Deadly Past (A serial killer novel) - FINISHED

Chapter 22

Hugh doesn't feel any pain, only the force of the bullet cutting into his abdomen. The force knocks him to ground. At first he doesn't register that he has been shot. Carl is standing in front of him ready to shoot him again. Two more gunshots fire. Hugh sees Carl's body fall to the ground next to him. There is blood streaming out of Carl's body from the two wounds in his chest. When Hugh looks up, he sees Peter standing in the doorway. "We need a doctor in here. My friend has been shot!" he hears Peter scream down the hallway. He looks down at his stomach. There is blood pumping from the bullet hole. The pain is setting in and he feels a panic shoot through him. "Hugh, what have you gotten yourself into?" Peter asks before kneeling next to him. He places his hands on the wound. "Just hold in there. Help is on its way," he says. There is a sound of fear in his voice. Hugh can feel the muscles in his stomach tightening as the pain keeps getting worse. He feels lightheaded as he starts floating in and out of consciousness. "Hugh, listen to me, you are going to make it through this," Peter says. His heart is beating fast as he sees the blood and the expression of disorientation on Hugh's face. Sara is crying hysterically. Peter looks at her to see if she is hurt. "Did he hurt you, Sara?" Peter asks. She shakes her head to let him know that she isn't hurt. Hugh loses his consciousness. "No, no, no! Hugh stay with me," Peter says. A nurse runs into the room. "What happened?" she asks with a voice filled with shock. "That doesn't matter now. My friend is going to die if you don't help him immediately," Peter yells at her. "The doctor is on his way," she says and kneels next to Hugh on the opposite side of Peter. "Sir, please stand back so we can help your friend," she says. Peter obeys and steps back. More nurses and a doctor enter the room. They assess Hugh's condition. "His breathing is weak. He needs an endotracheal tube," the doctor says to one of the nurses. She runs out of the room to get the tube. Another nurse enters with a gurney. "We have to get him on the gurney immediately," the doctor says. With the help of the nurses Hugh is lifted onto the gurney. The doctor unbuttons Hugh's shirt to get a clear view of the wound. The nurse returns with the tube. Peter looks away as they insert the tube down Hugh's throat. One of the nurses is assisting Sara and gives her something to calm her down while Peter just watches helplessly. "The endotracheal tube Is working. His breathing is improving," the doctor says. He is assessing the wound. "There is a lot of free fluid. It looks like the bullet punctured his stomach. We have to operate immediately," the doctor says. Peter feels the panic fill his body. "We will have someone from the morgue pick up the body as soon as possible," one of the nurses says to Peter before they wheel Hugh out of the room. "This is your friend's phone," she adds. "Will he make it?" Peter asks. "It is too soon to tell, but we will keep you updated on his condition," she says before leaving the room too. Peter is left standing there not knowing what to do next. He looks at his bloodstained hands. He feels sick just thinking about what happened minutes ago. He doesn't even want to think about what would have happened if he didn't come to the hospital. He puts the phone down and walks over to the sink to wash his hands. He watches as the blood runs down the drain. The blood that was just in Hugh's body. As he dries his hands, he sends up a prayer for Hugh's survival. When he is done, he looks at Sara who is hyperventilating. He knows that she needs him now. He walks over to the bed and wraps his arms around her shaking body. "I am so sorry that you had to witness that," he says softly. He holds her for a few seconds before he lets go. "I will call your mom so she can be here with you," Peter says. He is trying to seem calm on the outside, because on the inside he is falling apart. His body is in shock from the events that just played out. He looks at Carl's body lying on the floor and feels rage. If Hugh doesn't make it, it will all be Carl's fault. It would be the second time that people get away with murder in a very short time. Peter picks up Hugh's phone and wipes the blood from it with a cloth. He unlocks the phone and sees the picture of Hugh and the kids on the screen. He doesn't know what he is going to say to them. He decides to call Miranda first. He finds her number on Hugh's phone and calls her. He walks into the hallway before she answers. "Hello Hugh. Did you manage to see her?" Miranda asks as she answers the phone. "Miranda, this is Peter. There was an incident at the hospital," Peter says. He hears Miranda drawing in her breath. "Sara is fine. She is just in shock, but Hugh has been shot. I think you should come down here to be with Sara," Peter says. "What happened?" she asks. Her voice is filled with confusion. "The man who followed Sara, escaped. He wanted to kill her, but Hugh stopped him," Peter says. "Where is he now?" she asks. "I killed him," Peter says. The words feel strange to say over the phone. "I will be there in fifteen minutes," Miranda says and hangs up the phone. Just before Peter can call the police, a nurse approaches the door with someone from the morgue. "They are going to remove the body, and then Sara will be moved to the room next to this one," she says. "Thank you," Peter says. "You can go wait for news on your friend in the waiting room. I can show you where it is," she says. "I just want to talk to Sara quickly. Her mom is on the way here. Is it okay if she stays with Sara for a while?" Peter asks. "There shouldn't be a problem, seeing the circumstances we are in," the nurse says. "I won't be long," Peter says before he enters the room for a last time. Sara is calmer now as the medicine starts working. "Your mom is on her way, but I have to leave now. I will let you know how Hugh is doing as soon as I get news on him," Peter says. "Thank you," Sara says before Peter leaves the room. "Are you ready to go to the waiting room?" the nurse asks. "Yes," Peter replies.