I'm With You

Chapter 24

Miguel followed quickly behind Mackenzie, feeling the urge to throw up when they got to the bridge where he first met the girls only this time it was Eira who needed his help. She was slumped against the wall, her hands clamped over her right side but they were already drenched in blood, pooling on the floor. "EIRA!" Miguel yelled, throwing himself onto his knees in front of her as Mackenzie as she dropped down beside Eira, on her right side.

"Eira?!" Mackenzie choked out. Eira's eyes were open in small slits and it was clear how weak she was getting, Miguel could see how quick and uneven her breathing was.

"M... Miguel..." Eira mumbled.

"Yeah, Eira, it's me! I'm gonna help make you better, okay?" Miguel said, raising his voice slightly.

"I'm... s-so... so cold..." Eira choked out, her voice slurred with how much she was struggling to keep herself awake. The pain was all over her body, throbbing from her side.

"You're losing a lot of blood which is what's making you extra cold, but we're gonna get you to a hospital. You have to trust me, Eira. Do you trust me?" He asked, his voice shaky and his eyes burning with tears. Eira was crying too, out of pure fear that she was going to die, crying from the pain, crying at the sight of Miguel. She was sweating with the effort it was taking her to simply breathe, Miguel could hear the labor behind every fast breath. Eira nodded her head once, her eyes locking on his. "Mackenzie, I need you to apply pressure on the wound. Press as hard as you can, it'll slow down the bleeding - Eira is too weak. It's gonna fucking hurt her, but it'll save her life." Miguel demanded and Mackenzie let her tears fall faster as she pressed her hands over Eira's, forcing Eira and herself to apply a lot more pressure to the wound, and Eira's scream of agony echoed through the empty tunnel under the bridge. "Good! Good, keep your hands just like that." Miguel praised Mackenzie, rubbing her arm - he knew how hard it was for the seventeen-year-old to know she was hurting Eira but it had to be done. Eira could easily bleed out and die in front of him if she didn't get help soon and he wasn't prepared to ever let that happen.

He loved her.

Miguel pulled out his phone from his pocket, not hesitating to dial 911.

"Which emergency service do you require?" The operator asked immediately.

"Ambulance. I'm in Greenwood Park, the closest entrance is the east gate and we're under the bridge. My name is Doctor Lagman, I work in the ER of St John's Hospital and I have a twenty-two-year-old girl who's been stabbed on her left side just under her ribcage and she's bleeding heavily." Miguel recited, Mackenzie's tears falling faster as it became suddenly real how serious her big sister's condition was.

"Is she conscious?" The operator asked.

"Yes, but barely. Her breathing is labored and extremely fast. I require medical assistance immediately." Miguel said, his tone completely professional but Mackenzie and Eira could both tell how scared he was, how much he cared.

"An ambulance is on its way to you, Doctor Lagman. They'll be with you in the next three minutes. Do you have a medical supply bag with you?"

"It's in my fucking car, I can't leave her." Miguel choked out.

"No! No, don't leave her. The ambulance will be with you soon, you know to just keep her engaged and to apply pressure to the wound." The operator said and Miguel nodded, even though the woman couldn't see him.

"Thank you." Miguel breathed, before hanging up the phone. "They're on their way, Eira, okay? We're gonna get you the best help! The absolute best help." Miguel vowed.

"You hear that, Eira? You're gonna have the whole hospital running around after you." Mackenzie choked out, forcing a smile even though she was sobbing, terrified that she was going to witness her big sister die after trying to protect her. Eira had no idea the man had a knife, all she knew was that he was attempting to rob her sister.

"I-I love y-you..." Eira's voice was slurred, a pained sob escaping her lips as she gasped, whimpering with the agony the wound was causing her.

"Shut up with that shit, okay? You're not gonna die, so you're not gonna just tell me you love me and go! I won't fucking let you! You never gave up on me when I was sick, so guess what, bitch? I'm not giving up on you. Not now, not ever - because I love you too." Mackenzie choked out. Eira wished more than anything that she could find the strength to talk to her sister, but she could barely breathe. Her vision was blurred, all of her effort and remaining strength going to simply try to keep herself alive. It was as if she could feel herself slipping away.

"I'm... I-I'm s-sorry..." Eira tried to speak more, but it was clear that she couldn't. Miguel shook his head fast, touching her face delicately - although she was sweating, her skin was ice cold.

"There's nothing to be sorry for." He promised her.

The corners of Eira's lips twitched as if she were trying to smile, but she was too weak.

She slipped into unconsciousness.

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:)