Chapter Four
"Mr Spears!"
I spun round, looking at the other Reaper.
"What is it?" I asked urgently. "Did the stronger reinforcements get there in time?"
"Sort of. Well, yes, but…" The other stuttered, trailing off.
"But what? What happened?"
"Sir, you should go down to the infirmary. It's Grell"
I felt sick as I looked at Grell. Tears welled in my eyes as I looked at his poor blood-stained body, lying there still and silent in a horrible Demon-beaten state.
"Wake up" I begged, clinging to him. "Please wake up. You can't die. You can't leave me"
A squeak escaped my throat. I could feel his pulse, could hear his rasping, struggled breathing.
"I shouldn't have left you" I whispered.
I looked at his poor face and gasped silently as his eyes opened. He didn't say anything and his eyes closed again after a few seconds. There was a hand on my shoulder.
"Sir? We need to get him cleaned up and everything. Why don't you go to the side room office? Mr Slingby is in there with Alan"
Alan. I'd forgotten about him. I needed to talk to him.
Alan was sat on the bed in the side office, his head against Eric's chest. He looked up when I entered the room.
"It's all my fault" he whispered. "I didn't mean for him to get hurt, but I couldn't fight them and he hid me in a doorway and said I had to stay there. He saved me, but I couldn't save him"
Eric squeezed his shoulder and I sat on Alan's other side.
"This wasn't your fault" I said, trying to stop my voice from shaking. "This was an unfortunate incident with a lot of bloody Devils"
"But… I still feel like I'm responsible" Alan mumbled.
"Poor kid" Eric said. "Terrible sight when we got there. It was a good thing we got there when we did"
"Alan, are you hurt?" I asked, suddenly even more worried.
He shook his head.
"We checked him over" Eric told me. "Nothing serious"
I breathed out in relief. "Good"
Ronald suddenly burst into the room, looking panicked with tears in his eyes.
"What happened!?" he shouted. "Everyone has been talking about it! They said Devils attacked Grell and Alan!"
"Ronald!" I snapped. "Calm down. Luckily Alan is fine. Grell has -"
"I have to see him!" he interrupted. "They said I couldn't but I need to!"
"Shut up Ronald!" Eric barked. "We're all worried enough as it is without you making a fuss"
Tears welled in Ronald's eyes. "But what if he dies!? The last thing I said was 'see you tomorrow'. What if he doesn't have a tomorrow? What if-"
"Ronald!" I shouted. "Be quiet, now!"
He fell against me, whimpering softly. I sighed in annoyance, not quite having the heart to shove him away as I was on the brink of tears myself.
"It would be my fault" Alan whimpered, starting to cry.
Eric held him close, rubbing his back gently.
"Aw hell, you'll set me off" Eric mumbled.
I nodded, holding tight to the blond in my arms. I stopped holding the tears once Eric started. It was odd seeing him cry and I could tell he thought the same about my watering eyes. Alan was the worst, but we were all feeling the dread he was showing.
