Bloodbath of the Fallen Crown

13

"Please! He's bleeding! Please. Somebody!"

I helped Nicolas through the doors of the hospital. He looked paler. The blood had soaked through the bandage.

Something was wrong.

Four doctors rushed to me in panic. Just then, Nicolas collapsed. He fainted, catching me off guard and falling on the floor. I couldn't hold his entire weight, so he slipped right off me.

One of the doctors ran back while two others kneeled next to him. The other one started talking to me.

In German.

I watched as his mouth moved, not really listening to anything but the doctors in front of Nicolas. Finally, much to my surprise, the doctor grabbed my face and forced me to look at him.

"I don't understand you!" I shouted at him, pointing at myself and shaking my head. "I don't speak German! Tourist! Tourist!"

He stopped talking to me and nodded, running back. The one who had left first came back with one of those bed on wheels. The one who was talking in German came back with another doctor.

I watched as they put Nicolas on the bed and put a breathing mask on his face. I followed behind as they wheeled him away.

The new doctor stopped me at the door, but I shook him off. "Where are you taking him?"

He grabbed my arm and pulled me back, but I just shoved him off. Nicolas was getting farther and farther from me. It made me anxious.

I kept following closely behind, but there were too many people and they were wheeling him away too fast.

The stupid doctor grabbed again, stripping away my last strand of patience.

I grabbed his arm and threw it back, slamming him against the wall with my arm to his neck. "Don't. Touch. Me."

He raised his arms in surrender. "Relax. You're hurt. I'm going to treat you."

I stepped back, "I'm fine. Where are they taking him?"

"To the surgery room."

My eyes widened. "What?"

He sighed, "if you had listened to me I would have told you sooner."

"Talk," I ordered.

"The bullet was big. It went in through his side but it seems it to have gone in another direction. He needs to go to surgery because the doctors believe it might have hit an organ, which explains the extreme bleeding. They need to take the bullet out and stop the bleeding."

I felt all my air leaving me again. This was all my fault. How could I be so stupid?

I should have left the second I sensed something wrong. It was my responsibility. I'm the leader. The supposed fucking leader. And now his life is on the line and I'm here fine. Fuck.

Fuck!

What the fuck!

"You're bleeding," the doctor spoke again.

"When will he be out?"

"Huh?" He seemed confused.

"How long will the surgery take?"

He furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't know. Normally it takes an hour. Could be longer because of the gravity of the situation. You can't do anything now. Just come with me."

I pulled at my hair in frustration. "Will he make it?"

The doctor looked at me solemn. "I can't promise any--"