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Chapter 5: Go Team, Go!

Chapter 5: Go Team, Go!

 "He's dead!" Troy shouts hysterically, falling face-down over Max's seemingly lifeless body. "I'm sorry, everyone, but he's dead."

Jay sighs from beside me, stating the obvious, "I can literally see him breathing." 

Troy lifts his head off of Max's torso. "But there's no heartbeat."

Max suddenly lifts his head and shoves Troy away, having just woken up. "What's going on?" He asks, confused, before groaning in pain. He squints up at us, his body weak and limp.

"Zombie attack!" Troy shouts, jumping back in fear, using Jezel as a living shield. "It's happening!"

"Babe..." Jezel clears her throat in frustration, running a hand through her soft, brown hair while reprimanding him, "now's not the time for jokes."

I can't really blame Troy, he's just trying to lighten the mood in his own weird way. He's just as tense as the rest of us.

"Yeah, and besides, zombies only eat brains, so you're safe," I tell Troy with a genuine smile.

"As I have said before, Mr. Bensten, Max is going to make a full recovery," the doctor reassures Troy a fourth time. "He's on pain medication for his broken rib. We've checked for brain injuries. Looks clear. He should be fine. He's just tired from the spike in his Adrenalin," he gestures over to Max who is struggling to pull himself into an upright position. "He'll probably be released tonight still."

"What exactly happened?" I find myself asking the same question again, still reeling in shock. I'm just grateful Max is okay.

"It was at an intersection. A car went over on red and hit them from the passenger side," the doctor informs us, refusing to give us details. "Their car is a write-off," he concludes before leaving the room to check on his other patients.

Somebody has to work on their bedside manners.

Max's eyes widen at the memory. "Bell! Where's Bell?!" He asks frantically, ready to get up and go find her himself. The nurses hear the commotion and rush in. They try push him back down on the hospital bed but he fights them. "No! Where's my wife?!" He angrily yells, desperately searching our faces for an answer.

Jay helps me contain Max. In a paired effort, we push him back down and force him to relax. He pales, finding it painful and difficult to breathe.

"Shallow breaths, my man," Jay advises, adjusting the bed with a remote to help Max sit more comfortably.

"Aqueela..." Max looks to me in hopelessness, his breathing sharp and his voice breaking as a wave of sadness begins to consume him.

I shoot Jay a concerned look before taking a seat on the bed so that I'm sitting beside Max. I grab his hand in mine. "There's something we need to talk about, Max," I bravely start and then stop when I see his brown eyes start to tear up -- I can't be the one doing this to him. "And Jay's going to gladly tell you all about it," I say, immediately backing out.

Jay takes over from me, aware that I can't do it -- there's not enough stone in me to do it. "Bell is going to be fine. Fortunately, no spinal injuries. She's has a severe concussion but she's being continuously monitored. She's unconscious and stable. She's being treated for three broken ribs and a fractured leg too."

Max lets out a breath of relief. "That's good. I'm just glad that we left our kids by their grandparents. If they were in the car when..." He falters in realization, only remembering now. "And our baby?" He asks, his expression morphing to one of horror.