Feasting The Knights

Freaking Helpless...

Pulling up outside my house that I have shared with my dear brother, I notice that the house is in darkness but the curtains and blinds are still open. Yet, I see Jon's truck parked right next to where I've just pulled up to. Strange. Jon is usually very eager to keep the house clean, tidy and in order. I've improved on my tidiness over the years and Jon has helped me to become more organised with my stuff so it's easier to keep on top of everything. I walk to my front door and put the key in just like I do any other time. When I plonk my keys down in the little trinket bowl thingy on the sideboard, Jon's keys are there as well. "Jon?" I call out.

Walking through the downstairs rooms which are all dark and empty. I call out for him again but no response. Is he upstairs, I ponder to myself.

Climbing up the stairs, I turn to his bedroom and knock. No answer so I open the door. It's dark. I switch on the light and I notice his shoes in the corner.

That's unusual for him to leave them there, he has them stored in his shoe cupboard. "Jonathan, bro. Are you in the bathroom?" What the hell is going on. I reach my arm out to push open his bathroom door. On the floor by the door, is a pile of clothes. I lift my arm to switch the light on while my eyes wander round to find Jon in the bathtub. At first, I think he's just sleeping until I get closer. As I walk to the tub, I notice several empty bottles of wine. I lift my eyes to Jon laying there. His head is laid back against the tub and he has one arm dangling over. "Jon?" I crouch down so that my face is level with his. My hand goes to feel his forehead while my other goes to gently shake him. He's gone limp in my hold. My eyes search around and on the side table, my eyes widen when I spot opened boxes of painkillers. Quickly, I fold up the sleeve of my shirt and reach down to the bottom of the bathtub to pull the plug out. The water is Baltic. My other hand grabs my phone out of my pocket. I call the emergency services. "Hi, I need paramedics, urgently please! It's my brother, I think he's overdosed in the bath." I give them the address then I curse loudly. My heart's pounding. "Come on bro, don't do this." I go to lift him up out of the tub and I carry him to his bed. I tap his face to try to bring him to but he's out cold. I take off my jacket and put it over his crotch area. "Oh why the hell have you done this, I'm so sorry." I sob as I try to listen to his breathing. He is breathing but very unnoticeable. Please don't die, Jon. I don't think I could cope without you, I plead with his lifeless body.
Finally, I hear sirens in the near distance. I run down to unlock the front door and open it slightly so they can just come in when they get here. I rush back upstairs to Jon.
When I hear noises downstairs, I shout them to come up. "Hi there, who's this and what has happened?" They ask me. "This is Jon, Jonathan. My brother. I found him in the tub. Just in there. His breathing is really shallow and he's not responding to me. Please do something." I plead with them. One of them comes round to my side, gesturing for me to step back a little and the other paramedic climbs onto the bed. I watch as they check his pulse. They place the blood pressure thing on his arm. Thankfully they seem to be competent and do all the relevant tests. "We need to get him onto the stretcher. I'll go and get it to the bottom of the stairs." One says as they walk out of the room. The other pulls out something that's in a bag thing. "It's important to keep his temperature stable as he seems to be a little cool than what we'd like." Without even being asked, I go to lift him up in my arms so they can place down what I know now as a body heated blanket and then I lie him back down. We wrap the blanket around him as they gently tuck the I.V drips inside it. "I'll take him downstairs, you can just get your stuff." I tell them. I pick him up and hold him close to me as I walk down the stairs to where the stretcher is waiting. "We're gonna get you sorted, bro." They pull the straps across his body and then put him inside the ambulance.

"You can either come with us or follow us." Not needed to be asked twice, I go to grab my keys and lock the house up. I climb into the ambulance and sit opposite Jon. I sit and stare at him.
The journey to the hospital passes by in a blur. As soon as the ambulance pulls up, they're quick to get Jon out and into the emergency room. I'm hot on their trail, not wanting to leave his side. I'd already done that and now look where we're at, I ain't doing that again. "I'm sorry sir, but you can't come in here." They tell me. I try to push my way in, "that's my brother, I can't leave him. Please let me in there." I beg. "We're really sorry, but the nurse will take you to the relatives room and we'll try to keep you updated." Then the doors close in my face.

A surge of anger and fear races through my veins. The nurse leads the way to the room where I have to go to wait. "Can I get you anything, a drink or something or contact someone for you?" She asks, sweetly. I shake my head, anxiously. Once the door closes, I pace the room. My mind goes through everything that's happened recently, trying to figure out what and how this has happened. I feel so freaking helpless in this stupid room. I stare out of the window and I swear to god, if anything happens to him in there, I don't know what I'll do. If only I had been a better brother, I would have noticed that he was struggling. I should have known. I'm trying to think if there were any signs but my mind keeps going blank. We've always been honest with each other. What was it that he couldn't come to me this time, am I such a shite brother. I must be. I regret so much especially with how our relationship has been recently. I question everything.
I'm brought out of my own thoughts when there's a knock on the door and I hear footsteps walking closer behind me. I turn right round to face a doctor with a clipboard in their hand.

"Hi, I'm doctor Smith, are you Mr Knight?" I nod. "Yes, I'm Jon's brother. What's going on?" She gazes at me and I watch in slow motion as she tells me all about Jon...