Panic fought to break through the surface again. I knew I should call an ambulance, but every second that ticked by felt like too long. I couldn't just sit here and wait for someone to come.
I made a snap decision and hooked one arm under Rowan's shoulders and the other under his knees. With a steadying breath, I lifted him gently, keeping his head tucked against my shoulder to try to keep him still. He let out a small whimper, and I forced myself to stay calm, cradling him as securely as I could.
Mrs Cavanagh watched with wide eyes as I turned to face her.
"I'm taking him to A&E. Can you – " I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from grunting. The muscles in my arm were already protesting the weight. "Can you get the doors for me?"
She nodded immediately and shuffled ahead to open the door to the outside hallway. I followed as quickly as I could without jarring Rowan too much.
By the time I reached the stairs, Mrs Cavanagh was well ahead of me, already holding the front door. I adjusted my grip on Rowan as I carefully made my way down the steps. Each breath he took was still too shallow, and I could feel a faint tremor running through his body.
As soon as I stepped outside, Mrs Cavanagh hurried around me and scanned the street. "No taxis," she muttered, looking frustrated. "There's usually a few parked down here this time of day."
Of course. On today of all days, there wouldn't be a cab in sight.
I braced Rowan tighter against me, fighting the urge to let my arms give out. Despite the discomfort, I started off down the road. "Fuck it, I'll walk. It's not that far." I could carry him there quicker than they could load up their gear and get here.
She didn't argue. She just called after me, "Take care of him, Elias! Keep me updated!"
I kept my steps as steady as possible, even as I picked up the pace. Rowan was heavier than he looked, and my arms were starting to shake from the effort of holding onto him. My grip kept slipping, so I had to readjust every few steps to keep him from sliding.
I instinctively pulled him closer to try to shield him as a gust of wind cut through the air. His head slumped against my shoulder, and I had to fix my hold again. "Hang in there, Ro. I've got you."
He probably couldn't hear me, but I needed to keep talking. I needed to keep my focus on him and not the gnawing panic clawing at my insides.
The walk felt endless. Rowan only lived a few streets from the hospital, but now as I carried him, it felt farther than Iremembered. Every step jarred my arms, and the ache began to settle deep into my muscles. But I didn't dare stop.
My thoughts kept spinning, latching onto everything and anything. A seething anger bubbled up in my chest, and I had to force it down. Anger wasn't useful right now. Rowan needed me to keep moving and keep my head to get him help.
I tightened my hold when I needed to adjust him again. The ache in my arms grew sharper, and I gritted my teeth as I forced myself to keep going. I could feel his breath on my neck. Too faint and uneven, but at least it was there. It meant he was still alive.
Then I thought I felt him stir. It was slight, just a tiny movement of his head. I glanced down, nearly stumbling in my relief. I kept my voice soft so I wouldn't startle him. "Rowan. Hey, you with me?"
A muffled sound came from him, a groan more than anything, but he moved again, and I felt his fingers tighten weakly against my hoodie.
I steadied him against me to keep him upright. "Come on, Ro, stay awake."
He made another faint noise, a rasping breath that broke into a cough that sounded like it hurt. I slowed just a little to keep him steady, fighting the urge to stop altogether to check on him. If I set him down, I knew I wouldn't be able to pick him up again.
"Eli..." His voice was barely above a whisper, strained and thick with pain.
I leaned down a bit to make sure he could hear me. "Yeah, I'm here, Ro."
His head tipped back just a little, and his eyes cracked open, though they didn't seem to focus on anything. I could really see the bruising and swelling on his face now. I had to swallow a fresh wave of anger.
"Rowan, what happened?" I asked, trying to keep myvoice steady. "Can you tell me?"
He didn't speak right away. His eyes slipped shut again before he mumbled into my shoulder.
I leaned closer. "What was that?"
His lips moved, and I caught it this time. "I'm ... sorry..."
That nearly stopped me cold. Why the hell was he apologising? He was the one covered in bruises and barely conscious.
I held him a little tighter and forced the words out. "You don't have anything to be sorry for."
His head moved against my shoulder like he couldn't quite find a comfortable spot. I could still feel him shaking, though I couldn't tell if it was from shock or pain. I forced my legs to keep the same even pace despite the intense burning in my arms.
