Tough Love

Part 24: The Line Between Life and Death

Murr's POV

I watched as they dragged Q's lifeless body out of the top of the jeep. He was covered in glass. Some of it was just on his cloths, but most of it was sticking out of his face, which was cut so bad he was hardly recognizable. I could see that one of his legs were bent backwards and a bone was protruding from his arm. Half of his shirt was missing, revealing more deep cuts and bruises. He was covered in so much blood... The firemen that knew him wiped a few tears away from their eyes but other than that, they remained professional and did their best to help him. I watched in horror as they tried to bring my best friend, my brother, back to life.

I couldn't just stand there, I had to be right next to him in case he woke up. Policemen tried to hold me back as I struggled to get past their blockade, but thankfully one of the firemen - the chief - looked up and, upon recognizing me, allowed me to come closer. I don't think he would've allowed this if it were anyone else in the world that was injured, and I wasn't even able to come that close, but it was better than nothing.

The paramedics had swooped in by now and were busily making tourniquets and trying to stop the blood flow in his arms and legs. Then one doctor cut the rest of his ravaged shirt off while another placed two pads with little wires hooked up to them on his chest.

"Clear!" His body jerked once. It was one of the worst things I've had to watch in my life.

"Clear!" Again, his back arched and his limbs jolted.

"Clear!"

Sal's POV

I rush to the hospital as fast as I can, but the meager bandages I had applied to my damaged legs weren't doing that great a job stopping the blood and I'm beginning to feel lightheaded. But I have to push through. Yes, we had just broken up, but Brian still meant the world to me. I'm not going to let anything else happen to him. Ever.

Upon arriving at the emergency room, I'm told that no one was allowed to see Brian, not even family. Everyone knows that means it's fucking bad, and I feel as though I'm going to pass out, but then I hear James' voice come from behind me.

"Sal, over here." I turn to see him sitting near a tv that's showing the news, and I go sit opposite him. He doesn't look good at all. He's pale, not unlike a ghost, and I can tell he's extremely anxious because he won't stop fidgeting. And his eyes are bloodshot, as if he had been crying a great deal.

"Is he okay?" He doesn't answer. "James, please, is he..."

Murr shakes his head. "They got a pulse so they put him in an ambulance and let me ride along. That's when I called you. But he wasn't breathing -" He suddenly chokes up and has to take a minute to breathe. When he speaks again his voice is very high. "- and he flatlined a couple times on the way here. They won't tell me how he is now, only that they'll have to perform emergency surgery."

"The fuck is wrong with them?!" We suddenly hear Joe yell. He must've just walked in and heard Murray because he immediately storms up to the counter and begins to demand information. I have never, and I mean never seen Joe this angry before. I guess that's what you get when you mess with his best friend of over 25 years. "YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL ME IF HE'S ALIVE?! SOME HOSPITAL THIS IS! FUCK YOU!!" I almost feel bad for the receptionist as she tries to explain to Joe that she doesn't even know what's going on. But he isn't having any of it, and proceeds to walk and sit next to us. "I'm sorry guys, I just... fuck..." He rubs his eyes in frustration.

I rest my hand on his knee as I try to comfort him. "We know."

TV Reporter: "...a wreck on the highway has left three people injured, one dead, and another in critical condition..." I avert my eyes to the TV, which is showing an aerial view of the highway.