A/N: Hey guys! I hope everyone is having a great weekend so far!
As per usual, I am so, so, so sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been balancing a lot of things recently: a rigorous school schedule, extracurriculars, a part-time job, studying for college admissions tests, looking at various colleges to attend next year (I'm a senior now), friends, family, and so on. I am going to continue to do my best to update regularly for you all, but I can't promise anything; and for that, I am truly sorry.
But for now, here is the next installment of Destroyed! Warning: it's a bit of a tear jerker! Also, thank you all for the reviews on the last update- let's do that again with this chapter please!
Alright, enjoy now! Sibuna!
I DO NOT OWN HOUSE OF ANUBIS. SERIOUSLY, IT'S ALMOST BEEN 4 YEARS SINCE IT LAST AIRED, DON'T YOU THINK THAT IF I OWNED IT I WOULD HAVE BROUGHT IT BACK BY NOW?!
(Alfie's P.O.V.)
My left ankle is turned completely inward, and is touching my right foot.
My femur is popping out of my thigh.
Blood stains the entirety of my shirt and pants.
Glass is jutting out of my legs, arms and abdomen.
My neck is twisted at a sickening angle.
My mouth is covered in blood.
My nose is covered in blood too.
My eyes are closed.
There is so much blood surrounding my head that if you didn't know me, you would think I had red hair.
I drop to my knees, and cry out in terror.
Oh my god.
The paramedics weren't ignoring us.
They couldn't see us.
They couldn't see us because we're ghosts.
They couldn't see me because I'm a ghost.
They couldn't see me because I'm dead.
I'm dead.
I, Alfie Lewis, am dead.
Deceased.
No longer living.
I scream and scream and scream. This isn't happening! I'm 17, I'm too young to die! I don't wanna die yet! I have so much I still want to do!
This isn't happening, this isn't happening!
…But it is.
Everything makes sense now: I died during the car accident. I'm a ghost now, and I'm observing the aftermath of my tragic, accidental, death.
I'm a ghost now.
I scream again as I stare at my body.
I feel an array of emotions: shock, sadness, anger…wait, how can I feel these emotions if I'm dead?!
I have so many questions. Why am I still here on Earth? Does heaven exist? Hell? Am I going to spend eternity freely roaming the earth?
What will happen to me next?
"We need to get him to the hospital, now!" one of the paramedics hovering over my body exclaims.
His partner shakes his head. "Charles, he's gone. He has no heartbeat, no pulse…I'm not a neurosurgeon, but based on the injuries he's taken to his head, I'd say that he's brain dead too."
I can't stop staring at myself. I'm gone…I'm really, truly, gone…
"Well, we still have to take him to the hospital," Charles murmurs, "it's the law, even if he is dead."
The first paramedic nods. "Yeah, I know. I'll go grab a stretcher, and you search his pockets for a wallet, or anything that has his ID in it so we can get ahold of his parents."
My parents. Oh my god, my parents! Those horrible words I said to them before I left…those were the last words I ever said to them!
I want to cry. I should have never uttered those things to them! How could I do this? HOW WAS I SO STUPID?!
I love my mum and dad! I might have been pissed at them for separating Fabian and I—
Fabian.
I'm never going to see my best friend again.
I'm never going to see any of my best friends again: Fabian, Eddie, Patricia, KT, Willow…
I'm never going to see the most important people in the world to me again.
I feel salty tears slide down my cheeks. I'm not sure how this is happening, but it is; I'm dead and I'm crying.
I'm never going to talk to one of them again. I'm never going to hug one of them again. I'm never going tell them I love them again. I'm never going to solve a sibuna mystery with them again.
I'm never going to be with them again.
Eddie…he's said multiple times that he can't live without me…I hope…I hope he doesn't even think about trying to join me…
Willow…my sweet, beautiful Willow…she's so happy and carefree, anything sad will destroy her…I'm not sure if I want to know how my death will effect her…
I miss my friends and my girlfriend. I wish I had one of them, any of them, here to comfort me…
My thoughts are disrupted by the paramedic running passed me, nearly knocking me over with a stretcher.
