"𝑤𝑒 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ, 𝑤𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠"
in which all of the adults in a small town in connecticut disappear and two high school rivals learn to make amends
note:...
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"there is no failure except in no longer trying" -elbert hubbard
・・・
"Please," sobbed Emily. "Help me."
Her eyes were unfocused. Her breathing was strained. She reached for Luke, who took her other hand. Bean crouched next to Luke, rubbing Emily's leg. Grizz was on her other side, hand over his mouth, deep in thought.
Emily grabbed at her throat, gasping for air. It was closing up, she had a few minutes, at most. "I can't-" she struggled to say.
Luke stroked her hair. "Mom," whispered Emily.
Luke looked up at Grizz in a panic. He stood up and pulled Grizz aside. I joined them.
"We're in Connecticut, man. What the fuck? There's no fucking cobras here," said Luke.
"It's not venom," said Grizz.
"She's allergic," I said. "Anaphylactic shock."
"Listen, if this were yesterday, if we were home..." his voice trailed off. A single tear traced down his cheek. "But we're three hours from anywhere. And I have no idea what to..."
"Fuck. What... What the fuck does that mean?" asked Luke. He looked to be on the verge of a panic attack.
"Her body's shutting down, she's suffocating," I explained quietly so the others couldn't overhear. "There's nothing we can do."
"What... I made her do it, dude," said Luke.
"It's not your fault," I promised.
"You should tell everybody so they're prepared," said Grizz, his eyes not moving from where Emily lay.
Luke was starting to hyperventilate. He looked at Grizz in horror. "What the fuck does that mean? Are you giving up, Grizz?"
Grizz slowly shook his head. "Luke, we are so fucking in over our heads here."
"Jesus fucking Christ, man." He started to walk away.
"H-hey, I don't think she's breathing," stuttered Gwen from behind us. "I don't- I don't think she's-"
Luke turned around. "Give her mouth-to-mouth, just..."
"I don't know how to do that!" interrupted Gwen.
"Just do it, just blow!"
Gwen bent over Emily, who had gone completely still. She put her mouth against Emily's and blew into it.
"Tilt her head back," said Bean.
"What?"
"You have to tilt her head back," she said.
"Block her nose," said Dan.
I knew I should do something, say something, but I just stood there as they tried in vain to bring her back.
