Abandoned

Chapter 45

I looked at my cousin, who was trying to stop the blood from coming out of Maddie’s stomach. His fingers were inside the wound.

"Fuck!" Sam screamed, looking around frantically. "Where is the fucking ambulance?!"

"Maddie, please." I said, holding onto Max as tightly as I could. "Please don’t leave me. Don’t leave me."

She couldn't leave me. I would die if she did. I didn’t want to live without her again. I wouldn't survive that. I didn’t want to survive that.

I heard footsteps rushing toward us. I saw paramedics approaching Maddie.

"We’ve got it from here, doctor Adams." one of them said.

"I am not fucking moving an inch!" Sam screamed. "My fingers are stopping the blood from coming out even more. I am not moving my hand. You need to get us into the ambulance. She needs surgery. Right the fuck now!"

The man nodded and started working around my sister and cousin.

Sam bent down and kissed her cheek. He whispered something to her.

"Let me go to her, Max!" I cried out, making Sam look up at me.

I needed to grab her face and make her open her eyes. She had to wake up. She had to smile at me. She had to tell me that she loved me again.

Max tightened his arms around me. He buried his face in my neck and cried.

"Let me go, Max." I repeated, sobbing. "Please. I need her."

Another man came with a gurney.

"We need to be careful." Sam said. "The bullet can’t move. It will do more damage."

My stomach turned.

I watched as paramedics placed their hands under Maddie’s body. They were gentle. I saw sadness on their faces.

"Okay." one of them said quietly. "We need to do this quickly and gently. On three."

"One, two, three."

I watched them pick her up and put her on the gurney. Sam didn’t move his hand an inch.

"We need to go." Sam said. "Now. Move it."

I watched as they started to push her away.

"No!" I screamed, trying to follow her.

"They are taking her to the hospital, Milo." I heard Zack’s broken voice beside me. "They will help her."

I looked at him wide-eyed.

I wanted to go with her.

I needed to go with her.

I heard the door of the ambulance close. I heard the siren start.

"Maddie!" I screamed, looking back toward the ambulance.

I started thrashing in Max’s arms.

They were taking her from me!

What if I never saw her again?!

WHAT IF I NEVER SAW HER AGAIN?!

Another pair of arms wrapped around me.

"It’s okay, bud." I recognized Ryan’s voice. "We will take a car to the hospital. We are going with her. It’s okay."

I was shaking. I couldn't breathe.

"Come on, Milo, let’s go." someone said, placing a hand on my back.

I flinched.

I didn’t want anyone to touch me. I didn’t want anyone except Maddie. I wanted Maddie. I needed Maddie.

I sobbed and stopped thrashing.

Max tightened his arms around me. He sobbed as well.

"We are going to the hospital, Milo." Max cried out. "We are going to her. Come on."

I forced my legs to move. I needed to move. I needed to go to her.

Max unwrapped his arms around me, and I looked at his face. He looked like he'd been through hell and back.

I sobbed and he cupped my cheeks.

"We are not losing her." he said as he leaned his forehead on mine. "She is going to be okay."

Someone wrapped their arms around us.

I looked up and saw Ryan. He looked like he was in pain. He was covered in blood. His eyes were filled with tears.

"Come on, guys." Ryan said as he kissed my temple. "Will, Blake, and Zack are already waiting for us in the car."

I turned around and saw Will behind the wheel of Ryan‘s car. Zack and Blake were sitting in the back. Both of them had a pissed-off look on their faces.

I started walking toward the car. I couldn't feel my body.

All I felt was pain. All I wanted was to scream and cry.

"Please be okay, Maddie." I mumbled quietly as I squeezed Max’s hand. "I can’t lose you."

I wouldn't survive her death. I would never recover from it. I would die with her.