I wipe my tears away, and watch as they load me on to the stretcher.
What do I do now? Do I go with them to the hospital? Am I supposed to stay with my body, or here, where I died?
I don't want to be left alone here. I don't want to spend eternity in this stupid field…
Impulsively, I decide to follow the stretcher.
I follow myself and the paramedics out of the field, and to the ambulance parked along the side of the road.
"I found his wallet," the one paramedic says as he lifts me into the vehicle, "I gave it to the police. They're going to go to his house and talk to his parents."
The other one nods. Then, they climb in behind me, and shut the ambulance doors.
I peer out the window and take another look at the field where my life ended.
Where are Noah and Charlie? Did they stay with their bodies as well?
I don't see them anywhere.
The ambulance starts moving. I shrug, and crouch down next to my battered body.
This isn't real, this isn't real…
But it is.
I can't help but to start crying again.
(Fabian's P.O.V.)
I can't recall the last time I felt so ill.
My fever won't break, I have a terrible cough, runny nose, and everything else just aches.
I've been tossing and turning in my bed for hours now, trying to get comfortable.
I can't do it.
I watched TV for a little bit, but I eventually had to turn it off because the noise was giving me a headache.
I hate this.
I wish I had my phone.
I wish I could text one of my friends, or listen to relaxing music.
I can't believe my parents took it away from me.
Ugh, this is terrible!
I shuffle in my bed, and face the giant window to my left.
When I look through the window, I have a clear view of Alfie's house. I miss him…I think this is the first night in like, three weeks where we haven't a sleepover.
I really miss him.
Maybe I'll just lay here and gaze out the window, and wait for him to come back?
Yeah, I'm going to do that. I don't have anything else to do…
I adjust my pillows so I'm propped upright a bit more, which gives me a better view of the window. As soon as Alfie gets back, I'll get up and bang on it to get his attention. Hopefully he'll see me and find a way to sneak out and come stay with me.
I need company. I feel really lonely…
My parents haven't checked on me in several hours. Mum brought me supper, but I haven't seen her since. I don't particularly want to see either of them, since they separated Alfie and I, but I am curious as to what they're doing…
I bury my head into my pillows and sigh. I'm so tired. And sick. And dying…
Suddenly, I hear fits of laughter. Am I going mad?
I hear it again: laugher. What on earth?
It's coming from outside. Who is outside, laughing, at this hour?
I stand up from my bed, and go towards my window. I peek out of it, and look around; no one is in sight.
Who am I hearing?
It's louder now. It almost sounds like it's coming from my backyard…
I grab my robe and slippers from my closet, and slip into them. Then, I leave my room to investigate.
I trudge down the stairs, through the kitchen, and to the glass door that leads to my backyard.
When I see what's before me on the patio, I instantly feel an immense amount of anger.
Sitting outside on the patio, in chairs surrounding a table, are both of my parents, and Mr. and Mrs. Lewis; and, they're laughing together.
Oh my god. That is so unfair!
My Dad notices me, and gestures for me to join them. I open the door and then slam it shut.
"So Alfie and I aren't allowed to be together, but you guys are?" I snap.
The four adults gaze at me in surprise. I seldom raise my voice at anyone, let alone adults…
"We weren't socializing," My mum explains, "we were simply discussing how much of a success tonight has been. You have handled being without Alfie and your phone remarkably well."
I scoff. "Yeah, and that's such a funny matter to discuss, right? I could hear your laughter all the way from my room!"
I never thought I would say this, but I hate my parents. How could they separate my best friend and I, and then turn around and hang out with his parents?!
"Fabian," my Dad begins, "I think you are seeing this all wrong. I think—"
He is about to continue, but he is cut off by the sound of loud, blaring sirens.
Police sirens, perhaps?
It almost sounds like they're getting closer…
I watch a police van drive by my house.
It reduces its speed, and then stops in front of the Lewis's house.
Wait, what? Why would the police be going there? Mr. and Mrs. Lewis are here—
Alfie.
Oh my god, what happened to Alfie?
