Rocky Shores

Somebody Catch My Breath

This chapter's song: Goner by Twenty One Pilots and Blame by Air Traffic Controller

~~Rocky's POV~~

Marshall's firetruck's siren blared in Rocky's ears. His thoughts were muddled, memory faint, and his head was pounding.
"Where... what happened?" He asked weakly.
Rider's head shot up and he was at Rocky's side in an instant.
"Oh thank goodness you're alright! You've only been out for twelve minutes. Right now we're headed to the hospital, just hang tight," Rider informed.
"Hospital? What happened?" Rocky mumbled.
Rider's face fell. "You don't remember?"
Rocky shook his head.
"Wally and Captain Turbott found you and Zuma unconscious on the beach," Rider said, concern lacing every word, "He said you almost drowned."
Rocky's eyes widened with panic. "What about Zuma?" He cried.
"Right beside you... but,"
Rocky leapt to uneasy feet and looked around frantically. When he spotted Zuma's passive form beside him he nosed him gently, "Zoom?"
"But, his heart wasn't beating when we found him."

"No... No!" Rocky protested, "I went after him!" He began to cry, "I tried my hardest to get him to shore, I swear!"
Rider meet his eyes solemnly.
"I know you tried your hardest. You even faced your fear of water, and I'm proud of you! Zuma still has a chance." Rider consoled him, "We're here!" He suddenly shouted and the truck lurched to a stop.

Rider was on his feet in an instant, Zuma in his arms. Rocky stayed at his heels all the way to the emergency ward. Two nurses where already waiting with a pup-sized stretcher. Rocky tried to follow them down the hallway but his collar jolted him backwards. The latch of a leash clicked into place on Rocky's collar and he cursed under his breath.
"Rider! I need to be there! You need to be there! Surely you understand!?"
"The nurses need space to work," said Rider quietly, his expresion unreadable.

Rocky felt as if he had been waiting forever. Hours? Days? He couldnt tell. He didnt care. Time seemed to pass faster to dogs than to humans, but to Rocky it was agonizingly slow. When the nurse finally beconed them in, Rocky was immediately at the door.  He paused for a moment instictively, waiting for Rider to enter first, as he was trained. His tail wagged anxiously as his eyes darted from Rider to the door. Rider nodded permission to enter.

Zuma's bed was raised above Rocky's vision for the convenince of the doctors. Before he could ask to be lifted, Rider already had him.
"Do you want a moment alone with him?" Rider asked gently.
"Um," Rocky hesitated, slightly embarrassed, "Yes please, if you dont mind."

It wasn't nearly as bad as Rocky had imagined. Though he had an IV in his wrist and an oxygen mask, Zuma seemed realitively fine. Rocky was relieved to see Zuma's chest rise and fall steadily. He nuzzled his friend.
"Zoom?"
Zuma blinked, "Wocky?"
"Yes! Its me!" Rocky cried happily, licking the top of Zuma's head gingerly. "Are you okay? How do you feel?" prompted Rocky.
"Am I okay?" Zuma shook his head, "Awe you okay? You dove in aftew me even though you'wr scawed of watew! Do you even know how to swim?" Zuma exclaimed.
Rocky stared at him in shock.
"I thought you where gone! I was so worried. That whole time you where out you where worried about me?"
"Of couwse!"
"Oh god well atleast you're safe now," Rocky sighed.

"Wait..." Rocky pushed his face closer to Zuma's, "Whats this? What happened?" He pointed to a dark swollen bruise over Zuma's left eye.
"I must have hit a wock or something," Zuma shrugged. He lifted a paw and placed it over Rocky's left eye where the fur darkened and formed a spot.
"Now im just like you," Zuma said weakly, smiling.

"Oh Zoom im so sorry, this is my fault," Rocky said.
"What awe you talking about? You had no contwol ovew that situation. Thewe was nothing you could do." Zuma consoled him.

"Zuma could really use some rest now," a nurse interupted. Neither pup had noticed her enter.
"Can- can i stay with him?" Rocky pleaded.
"Of course, but dont disturb him while he rests," the nurse consented.
Rocky layed down beside Zuma and nuzzled his brown fur. It was still damp.
"Thank you," Zuma whispered.
Rocky could only nod and snuggle him closer.

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Im going to start adding songs to each chapter and make a playlist for the book. Ive seen a few other authors do this is and i thought it would be cool because i love music so much!

Please let me know if you have suggestions for other songs to go with past chapters!