Little One ✹ Zalfie

12

"Quick! Someone call 9-9-9!" Phil's older brother, Martyn, said. Dan whipped out his phone and dialed.

"We need help, and fast. We're at Galvin at Windows. There was an explosion, and some of us are hurt. Hurry!" He said, and there was another explosion. Alfie jumped on me to shield me from the falling debris, and everyone was screaming. Phil's leg was lacerated, and Dan was wrapping it in his jacket to stop the bleeding. We heard sirens getting closer, and shortly after, the fire brigade ran in to clear the debris off the majority of the people inside. A few EMTs came in, and Dan helped them carry out the injured people, including Phil.

"Philly... Philly, stay with me..." He said. Martyn managed to limp outside after the firemen got both me and Alfie out. A few guests were able to get out with only a few scratches, so they joined us and helped the firemen save everyone else.

"Co-Cornelia..." Martyn said. "She's hurt. I need to save her..." He said, and tried to go back inside. Another explosion went off, and he was thrown back. "Cornelia!" He screamed.

"Martyn?" A voice said. "Martyn, love... I made it out..." Cornelia was able to crawl out of the building after the last blast. Alfie ran to her, picking her up and carried her to a gurney. The S.W.A.T team were able to disarm the other bombs that were placed, and everyone was transported to the hospital.

~

I made it out of the explosions with only a broken rib, a hairline fracture in my left calf, and a dislocation of my right shoulder. I wasn't aware of my injuries whilst everything took place, but as soon as my adrenaline died down, I was in extreme pain. Alfie had only a few scratches and a broken wrist, so he was going to be able to help me in my recovery once I was allowed to go home.

It was as if the list of causalities kept rising within minutes of arriving at the hospital. I sat in my hospital room with Alfie by my side as we watched EMTs wheel in more and more people. Cornelia.... Martyn..... Phil..... Dan..... Even Joe and Caspar were hurt, but no one had lost their life yet.

"Who in their right mind.... could do something like this?" Alfie asked.

"I know only one person.... that would be sick enough to do something like this.." I sighed. "I told one of the officers before we left..... that I found a jumper outside of the restaurant. It was Noah's jumper..."

"How could you tell?"

"It said..." I hesitated. "If found... return to Zoë Sugg..." I started to cry. "I had a matching one.... saying I'm Zoë Sugg...."

"Wow...." Alfie said, then took my hand. "Zoë, it's going to be okay...."

"I know..." I said. "I.... I have you..." I started to smile, and Alfie kissed me. "And.... matching bracelets are better than matching jumpers....." I looked down at my wrist, then noticed I was missing my ring. "My ring.... where is it?"

"You had it on at the restaurant..." He said. "But did you still have it on here?"

"I don't know..." I said, and Joe came wheeling in as his leg was fractured.

"You're missing something?" Joe asked, smiling. "It must've come off when the first explosion hit. One of the firemen found it amongst rubble they're working on picking up.."

"You found my ring?" I asked, and he wheeled closer to hand me it. "Thank goodness.... I don't know what we would've done if no one found it.." I smiled at Alfie.

"Well.." He said. "It's not the ring that is important..... it's you and me. The ring just symbolizes how much I love you and that I want to forever be able to hold you in my arms..."

"I love you, Alfie.." I blushed and kissed him. A few minutes later, more casualties were being brought in, and Caspar came into my room. "Is everything okay?"

"No.." Caspar said. "The casualty count is getting worse..." Joe held his hand, laying his head on Caspar's shoulder. "There's a total.... Fourteen injured...... and five deaths.."

"Wh-who's.." Alfie hesitated to speak.

"Phil's bleeding got worse... and he died shortly after arriving..." Caspar said. "Martyn did, too.... and Dan's younger brother.....he's gone, too..."

"Oh my god..." I said.

"And.... I'm terribly sorry to say this...." Caspar looked at Alfie. Alfie immediately started to cry and deny the words that were being said. "Both of them..."

"No.." Alfie said. "No, they are not. My sister and Sean are not dead.."

"I'm sorry..." Caspar said. "But... It's true.."

"This can't be happening..." I cried. "Dan just got to propose... and now... all of this..... It's my fault.."

"Zo, it's not your fault. It's not your fault Noel did this.." Joe said.

"If I would've just obeyed him.." I said.

"If you would've stayed with him, you'd be number six on the casualty list..." Caspar said.

"Zoë.... I need you to be strong now..." Alfie said. "You're all I have left.... and I'm not going to let anyone hurt you..."

"I'm sorry..." I said, and he hugged me. "They're all gone..."

"Alfie Deyes and Zoë Sugg?" A nurse came to our door. "Are you able to come with me?" I looked at Alfie, then her, and said yes.

~

As Alfie wheeled me along, we followed the nurse, and the entire time, I was trying to understand why she called us out. She wasn't our nurse.... she was wearing a completely different colour uniform, so she had to have worked in a different position.

"Congratulations..." She said as we stopped in front of the nursery. "This little girl in front.... Her parents put you both as her legal guardians now, if you'd be okay with it. The mum asked for you two specifically as she was about to pass...."

"What?" I asked, then looked at Alfie. "What's going on?"