Venom

《 Forty - Three 》

On the third morning, Jade's vehicle sped through the empty streets. Passing any red lights where there weren't any pedestrians, with no care about the street laws. Rosy and Lorenzo sat in the back. The three had no sign of happiness on their faces, only worry. Lorenzo felt his hands tremble and Rosy held his left hand. The elder felt tears well in his eyes as he set his head on his best friend's shoulder. His stomach twisted with anxiety as his head teased him with scary thoughts.

"Rosy...my Yifan.." His heart squeezed tightly. Lorenzo recalled the words Grandma Jia had said to him in a call an hour ago.

'Lorenzo, Yifan was shot by a group of men at his workplace this morning. He's currently in the hospital. Please come back quickly.'

"Everything will be okay, Lorenzo." The red-haired woman said while holding his hand tighter.

Lorenzo nodded and kept his phone in his free hand, waiting for any update from the family. He had never been this scared before. The thought of Yifan getting hurt made his insides twist. The elder had failed to protect him.

"Nothing will happen to Yifan." Jade said as she pressed the gas harder.

"Please hurry." Lorenzo pleaded and the brown-haired woman nodded.

This morning, the trio had been two hours away from their city to go to their last place to visit when they received the call. Now, they were only thirty minutes away due to the taller woman speeding through the streets. The closer they got, the more worried Lorenzo became.

His brown eyes were wet with tears that Rosy wiped away with a napkin. "My husband..what if somethi-"

"Hush, honey." Rosy put a finger to his lips. "Your husband will be fine. He's not going anywhere."

"B-But.." The man couldn't think straight. There was fear in his heart. Fear of losing his husband.

"Lorenzo." Jade said from the front. "We won't let anything happen to Yifan."

Lorenzo stared out the window as restlessness crawled into his head. The vehicle roared as it arrived in the streets of their city. Ten minutes later, it stopped in the parking lot of a hospital. The three left the vehicle and quickly went inside. Jade held Lorenzo's hand as they walked to the main receptionist. The elder felt his hands tremble and sweat gathered on his forehead. He was too frightened to speak.

At the reception, they were told to go to the tenth floor and Jade pulled her friend into the elevator. "Lorenzo, don't be afraid."

She said while holding his hand tighter. Rosy pressed the button and stared at her friend worriedly. She rubbed his back while saying words of assurance but the man couldn't hear them. Their words came and went out of his ears before he could process them. All he could think about was his Yifan. What was his condition right now? What if something happened to him? What will Lorenzo do? How could he live without the younger man?

When the elevator doors opened again, they got out into a large hall. At the end of the hallway, Lorenzo saw Grandma Jia, the kids, and Yifan's two friends. Jade followed his sight and saw the whole family. The three rushed towards them and Lorenzo ran to Jia. The woman had worry on her soft face and the moment Lorenzo reached her, he embraced her tightly.

"L-Lorenzo.." The woman's weak voice increased his anxiety. She pointed at the blue door at the opposite end of the hallway. "My grandson..he's in the operation room..fighting for his life."

"I'm so..sorry I couldn't protect him.." Lorenzo said while crying against her shoulder.

Kevin came forward and hugged the two crying souls in his large embrace. "Everything will be okay, have trust in God."