I don't think twice. I go running through my back yard, and out the gate that connects the front yard to the back yard. I run to the police car, and see two officers stepping out of it.
What's going on? Did he do something illegal? Is he hurt? What happened?
Maybe they have the wrong house. Maybe they meant to go further down the street, and they stopped here instead.
Please let him be okay. For the love of god, please let him be okay!
My stomach has turned itself into several knots by the time I reach the two officers. When they see me, they smile.
"Hello sir, how are you this evening?" the one, whose name tag reads "Smith" asks.
I point one of my trembling fingers towards Alfie's house.
"A-are y-y-you here f-f-or the Lewis's-s?" I stutter.
Please let Alfie be okay, pleeeeeease let Alfie be okay!
"We are, actually. Do you know where I might find them?"
"We're right here." I hear Mr. Lewis yell.
I whip around to see the Lewis's and my parents hurrying toward the Officer and I.
I'm pushed back by the Lewis's as they greet the officers.
"Listen Sir, Madame," Officer Smith begins, "There's no easy way to say this, but I am here to deliver some unfortunate news."
My stomach lurches. I swear I feel bile start to rise in my throat. I feel sweat start to drip from my forehead. I feel dizzy.
Oh my god, what is going on?
"Go on." Mr. Lewis murmurs.
The officer looks at Alfie's parents, at me, and at my parents.
He sighs. "There was an automobile accident involving your son, Alfred. From what it looks like, Alfred was driving with some friends, and someone rear-ended them on the bridge over highway 138. As of now, I don't have anymore details, except for the fact that Alfred has been taken to the hospital for emergency medical care."
I cover my mouth with my hand.
Oh dear god, Alfie!
Mrs. Lewis freezes, and stares at the officers with a gaping mouth. Mr. Lewis presses them for more details. I know these events are happening, but I can't physically hear them.
Alfie was in a car accident? How bad is he hurt? Is he going to be okay? Who was driving?
What happened?!
Is he okay?
He has to be.
He has to be.
He can't be hurt…he…he can't…god forbid it, he can't be…
I need to find out his condition.
"Well Dana, we best be on our way to the hospital." Mr. Lewis murmurs.
"I'm coming with you." I blurt.
It's not a hard decision for me to make: I'm going to the hospital to see Alfie. I just didn't think I'd blurt it out like that…
"Fabian honey, you're sick—" my Mum begins
"THE HOSPITAL IS FULL OF SICK PEOPLE MUM!" I scream, "I'm going! If he's hurt, I-I I have to be there, b-because he's scared of doctors, and needles, and small spaces, and, and…"
I don't know what I'm saying. Tears start to stream down my cheeks, and I can't do anything to stop them.
I don't even know his condition and I'm falling apart. He could be perfectly fine, and this could be for nothing…or…or…he could be—
I can't even think like that.
I continue to cry to the adults surrounding me. "I have to go…he…he needs me."
My Mum trudges over to me, and engulfs me in a hug. "Ok love. Your Dad and I will drive you."
I nod, and squeeze her arms. Then, I follow her and my Dad back to our driveway, where our car is parked.
I can't stop thinking about him. Please let him be okay, for the love of god, please…
(Alfie's P.O.V.)
This feels surreal.
The paramedics unloaded me from the stretcher at the hospital, and were immediately greeted by a team of doctors and nurses.
They wheeled me into a room, and desperately tried to revive me.
They're still trying to.
"Clear!"
I watch, for the millionth time, as the doctors press defibrillators to my chest and try to shock me back to life.
I've been hoping that it would work, and I would somehow wake up in my own body again; obviously, that hasn't happened.
The doctor pushes the defibrillators away, and starts doing CPR on me.
He pounds his hands against my chest for several minutes, but I remain dead.
He backs away from me.
"I'm going to try the defibrillators one more time, but if that doesn't work, I'm pronouncing him dead." he explains.
The surrounding nurses nod. Please let it work, pleeeeeeease let it work…
The doctor grabs the defibrillators, and presses them down on my chest.
