The pain seemed to pass through him like a fire licking against every nerve in his body. His mind screaming, a real sound not being to escape through shaking lips. Cold air cascading over his face cooling him mercifully for a few seconds but then the heat continued. His chest was moist, hands shaking as he felt hotter liquid jetting out of a large crater in his chest. He couldn't think coherently. His mind still trying to come to terms with what was happening whilst hoarse ragged breaths left his mouth.
"He's here!" An urgent voice screamed breathlessly. There was the sound of footsteps in the distant, beating against the wet pavement, and a puddle exploding as 2 pairs of feet raced through. More cold water was splashed against his body along with the hot liquid that was escaping the gaping hole in the centre of his chest.
His body shook against the hard black pavement making loud hollow sounds which caused more red liquid to shake itself onto the ground, leaving trails of wet sensations down his sides. Even more liquid seemed to be escaping, the heat ebbing away. Whilst the air was so cold but the pain was so hot, still burning into his senses. Squeezing his eyes shut, he attempted to dry swallow.
"Oh my God... Tai!… I t-think he's been… Sweet Jesus!" The first voice was loosing its composure, its breath coming in and out in huge gulps almost as if the person were hyperventilating.
"For god sake call the ambulance!" Another voice snapped. The voice's breath came closer down, soft air pressing against his cheek. "Ok just stay calm, he's getting help! I think…Tai... are you there?" Then there was a swift movement of the voice's head which made more cool air swirl into the flushed cheeks of the broken figure on the pavement.
Heat was soon being replaced coolness, but it was more violent, the warm liquid that left trails in his clothes and felt as though it was freezing into his skin instead of providing more heat. He shook more, trying to get back some warmth. But all he got was a numb pain which no longer resembled heat but the aching of a wound which was never meant to heal. Like a broken heart.
"Hurry up dude!" The second voice said almost as if a teacher talking to an incompetent student who was doing something incredibly delicate.
"Hello, e-emergency services!" The hyperventilating voice said, shaking trying to explain what was happening. "It's my friend… He's b-been… he's b-bleeding… I-I don't know… Exit wounds?"
"He's been shot!" The second voice spat with such venom it nearly cut through the boy's body nearly as badly as the wound he had already gotten. Warms hands placed themselves on his cheeks. "You still there?" Warmth started to radiate from his cheeks; the cold circling his eyes seemed to disperse.
He blinked, trying to move his body was proving difficult. More pain reverberated from his chest; the rest of his body was growing numb. His mind seeping slowly in the back of his head. He saw bright blue eyes looking into his own. "Hey don't pass out! Tai!?" The voice said warningly, "just keep your eyes open ok!" The voice said soothingly rubbing warm hands up and down his cheeks. Down his neck and back up to his cheeks, pausing every now and again on the base of his neck.
"They said they'd be 5 minutes…" The nshouldn't move the… b-body." He stuttered nervous voice declared. The last word as if it caused him more pain to say it than being flayed alive.
"He's not a body yet, he's still got a pulse…" The more controlling voice said carefully. Hands kept rubbing against the broken boy's face. "He's still conscious too." Bright blue eyes blinking with concern. They were the only thing he could focus on, eyes… flashing with worry. The voice's cheeks dappled with spots of red liquid.
"What if he doesn't…?"
"He will!" The controlling voice shouted as if the words themselves would make them true. As if words alone could save this boy's life.
Some pain began to gurgle in the back of his throat, almost like acid forming and burning through his gullet. The boy tried to swallow again but his chest lurched in a burst of agony as he spat more blood out of his body.
"Oh Jesus!" The controlling voice yelped, jumping backwards as the blood sprayed even more onto the ground. There was a faint sound of crying in the background. "It's ok! He's fine! Tai... you're fine!" Worried eyes zoomed back to the boy's own. Warm hands immediately replaced themselves on his neck. But it proved difficult.
Coughing and spluttering causing his chest to ache even more and his lungs to itching against the inside of his throat as if desperate to escape the wound. The voice's hands kept him close; they didn't let his body move, pressing his head hard against the concrete floor.
"Stay still, you're fine!" Denial seemed to be the only thing keeping the stronger voice in control. Whereas the hyperventilating voice was crying in the background with sharp wheezes and low murmurs.
More coughing, his mind was going even number. His chest continuously cried out blunt aches into his body. He couldn't feel his fingers, his legs were none existent. The only thing he could feel was the pain and the hands of his protector which were constantly pressed against his neck searching desperately for a pulse.
Finally the faint noise of sirens echoed through the alleyway. After that all that the boy could see was white.