The first thing he's aware of is that he's both there, and at the same time, he isn't. He's both lighter than air and heavy enough to sink to the bottom of the unforgiving ocean. His state of consciousness is somewhere between awake and asleep, and there's this intense pain eating away at his very being.
After a few moments, the white begins to fade. He's aware of the sounds of sirens and people shouting. It's all so very close right now, and yet so very far. Slowly, slowly, it begins to become much more clear, much more there.
His eyes open, and he's suddenly in the middle of a dark street. It's the middle of the night, and there's a fire being put out. He can smell the smoke in the air, along with burning oil. Looking around, he notes the twisted metal of what can only be a car pressed up against the light pole down the street.
"…Losing him! Where's the goddamn stretcher!?"
He snaps to attention, looking ahead of him and down. It makes his eyes go wide, because there, on the asphalt of the street, is a boy with spiky brown hair. He's laid out, and a medic is performing CPR while checking his vitals. There's another there, too, and soon the boy on the ground is being lifted onto a stretcher.
It's him. He's looking at himself, and he can only follow along with a look of horror on his face. What's going on? He can tell, thanks to the machine in the back of the truck, that he's alive—at least for now. But he can't remember what happe—
Tonight had been amazing. They'd gone on a date. Dinner and a show, just for him. Dinner had been fantastic—fancy but amazing. Roast duck, something he likes to cook but has never been treated to. Delicious sides. He'd never been to a gourmet Chinese restaurant.
Afterward, they'd gone to the show. A concert at his boyfriend's favorite club—where said boyfriend sang a song just for him. And there, in the middle of it all, during a newly written song—the song written for him…
He'd gotten down on one knee. There'd been a ring, and pure joy filled him. There'd never been a happier moment in his life. A proposal, and he'd said yes. The ring, while heavy, fit his finger perfectly. It has a beautiful, heart-shaped diamond set into it.
They're in the car, laughing and just enjoying life. He's driving, his fiancé. They're already planning out the wedding—hardly traditional in the least. They'll get married on the beach, with as many family and friends as they'll be able to fit. It'll be big, and they'll be happy and go off on a cruise for their honeymoon. Not like they can't afford it.
The screeching of tires suddenly put an end to the laughter. There's a scream and a sudden force to his side. He feels them both pulled across the way, right into something hard. He's awake, can hear someone calling for help.
He can't breathe right. There's pain in his chest, and he's hit his head somewhere. There's something wet staining his front, right around the painful place. There's a cloud over his vision, and it's becoming increasingly harder to stay awake. He hurts, and the calls for help are growing more distant. He just wants to sleep, just for a little while, even though someone's calling his name. Even though someone's shaking him… Even though his dreams are slipping away with his—
It all comes crashing down on him then, the memories of what all had happened that night. His eyes flicker to the precious stone on his hand. It's still there, but now it's stained red by blood. There's a hole in his chest from there something pierced him. He's bleeding, his body's eyes wide.
"Hurry up! I don't know how long the kid'll last!" the paramedic calls up to the front of the ambulance. They're moving fast, as fast as they can. But still, the erratic heartbeat tells him that it's a race against time. He prays, then, that they make it.
"I'm going as fast as I can! These people won't get out of the fucking way! Just stabilize him, it'll be only a little bit longer!" the driver calls back, and the medics work hard to keep the body alive. He can only watch on, watch as they try their hardest.
"Please… Please, I don't wanna die… Not when everything was going so perfectly…" he whispers, though no one can hear him. He wants to cry, but can only watch. Had he any breath in this form, he'd be holding it. But alas, he does not, so he remains entirely silent and watches.
"What happened to him, anyway?" the other medic asks, and his friend looks up quietly. There's a moment of silence—he's stabilized for now, apparently, even though he's watching from the corner. Fingers gently brush soft brown bangs from closed eyes.
"He was driving home with his boyfriend, it seems. Some drunk moron ran a red light, crashed right into them. The other guy managed to get out pretty fine, he'll just need a few bones set and to be checked for internal bleeding. This guy, though… Guy plowed them through construction work. A metal pipe went through the window and right into this kid's chest."
Oh. So that's what happened. It makes sense of everything now, but now he's worried. What about him? What about his boyfriend?
Suddenly, the inside roars to life. The heart monitor lets out a loud sound, and the medics have to hurry. Their charge is dying, his heart giving out. There are numerous things called, the paddles pulled out. They have to revive him, they're almost there. Just a few more minutes, and they'll be there.
"Clear!"
There's a charge and the body jumps. No response beyond that, so they go again. It's the same product. Again. And again. And again.
His eyes are wide, and he can only stare in disbelief.
"…We've lost him." says the first medic. There's a collective sigh, the driver shaking his head and slowing down. No real reason to hurry anymore. The second looks to the side now, and all is silent a moment.
"…Time of death: three-twenty-nine AM."
There's a rushing sound as the ambulance leaves him behind, still standing in mid-air. He's shaking from disbelief, unable to understand what's going on. Not wanting to, either. Instead, he just stands there, allowing cars to pass through him.
The horrible sound of the monitor displaying his own flatlining heart still rings in his ears.