Tina and Greg come running in at the sound of my scream.
“Benjamin! Oh, thank God! We thought it might be you both, I was terrified.” Tina is crying, holding my hand and giving it tiny kisses. Greg stands behind her, giving me a sad, watery smile. But I don’t care—I don’t hear the rest.
We thought it might be you both, I was terrified.
Aaron. No. No, no, no.
“Tina—where is Aaron?” She looks up at her husband. A question in her eyes—can he handle it?I don’t care. “AARON!” I’m screaming. He’ll come. He’ll hear me, he always hears me.
“Don’t you think that whoever controls a god is truly the most powerful being? You called. I came.”
He’ll come. He will.
“Bear, baby—listen.” I’m breathing heavily, looking back up at her from my place on the bed. “Aaron… He hasn’t woken up.”
“What?” I heard her wrong.
“It’s been a day—they think he’s in a coma. You showed some signs of stirring but he… he hasn’t.” I heard her wrong.
“You’re a liar.” Tina startles—I look away from her. “I want to see him. Please take me to him right now.” I stand up shakily, grabbing the rolling IV bag and walking around the bed. I’m in those ugly hospital clothes but at least my ass isn’t out.
“I don’t think—”
“Tina—let him.” Greg says solemnly. “He has to see for himself. He’s next door—493.” I nod and leave the room. It only takes me asecond to get there—Felix and Kayla sitting in chairs by the window. Felix jumps up when I enter but stays where he’s standing.
“Bear!” I pay him no mind.
Aaron is on the hospital bed and he’s breathing.Alive. But yeah—he’s not awake. A coma. A fucking coma. I did this—I did this to him. What if he never wakes up?
I walk to his side, staring down at him, running my fingers along his jaw.
“Oh God.” It’s a brutal, horrible sound when it leaves me. A sob and a scream and a plea to a god who can’t hear me. “I’m sorry. Aaron—I’m sorry.”
“Bear—”
“Leave him.” Kayla is crying as she speaks.
“Baby please—please wake up.” I’m holding his face with both hands now, peering down at him, my tears falling all over him. “I’ll be good. I’ll eat and I’ll talk. I promise. Please don’t leave me, I get it now.I get it! I won’t do it to you—I won’t die. Please!Little Blue Bird—don’t leave me here!” I’m sobbing, lying on his chest, gripping as much of him as I can.
“Sir, we need you to go back to your bed—you’re still recovering.”
“Don’t touch me.” They can’t separate us—not now. “Aaron—Aaron listen to me. I will do anything for you to open your eyes right now. I know you can hear me, you always hear me. No matter what. I love you—please. I’ll leave the house. I’ll see our friends, I’ll even let you fuck me in the kitchen if that’s what it takes.” Someone spits out their drink, but I don’t care to see who. “I’ll stay alive—I won’t die at my own hands. But only if you come back to me. Aaron, wake up. Right now. Tell me you love me. Say you’ll fix it.” I’m commanding him through sobs—holding his face again, more desperate by the second.
“Sir, you need to—”
“Aaron—wake up. Stop fucking with me. Get up.”
“Benjam—”
“Aaron Archer!Wake the fuck up! Please—wake up, I love you. I—” There are two security guards grabbing me, pulling me and my stand away from my Aaron. I continue to scream. “NO! AARON PLEASE—AARON! I LOVE YOU.”
I think they sedate me—but I’m unsure. I’m waking to those monitors again, my anxiety and terror picking up right where it left off.
“Aaron!” I try to sit up but to my surprise my hands and feet are strapped down. I yank at them, grunting against the pain, the panic.
“Bear—you’re hurting yourself.” I stop, looking to my right. Felix sits there alone, eyes swollen and red, frowning. “Stop it.”
“Let me out.” I tell him.
