The Bucket List >> Sabriel ✔️

23: Have A Near-Death Experience

When you try your best, but you don't succeed...

Gabe's music was still playing in the background as the ambulance guys were loading him into the ambulance. Charlie and Kevin were packing a bag for Gabe; they were refusing to believe that he was dead yet.

When you get what you want, but not what you need...

Sam wasn't doing anything; he was just standing at the window, his hand against the glass, watching the ambulance doors shut behind Gabe. Tears were trickling silently down his face, and the look on his face was absolutely heartbreaking. The person he loved the most in the world was dying. Or quite possibly already dead.

When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse...

"Sam, c'mon. We've gotta follow the ambulance." Charlie said softly, laying a gentle hand on Sam's arm. Sam nodded, unable to speak, and led the way to their rental car as the ambulance took off.

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace...

Charlie still held the bag in her lap as Sam sped down the road after the ambulance, only slowing down when they reached the hospital.

When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

They got out of the car, followed the ambulance guys as they dragged Gabe's ambulance bed up towards the building. Gabe's pale face shone in the moonlight; his eyes were still closed.

And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth...

Sam and the others followed Gabe up to the emergency room. Sam was numb; he couldn't feel anything - he stared at Gabe's slowly retreating body as he was tugged into a room and the door shut behind him.

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you...

The muffled song changed from Coldplay in Gabe's bag.

Grief is a freight train,
oh no, what's a little pain
when you've got so much to love...

Sam stared at the door - he knew that behind it, Gabe was either surviving or dying.

Forever is a slow dream
oh what a vivid thing,
when you've got so much to lose...

Flashes of memories blazed across Sam's mind suddenly - Gabe's smirk the first time he met him, the exhilarating feeling when he and Gabe were zooming down the hospital corridor together on their beds, Gabe's cheerful face as he sang into the intercom, Gabe's carefree laughter as he annoyed Michael.

Hope is a fast car,
only takes you so far away,
oh you've got a lot to learn...

He remembered making snow angels, Gabe laughing at him, cuddling Gabe's small form, gazing into those beautiful golden eyes and softly kissing him, he remembered the warm feeling he got when he was next to him ... like he was home.

He got out the picture of their friends from the amusement park and looked down at all the happy faces. Everyone was laughing, and Gabe was posing in front of them, his face lit up like the sun.