Words (Muke)

Twelve: Solar Eclipse

Ashton and Calum still remained painfully oblivious, but Luke had a sick feeling that it wouldn't stay that way for too long. Unfortunately Michael had the same feeling and even worse is neither of them understood how soon it would be. Neither of them knew the coming driver was drunker than Michael's father. They were in a state of bliss, completely unaware of what was going on. Their lips were still locked when the front of the truck hit the back of Luke's car.

Michael never got a chance to open his eyes before his head hit the front window and he was unconscious. But Luke witnessed a few chaotic minutes. He could hear screams faintly over the ringing in his ears. He could feel warm blood seeping down the side of his face. And all he could see was Michael's pale body, draped like a ragdoll with his eyes shut and his skin painted in a mix of the two boy's blood. Luke realized some of the screams were his own and cut off with a sob.

He saw someone running closer in his peripheral vision before his head lolled forward and his vision was clouded with darkness.

Tragic wasn't the right word. There was no word to describe what was unfolding.

Firemen had just cut open the car door and the paramedics were rushing forwards to tend to the boys inside. It was fast and there were people in the way but Liz's heart broke when she saw the tangled hands being pulled apart as her son's unconscious body was taken away from Michael's nearly lifeless one.

She should have been screaming. Calling out Luke's name, calling out Michael's. But Liz couldn't do anything but pull out her phone and call Ashton.

The curly haired boy picked up to her relief and she tried to get the words out only strangled noises escaping her tight throat.

"Liz!" Ashton yelled through the phone.

"Memorial. Memorial hospital. Bring Calum. Oh God, hurry Ashton," she gasped. The tears were soon to follow and Ashton was suddenly a statue on the other end simply muttering words that should have brought comfort.

When he hung up he met Calum's eye and he couldn't say anything.

"Ashton, what did Liz need?" Calum asked cautiously.

"I, I don't really know. She said to go to Memorial Hospital, to bring you. What if Luke, or Mikey..." Ashton couldn't finish his sentence but Calum knew where he was going.

What if they were dead.

So Calum stood and the two boys climbed into the car. If they had turned on the radio they would have heard, but instead they drove in silence and altogether skipped the road the accident was on.

The ambulance reached the hospital long before the two shocked and confused boys and they rushed Michael into surgery for something they wouldn't tell Liz. Luke was taken into a room on the same floor as Michael's surgery room and the doctors had concluded that he would be okay after he woke up. Just a few bumps and bruises as far as they could tell. Of course once he was conscious they would be able to run tests.

They wouldn't let Liz in to see him so she busied herself in the lobby of the hospital waiting for Ashton and Calum.

Doctors worked steadily over Michael. His heart monitor was beeping evenly and they were moving with caution and precision. Each motion had a purpose. This boy's life was in their hands. Quite literally.

Michael's head was another story.

It was if he was conscious though he knew he wasn't. His thoughts were just as present as ever and he was consumed in them. He was reliving the accident over and over when it hit him. Luke. Where was Luke. Michael knew he was out cold. He knew it. He wasn't sure how. It could be that he knew since everything was clearer, but in the same sense it was more clouded than ever.