Xavier, do you have alcohol swabs anywhere?"

Xavier stood up immediately, "I'll be right back with them."

Riley returned with my bags and Xavier with the alcohol swabs.

"Val?" Eli coughed out.

I hushed him and squeezed his hand, "You're going to be okay, I promise."

I cleaned Eli's wound with the alcohol swabs, causing him to wince. I apologized over and over/ My hands were shaking horribly, I had never been this scared before. The tears were streaming down my face. The blood kept seeping in through the fabric of the bandage.

"Ma'am please move out of the way so that we can help this young man."

I looked up to find that the ambulance had arrived. I moved out of the way. A man and a woman placed Eli on a stretcher and rolled him out of the hall.

There was blood all over Eli's hoodie, I couldn't tell if it was his or mine. The blood was still trickling down my forehead, it had thickened and my skin felt sticky.

I was beginning to panic.

I couldn't lose him, not after everything we'd been through. He had literally taken a bullet for me and my heart was aching. I was a sobbing mess. I just wanted him to be okay. I just wanted to see him smile and hear him laugh.

Riley came towards me pulling me into a strong embrace, "He's going to be all right, no guy like Eli goes down because of one bullet."

Dad came over and hugged me too, "Let's follow them to the hospital."