The Glitch [Gawsten] >Completed<

14: Masks

The machine beeps like crazy as the virtual line goes up and down rapidly.
I don't know anything about heart monitors but this, this doesn't seem normal.

Because it's not. Geoff was dead thirty minutes ago.
Geoff is obediently doing what the doctor asks although he looks extremely agitated. Is he a zombie now?
He doesn't look like a zombie, he just looks like Geoff. Not freakish zombie Geoff.

Just Geoff.

The doctor walks over to Otto and I where we have been sitting watching the whole extravaganza. Otto was leaning on me but jolts up seeing the doc's attention.
"He has abnormally high...well everything his heart rate is off the charts he has a temperature of 126."

"This whole situation is odd, all these people doing the one thing thought to be impossible, coming back from the dead."

He takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes stressed.

"I'm sorry to tell you boys Geoff is going to have to stay for a while...until we know he's at least safe around other people."

He sighs again looking at the wall behind us avoiding eye contact,

"You can stay here if you would like but you'll need these."

"Yeah we'll stay here with him."
Otto states for the both of us.

He hands us our sick masks. We look at each other glumly then slide on the mask it smells like burnt rubber.
Ew.

"Alright hit little green button if you need me okay?" he questions Geoff, Geoff nods in responce and the overwhelmed doctor leaves us alone in the depressing room.

"You doing alright?" Otto questions his eyes looked concerned. These mask are hard to read emotion with.

"I'm okay...I think."
He pauses playing with the hospital robe.
"I don't know why I'm here."

Should we explain to him what happened?
Not a doctors explanation but ours, his family.

"You got in an accident..."

What else should I say?

"You died on us." Otto explains noticing my frustrated eyebrows.

"No, I didn't"

"I'm alive, see my heart is beating!" he points to the heart monitor that is faltering at the moment.

That doesn't look good either just minutes ago it was off the charts.

"I'm not dead."

"I'm not de-"

He stops talking and grasps his chest he pulls on the hospital gown as if it were too tight.

Then he coughs.

And coughs again.

And again.

Again.

Then he screams, he screams in agony louder than I thought he ever could.

"What's happening to me?"

"I'm not dead!"

He screams again almost falling to the floor. Otto and I rush to his side and slam on the green button.
We need help in here and fast.

"HELP!"
I yell out into the hallway. Where are the doctors when you need them?

"I'm not sick!"

"I'm not!"

~~~

I jolt up on the springy mattress it squeaks like crazy.
My breathing is heavy,
very heavy. I gasp for air as if there is none to be found.
Sweat plasters my hair to my neck.

I don't like these dreams these memories, I'm sick of them!

I hate them! Why do I have to be reminded about how our lives got turned to shit.
Reminded how Geoff is dying?

Why?

"Awsten what's going on?" Geoff whispers peeling the covers off his body.
I didn't realize he wasn't wearing a shirt.

"Nothing," I lie,
Stop lying you idiot.

Geoff raises and eyebrow and lays back down on the bed his arms behind his head.
Damn his hair is fluffy.

"Remember what I said about not treating me like a toddler?"
He guilt trips staring up at the ceiling.

"You can't hold it in forever, whatever's on you're mind maybe past my expiring date, but not forever."

"No one can keep a secrect forever."

"It's just not possible."
He pauses and looks over to me,

"And maybe it really is nothing."
He says in a strange tone, a tone that would make anyone spill their darkest secret.
Everyone but me because I have to backstab him by saving him.
Ironic really.

I finally answer with half the truth,

"I'm worrying about you,"

"And Otto."

"Really just everything."

Geoff crawls over to my side and leans against my sholder his skin touching mine.
"Live in the moment Awsten."

Almost as if he knew exactly what was on my mind, about the dream, he speaks his soft voice as soothing as possible,

"Not the past."

I love him more every second, why is this so hard?

Why do I have to spit in his face and lie?

Because I'm an idiot, that's why.