Luke's Choice || Luke Brooks

Aimed At One Of Us

There was a loud bang which came from my right. My first instinct was to reach for Luke and pull him down to the ground to avoid anything. Then I remember we were with Jai also, but when I turned to pull Jai down, he was already down, but gushing with blood.

I look over to my right, in the direction of the bang, but see no one. It was definitely a gun shot. Definitely aimed at one of us.

Snapping back to my senses, I quickly take my phone out of my pocket and call the police and an ambulance.

When I see the small pool of blood forming around Jai, I take off my jacket and roll it up. I push it into Jai's wound, applying more and more pressure by the second.

"Wha- What just ha- happened?" Luke stutters. He is so shocked he can't even move.

"Someone shot at us, stay down and wait until the police come." I tell him. It's taking all I've got just to stay calm for Luke and Jai's sake.

He stutters an ok and stays down as I told him to.

It takes a good few minutes for the ambulance to arrive, quickly followed by the police.

The ambulance take Jai into their vehicle while the police call for backup and search the area. The driver makes me and Luke come as well, obviously just to make sure we are ok and safe.

It has only now fully sunk in what has happened. Jai has been shot. One of my closest friends has been shot. My boyfriends brother has been shot. He is losing a lot of blood. Losing blood is a really bad thing, which can lead to other really bad things.

I scream internally.

Medics begin checking Jai over and talking really fast to one another. I have no idea what they are saying, but it sounds to me that Jai isn't in good shape at the moment.

After what feels like years, we finally make it to the hospital. Jai is wheeled out on the stretcher, while me and Luke are made to walk into separate rooms with two doctors looking me over.

After about fifteen minutes, I am told that I am fine, and can leave the hospital. Of course, I am not going to do that.

As soon as I leave the room I was in, I rush to the reception and ask the lady where Jai is.

Ward 3. Room 16.

Great.

I make my way to ward 3 as fast as physically possible. The corridor is long.

Room 1.

Room 2.

The rest are all a blur. I stop focusing on the numbers for a while.

Room 14.

Getting closer.

Room 15.

Room 16.

I stand outside for a few seconds. Preparing myself, and composing myself. I can't just barge in. I need to mentally prepare for what condition Jai could be in, and make sure I'm quiet and civil.

My hands shake as I push the door open.

I am seeing six beds. This can't be right, can it?

I quickly scan the room, and see a middle-aged woman, an older man, a young man, and three empty beds. I assume the worst and drop to my knees as I come to the realisation that Jai is gone.

"Are you okay?" The young man asks me, with a concerned tone to his voice.

"Not really." I manage to stutter out.

"I'll just call the nurse for you," he politely tells me. He fumbles at his side and presses the buzzer.

I faintly smile at him and then sigh, annoyed with myself for not protecting Jai.

"Dear, are you okay?" A small nurse kneels down so we are on the same level.

"No. Can you tell me, has Jai Brooks died?" I can barely bring myself to ask the last four words.

A confused look spreads across her face. "Jai Brooks? Was he in this ward?"

"Well yes. The woman at the reception told me he was here." I say, getting slightly impatient now.

"Just wait a minute, I will check the records. I'm pretty sure there's never been a Jai Brooks here." She tells me and quickly goes off to consult the record book.

I wait for her to come back while the man tries to make small talk with me. He's just being kind, I'm not in the mood, but I try to be polite back.

After a long few minutes, she returns. "Jai Brooks has not died," she starts, I sigh in relief and wait for her to continue. "He is definitely here in the hospital, the reception just gave you the wrong ward. He is actually in ward 4, room 16. Sorry for the inconvenience." She smiles and I start to go to ward 4.

It is quite close to where I was before actually, so it only takes about a minute to get there.

As soon as I push open the door, I am ushered out by a nurse.

I only get a quick glance inside the room. From that, I can make out someone, Jai, on the bed, getting operated on by several doctors.

Panic raises in me. "What has happened to him? Is he okay? Why is he being operated on? Why can't I go in there?"

"One question at a time please." The nurse says, while escorting me to a waiting room.

"Okay em why is he being operated on?" I ask first.

"Well, your boyfriend has had various injuries, we are looking at quite severe things here, maybe brain damage, or something along those lines." She starts.

"Jai isn't my boyfriend." I state, unsure of what else to say. I want to cry, but I feel like I used all my tears a few minutes ago, and nothing comes, just a pain in my chest.

"Oh, sorry. Is there anything else you would like to know?" She asks me.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"Well if you mean 'is he going to make it?' Then yes, he is. But we don't think he will ever make a full recovery, he could have bad brain damage for the rest of his life." She pushes herself closer to me and rubs my back. It's comforting, but slightly annoying.