Please work, please bring me back!
"Clear!"
I watch as my body is shocked yet again; I lay completely still.
No, no, no!
The doctor sighs.
"Time of death, around twelve AM." he announces.
That's it.
It's official: I'm legally dead.
I start crying again.
"I'd like someone to clean him up please," the Doctor murmurs, "the less of a disaster he looks when we show him to his parents, the better."
Wait, they're going to show my dead body to my parents? Oh my god no, that's so wrong!
"We can do that, Dr. Taylor." one of the nurses murmurs.
I don't want my parents to see me like this. I look too horrible! Their last memory of me should be my non-mutilated self telling them off before I left! Even though I was rude to them, I feel like that would be a better memory than seeing me so…destroyed.
The nurses start gathering materials that I assume they are going to use to clean me up.
"I'm going to go to the waiting room and see if his parents are there," Dr. Taylor murmurs, "so try to get him cleaned as soon as possible."
I stare at my cadaver as an array of emotions sweep through me.
I'm shocked, because I was alive and well a few hours ago.
I'm angry, because the doctors weren't able to save me, and because I was stupid enough to put myself in this situation.
I'm sad, because I'm dead. I'm never going to be with my family or friends again. I'm never going to enjoy being alive, and all the assets that come with it.
I'm dead.
I'm so confused. Why am I still roaming the earth? Does heaven exist? Am I going to be like this forever? What's going to happen to me next?
Dr. Taylor walks by me and out of the room. I follow him.
My parents. I spent most of my life living in fear of them, and I finally stood up to them today. I'm glad that I did, but at the same time, I wish that wasn't the last memory they'd have of me.
I want to tell them, despite the fact that they were always super strict and put lots of pressure on me, that I love them, and that I wouldn't have wanted any other parents.
The fact that I will never tell them that destroys me.
I follow Dr. Taylor through a series of hallways until we end up in what appears to be a waiting room.
I see them sitting on a couch to the right of the room.
I see Fabian and his parents sitting beside them.
Oh god, no! Fabian!
Fabian: one of the most important people in the world to me. I want to scoop him up into my arms and tell him that I love him. I see him, and I suddenly experience several flashbacks: all of the Sibuna mysteries, the other fun times at the house, the traveling we did this summer, and of course, the last time I saw him. I want to thank him for being one of the best friends I could have ever asked for, and tell him that he made me the person I am today…well, the person I was up until the moment I died, anyway.
He looks upset. He doesn't know that I'm gone yet, and he's already upset…
Dr. Taylor has shaken all five of their hands, and has sat down beside my parents.
Here it goes: he's going to tell them that I'm dead. He's going to tell them that they'll never see me again, even though I'll clearly be able to see them…
"As you are all aware by now, Alfie was in an automobile accident," Dr. Taylor begins, "and I must say, based on Alfie's injuries and what I have heard from the police, it was a horrible accident."
My mum clutches my Dad's hand, and I can see the panic in their eyes. Fabian continues to stare at Dr. Taylor, watching him closely.
"He suffered multiple bone fractures, and has several lacerations, penetrated by shards of glass, scattered around his entire body," he continues, "But…the most daunting injury he received was the one that he took to his head. At some point during the accident, he hit his head so hard that he instantly became brain dead, which means his brain lost all of its power to function. As a result of the severity of these injuries, it is with my deepest sympathy that I tell you that Alfie passed away around midnight. I am very, very sorry."
My mum starts screaming.
She falls over onto my dad, and starts screaming and crying hysterically.
My Dad looks horrified, and gently embraces my mum.
Fabian's parents look devastated.
Fabian is frozen.
He's staring at Dr. Taylor, and his mouth is hanging in a gaping O. He looks truly, utterly, speechless.
"No," he says, "no, no, no, no, no, no. He…h-he was alive…I…I saw him…he was with me."
"Buddy…" I murmur.
I sit down next to him, and put my hands on his shoulders; however, he doesn't react to it, because he can't feel me anymore.
Dr. Taylor moves away from my screaming mother and crying father, and sits beside Fabian.
