Sorry (ON HOLD)

Chapter 17

I reached the front gates and waited by the bike stands. I was surprised I was able to stand, my legs were wobbling like a plate of jelly.

A minute later, I saw Zach’s car pull up out the front. I ran to the door and got in.

Julian was sitting in the back seat with me.

‘Julian what’s going on?’ I could see the dried tears on his face.

‘He went back to say hi to some old work friends and then they came  in and told everyone to get on the floor and he secretly tried to call the police b..b..but they caught him and… and…’ Julian stuttered.

‘Julian, what are you talking about?’

‘It’s Will,’ he paused, ‘he got shot.’

I sat there staring at Julian. I wanted to tell him he was joking. Tell him that Will couldn’t have gotten shot, I saw him this morning. I wanted to hug him. Wanted to be there for him. I wanted to call Will and hear his voice. I wanted Ashton Kutcher to jump out from under the seat and say ‘YOU JUST GOT PUNK’D.’

As much as I wanted these things to happen, they didn’t. I was in so much shock I couldn’t move. I was a prisoner in my own body.

It felt like my heart had been broken into two. No that’s a lie, it felt like it had been ripped out and thrown on a high way and thousands of cars continuously drove over it.

Julian was bawling his eyes out. Finally I snapped out of it and moved next to him and grabbed him in a hug.

He buried his head in my hair and stroked my back. I couldn’t even cry. I had no emotion.

‘He’s in the hospital now. It hit his chest. They don’t know if he’ll survive,’ Zach whispered from the front, ‘Trent and Jayden are with him now. He’s been asking for you the whole time. From the second he got rushed into hospital. Then he slipped into a coma. We’ll be there in about another 5 minutes.’

They were the longest 5 minutes of my life. Knowing that any minute Will could fall into a life-long sleep.

As soon as Zach was in the hospital car park and had to slow down, I jumped out. I stumbled as I tried to gain balance after jumping out the moving car. I heard cars beeping but that didn’t matter.

I ran inside the hospital and saw a girl sitting behind a counter staring at a computer screen.

‘WHERE IS HE? WILLIAM SINGE? WHAT ROOM? WHERE DO I HAVE TO GO?’

‘Who were you looking for sorry?’ She asked in a polite voice with a smile.

‘HOW CAN YOU SIT THERE AND SMILE? HE’S DYING! WHERE IS HE?’

‘Ma’am, if you could please speak in a calm voice and tell me who you were looking for, I would be more than pleased to help you.’ How could she be sitting there all calm and happy when all around her, people are dying?

I took a deep breath in and out and tried to speak calmly and normally.

‘My friend William Singe has been shot and has had to recently come in. It was in the two, three hours or so.’

‘Much better.’ She hit different letters on the keyboard with her long fake nails. She studied the computer screen for a few seconds.

‘Ahh yes, William Singe. He’s in room 156. Straight down that hall on your right and then take a left.’

‘Thank you.’ Just then Julian and Zach came bursting through the doors.

I ran down the halls that she told me to before they had a chance to catch up to me. 154, 155, 156. I stopped and looked at the door.

I peered in the small window. There he was. Laying there on the bed.

Julian and Zach caught up to me panting.

‘Are we allowed in?’ I asked Julian.

‘Yeah, they already removed the bullet,’ he panted.

As soon as he said yeah, I opened the door and went in. I went straight to the side of his bed.

Zach and Julian decided to wait outside, give us some time.

‘Will?’ He didn’t respond.

‘Please Will? I already lost you once, I’m not going to let it happen again! I only just got you back.’

I kneeled down beside his bed and took his hand in mine.

I hated seeing him like this. Chords and pipes connected to his body, lying still, lifeless.

‘Will,’ I cried, resting my forehead on his hand. I let a few tears escape. Pfft, who am I kidding? It was like a bloody tsunami.

‘Will please don’t leave me.’

I climbed up onto the bed laid down next to him.

I wrapped his arm around my neck and held his hand in mine.