A Different Path

Chapter Thirteen: It's Always Him

Isabel swung the door completely open, nearly breaking it off its hinges to reveal a revolting sight. Levi emerged from the room he was hiding in, ready to yell at Isabel for nearly breaking the door down. He paused, shocked at this sight.

Levi pushed Lilith into the room causing her to fall on her back. He slammed the door shut, locking her in there. Lilith knew better than to try to come out.

Levi ran over to the front door where he saw the reason behind Isabel's reaction.

He leaned over, grabbed the body that was dropped at the door, Furlan's body.

"Don't just stand there idiot, help me!" Levi shouted, pulling Isabel out of shock.

The two got Furlan onto the couch, being sure the front door was locked behind them. The sight made Levi's blood boil. Furlan, covered in blood, cuts, bruises, and burns, lays there, unable to move. Levi looked up at Isabel,

"Give me that blanket!" he commanded. Levi noticed most of the blood was coming from Furlan's abdomen. "Cut his shirt off, now!"

Isabel obeyed, pulling out a knife and began to rip his shirt off. It revealed more than what she wished to see. She stripped him completely from the waist up, exposing where he was beat, burned, and cut.

Levi had already ripped up the blanket and began using the strips to stop Furlan's bleeding. He stared at Furlan's arms and made his way to his abdomen. Before covering Furlan's abdomen, Levi had to check how deep the long gash was,

"Sorry Furlan, this is gonna hurt like hell," Levi shoved cloth into Furlan's mouth, he knew this was going to be loud. "Isabel, hold his arms down." They traded places so Levi was straddled over Furlan's hips and Isabel near his head and arms.

"3, 2-" On one, Levi stuck his fingers in an open wound about a foot across Furlan's stomach. He let out a blood curdling scream and thrashed his body around, causing the blood to spew. Levi pulled his fingers out and looked at his friend's face. 'Shit!'

"OI FURLAN, IT'S LEVI," he yelled to his blind and almost deaf friend. Levi hadn't realized Furlan's eyes were too swollen to see, his ears too puffy to hear, he probably doesn't even know where he is. "I NEED YOU TO SAY STILL, YOU'RE BLEEDING OUT!" Levi continued to make his voice reach Furlan, but struggled. He pressed his bare hands over Furlan's wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

"Oi, Isabel! Focus!" He noticed her start to dissociate. "Hey! I need you here right now! Furlan's life depends on us! You want him to bleed out and die right here, right now?!" He shouted, trying to bring her back to Earth.

"It's always him. Why is it always him?" She scoffed, tightening her grip on his arms. She's back.

"Give me the wraps! I'll try to stop some of this bleeding. Go see if we have any needles and string, Lilith might have some in her room!" Levi shouted so she could hear over Furlan's cries. She throws the torn blanket pieces at Levi.

"Here!" She shouted before standing. Isabel ran off and managed to find string in a toy box just outside Lilith's bedroom door. She took pieces of string and threaded the needle before handing it to Levi.

When Isabel returned, Levi was pressing the cloths on Furlan's stomach while struggling to keep his friend steady. He placed his knees on Furlan's hands in hopes of steadying him, but there was no luck.

Furlan let out another muffled scream and continued to thrash his body, nearly tossing Levi off.

"We gotta get him to stay still! He's bleeding out!" Isabel shouted over the screams. She placed down the needle and grabbed Furlan's wrists.

"No shit! Why do you think I'm telling you to hold him down, dumbass?!"

"You see my size compared to his?! I'm doing my best!" Isabel yelled back.

"Size is clearly no excuse!"

"Listen- wait! I have an idea, get off him!"

"He's gonna bleed out if I do that!"

"Trust me!" Levi let out a grunt as he removed himself from his bleeding comrade, landing right on the floor. Furlan's body calmed but the bleeding didn't stop.

"You better make this quick," He snapped back.

"Levi," she turned to him with one of her hands on Furlan's bleeding face, "Get Lilith."