"You lost your best friend," Dr. Taylor says to him, "It's a lot to take in, I know. It's is all very confusing, upsetting, and almost unreal. If you need it, I can refer you to one of our grief counselors—"
"I want to see him," Fabian interrupts, "I want to see my best friend. It's…it's the only way I'll believe…that he's…that's he's…"
I see tears start to leak from his eyes, and before I know it, he's crying…hard.
I want nothing more than to hug him…
Dr. Taylor sighs. "I must be honest, Fabian: Alfie is not in the best condition. I'll permit you to see him, but I must warn you: he does not look the same as he did the last time you saw him."
He continues to cry, and then he starts coughing.
My poor buddy: sick, devastated, and depressed. This isn't fair, this isn't right!
"Okay…okay…I'm…I'm ready." he chokes.
This is breaking my heart…
Dr. Taylor stands up, and gestures for Fabian to do the same. Then, they walk out of the room together, with me trailing behind them.
They walk down the hall that I just followed Dr. Taylor through. As we get closer to the room where I know my body is, I start to panic. What if those nurses didn't get me cleaned up in time? What if I look just as horrifying as I did the last time I was in there? I don't want Fabian to see me like that!
"Fabian, turn around," I say to him, "turn around. Don't do this!"
He doesn't react. He can't hear me.
He can't see me.
He can't see me.
I quicken my pace, and start running alongside him.
"Fabian listen to me, you don't want to see me like this!" I scream, "Remember me as I was, not as some disgusting-looking body! Seriously! I look worse than Frombie in the tank!"
We arrive at the room.
No, no, no, no, no!
"FABIAN, TURN AROUND AND LEAVE!" I scream.
Tears start spewing down my face again. I don't want him to see me like this! I don't want this to be his last memory of me!
I can't help it: I'm bawling now. I hate this! I hate this whole situation, I hate it!
"Again," Dr. Taylor starts, "he doesn't look well. Are you sure—"
"Yes," Fabian replies, "please, let me see him."
"Fabian, for the love of god, don't do this!" I scream.
More tears continue to stream down my face. I need to stop him, but I can't. I can't because I'm a ghost, and ghosts clearly don't have the power to control the actions of the living.
Dr. Taylor looks at him sympathetically, and then opens the door.
At first, all I see is a white wall. Then, I notice a rectangular bed to my left.
I freeze when I see myself again.
The majority of my body is covered up by a white blanket; however, my head is fully visible.
I have a large, metal, brace around my neck that extends all the way up to my head, squeezing it tightly.
I still have multiple bruises and cuts on my face, and my lips are still swollen and puffy; the nurses did a less than stellar job of trying to make me look less like a zombie.
I gaze at Fabian, and try to read his face. When I was alive, we could read each other better than we could ourselves. Right now, his face says a lot of different things: he's shocked, horrified, sad, and maybe even angry. He covers his mouth with his hand, and tears start streaming down his face at an even quicker pace.
I swiftly glide over to him, and wrap my arms around him.
He doesn't respond to my touch. He just continues to stare at my body and cry.
I hate this, I hate this!
He steps away from me, and moves closer to my bed. Then, he kneels down on the floor, and faces me.
"Alfie." he chokes.
He gently runs his knuckles across my cheek, and traces a few of my scratches with his fingers.
I can't control myself; I start bawling hysterically. He does too.
"Alfie, please, please come back to me!" he whines, "please, I need you. I love you."
"I'm right here buddy, I'm right here!" I cry, "Fabian, look at me! I'm. Right. Here!"
This is killing me all over again; this is what dying truly feels like. At least when I physically died, I didn't feel the pain of my stopping heart or my collapsing lungs; watching my best friend cry over my dead body hurts worse than any physical injury I obtained tonight. I want nothing more than for him to hear me, and know that I'm alright. I want to tell him that I'm here, and that, even though I may not be living anymore, I'm right by his side, and I don't plan on going anywhere…but I can't. I can't, and that is the most painful feeling I've ever experienced.
He lies his head down on my chest, and cries into the blanket covering me.
