Forever Yours

Chapter 28: Marcus Mitchell

Darkness engulfed me again. But this kind was different. I wanted to open my eyes but it was next to impossible. I couldn't move either no matter what nero-messages I was sending to my body.

"His body is shutting down, get him to surgery!"

I heard things like that for the first part of the darkness. Then my body became cooler and I saw snippets of my life flash before me twice before blackness took over again. I was stuck here but I could still hear. It was silent for a bit while a machine beeped. Then sobbing and my brother's voice, "I'm so sorry. I'm so...sorry."

Why was he sorry? What's going on? Was I...dead? I couldn't be, I could still hear them and if I was a spirit, I could see them. I wanted to tell him not to worry but my thoughts weren't manifesting into speaking. I heard more crying. Chris's voice came next, "Please wake up. I don't know what I'll do if you don't."

I could hear them but couldn't see them or touch them. I wanted them to know that everything was okay. I did what needed to be done but why couldn't I open my eyes?

Then the voice I've been waiting to hear appeared, "Marcus. Oh God."

Evan's cry had me wanting to touch his face but I couldn't get my arms to cooperate. I had to settle for just thinking. That was exhausting as well. The time ran slow after that. I didn't know if it was morning or nighttime. I would drift into actual sleep but then I'll hear voices. It was usually Darrius and Chris doing the most talking.

"He shouldn't have gotten behind me man," I heard him cry, "Why would he do that? He knew I would have taken the bullets."

"That's why dumb dumb," Chris laughed but his voice was shaky, "He was trying to protect you like we always did for him."

"But he shouldn't have done it, Chris! I'm his older brother and I...I failed at doing the one thing I was supposed to do. Again."

"That's not true baby," Caleb's sweet voice interjected for me, "You have always been a great brother to him and that's why he did it."

"Yeah man," Chris added, "He wouldn't want you to put all this on your back. He would be doing the same thing for you if y'all were in different positions."

The room was silent again and then I heard Darrius whispers, "Has Evan picked up anyone's calls?"

"Not mine," Chris answers.

"Not mine either," Caleb answers too.

"He hasn't picked up Gabe from Leo either."

My heart rate monitor begins to beep faster hearing about Evan but they didn't think nothing of it as Darrius says, "He needs time. I don't blame him. He didn't even want to leave the first time."

"He probably hasn't left the bed in three days."

Did they just say three days? I really thought it was just another day but three? Why hasn't he come back in three days?  I don't even know what I look like for him not to want to come and see me. However, I did feel the weight of the days that they said have passed. Even though they couldn't see it, I had become extremely tired. Fighting to wake myself up and trying to move a limb or even just blink my eyes was draining.

I was beginning to think my body didn't want to move or my brain wanted to rest. I guess now would be the perfect time to take a nap again. The voices muted into nothing as I let my subconscious take over. My dreams were becoming more vivid everyday. However, this one just left me in the dark again.

I knew I was dreaming because I'll usually hear voices but nothing was happening. That is until my shoulder hit what I thought was a door. I pushed against it again and fell into a brightly lit room. My eyes adjusted as a tall figure appeared in front of me.