I lean my head on his shoulder, and cry alongside him.
"Alfie," he murmurs again, "please, please don't leave me. I…I can't live w-w-without you-u…"
"You don't have to," I choke, "you don't have to because I'm right here. I'm not leaving you buddy, I promise."
We keep crying. I do everything in my power to comfort him, but I can't; so, all I can do is just sit here and cry with him.
"Alfie I-I..I love you," he murmurs in between more tears, "p-please, I need you, stay with me. Don't go, not…not this-s way…I love you…I love you."
"Shhhh, buddy, it's okay, I'm right here. I love you too." I murmur.
I don't know how much longer this continues. We've just been sitting here crying together for what feels like forever. Every now and then Fabian will look up at me, turn his head away to cough, or give me a kiss, but then he'll just lay his head back down on my chest and continue to weep. I have never wanted to give him a hug so badly in my life…wait, I can't say that anymore…afterlife…?
Eventually I hear footsteps coming towards us. Then, I watch as Dr. Taylor reenters the room, along with Mr. & Mrs. Rutter, and my parents.
My mum screams off of the top of her lungs when she sees me.
She drops to the floor, and breaks down into absolute hysteria. Mrs. Rutter drops down beside her, and pulls her into a small hug.
My Dad and Mr. Rutter just stare at Fabian and I.
"Mum…Dad…I'm sorry…I'm sorry I snapped at you…I'm sorry for everything I put you through…I love you." I say to them without letting go of Fabian.
My Dad takes a few steps toward me, almost as if he can hear me. He then moves to the side of my bed opposite of where Fabian is, and sits down beside me.
He gently glides his thumb across my cheek. As he does so, I notice that tears are starting to fall from his eyes.
I've never seen my Dad cry before. The fact that I'm witnessing this scares me…
"Oh Alfred," he murmurs as he wipes his tears away, "why did this have to happen to you? Why did God have to take you from us?"
He starts to cry harder, but as he does so, Fabian's crying slows, and he looks up from my chest and up at my Dad.
"Are you serious?," Fabian starts, "ARE YOU TOTALLY FUCKING SERIOUS? HE'S DEAD BECAUSE YOU MADE HIM HANG OUT WITH A BUNCH OF DRUNKEN IDIOTS WHO HAVE THE WORST REPUTATIONS FOR PARTYING AT OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL! HE'S DEAD BECAUSE YOU PUT HIM IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT WAS BOUND TO END BADLY! AND LOOK, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED!"
I stare at Fabian in shock and horror. I have known him since I was five years old, and I have never, ever, heard him scream like that before. He wasn't even this angry when he thought Eddie and Nina had a summer romance, or when he learned about what Todd had done to Eddie…
"Fabian Rutter—" his Dad interrupts.
"NO, DON'T YOU DARE TRY TO STOP ME! HE WANTED TO STAY WITH ME! HE DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ME, AND YOU MADE HIM! IT WAS ALL YOU!," he screams, whilst pointing at our dads, "IT WAS YOU AND YOUR STUPID WAYS THAT KILLED HIM! THAT'S WHY HE LEFT! IF HE HAD STAYED WITH ME HE'D STILL BE HERE! HE WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT IF HE HAD BEEN WITH ME! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"
I cover my gaping mouth with my hand. I mean, Fabian is technically right, but this is absolutely not the time to be telling our parents that it's their fault that I'm dead. Even I know that…
No one says anything. His parents and my Dad stare at Fabian in complete horror, completely speechless, while my mum continues to cry on the floor, unfazed by Fabian's outburst. Then, Fabian lays his head back on my chest, and continues to cry and wail.
I don't know how to react to this…
Dr. Taylor sighs from the back of the room.
"I can call a grief counselor," he suggests, "it…it would help him."
Fabian's dad nods. "Yes, I think that would be best."
Dr. Taylor nods, and exits the room.
I gaze at everyone in the room: my hysterical mum on the floor, Fabian's mortified parents standing back from my bed, my dad sitting beside me, and my even more hysterical best friend.
I start crying again as I see everyone. I hate this! I hate that this happened, how this happened…I just hate it! I hate that I've put everyone in so much pain! I would give anything, anything, to be alive again!
After what feels like hours, Dr. Taylor returns with someone, who I assume is a grief counselor, behind him.
Then, when I see who Dr. Taylor has brought with him, my heart immediately drops.
It's Dr. Jennings: Eddie's psychiatrist.
As soon as he sees me on the bed, and Fabian sobbing beside me, the color in his face completely drains.
Did he not know it's us he's dealing with?
"Fabian, this is Dr. Jennings—" Dr. Taylor starts.
Dr. Jennings doesn't even let Dr. Taylor finish introducing him. He rushes over to Fabian, and sits down on my bed beside him.
"He's treated another one of their friends and my nephew." I hear Mrs. Rutter explain to Dr. Taylor
Dr. Jennings has placed his hand on Fabian's shoulder, and is trying to get him to look up from my chest.
"Shh, it's alright Fabian. It's going to be okay. Why don't we take a break from this room and go for a little walk, yeah?"
On a normal day, Fabian would be clinging to every last word spoken from Dr. Jennings's mouth, because he knows that whatever he said would be something that would help Eddie; now, he's totally ignoring him. That proves to me how much this is hurting him, because he can't even look up at someone he truly respects.
Dr. Jennings starts rubbing his back in circles, and continues to murmur comforting words to him. After several more minutes, Fabian finally looks up at him.
His face is extremely blotchy, his hair is unkempt, and tears are still actively running down his face; he doesn't look like himself.
"I…I…I don't…I don't know…I don't know what to say," he murmurs so quietly that it's almost a whisper, "I don't wanna talk…I don't want to talk again…not without him…and…I'm scared…I'm scared that…I'm scared that Eddie won't either…"
I'm not sure if I'm ready to even think about how this is going to effect Eddie. He's sworn on many occasions that he can't live without the four of us; now he literally has to live without me. I hope, with everything I have left in me, that he doesn't even think about trying to join me in this bizarre afterlife…
Dr. Jennings nods to Fabian, and pulls him into a hug. Fabian basically collapses against him, and continues to cry.
"Shh…Fabian…it's okay…it's okay…"
I hate seeing my best friend like this. I just want to hug him!
"Um, I've just been paged," Dr. Taylor murmurs, "we're going to need this room for another emergency case…er, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you all to leave now."
Everyone, with the exception of Fabian, nods. Fabian continues to cry against Dr. Jennings, who keeps trying to soothe him.
My Dad glances at me, tears still dripping from his eyes. Then, he plants a small kiss on my forehead— I don't think he did that once when I was alive. He then gets up from my bedside, and helps my mum stand up from the floor. Then, without another word, he simply guides my mum out of the room.
It's just me, Dr. Jennings, and the Rutter's now.
"Fabian, love," his mum coos, "It's…it's time to say goodbye now."
Fabian shakes his head fanatically. "No. No, no, no, no, no, no, NO! NO!"
"It's hard Fabian, I know it's hard—" Dr. Jennings starts.
"NO, HE'S NOT LEAVING ME!" Fabian screams again.
Dr. Jennings sighs, and attempts to help Fabian stand up. As he does so, Fabian loses his grip, and collapses on to the floor. He lands in a heap, and starts bawling all over again…
His parents gasp, and rush over to his side. My poor buddy…
Dr. Jennings immediately drops to his level, and checks to make sure he doesn't have any external injuries. Then, he attempts to stand him up again. This time, Fabian receives the help, but leans heavily on Dr. Jennings for support.
"Come on, let's go for a walk." Dr. Jennings murmurs.
Fabian nods, and takes one last look at me. As soon as he does, he starts crying even harder.
We exit the room together, and Dr. Jennings uses his free arm to shut the door behind us.
"I love you buddy," I say as I follow him and his parents out the room, "I'm never going to leave you."
Fabian's parents veer to the hallway to their right, while Fabian and Dr. Jennings walk straight. Sticking to my word to never leave, I follow them.