The Foreigner & The Pessimist (malexmale)

12. Zuuro

But they don't. Now that he's completely unrestrained, they've got no control over him. And the more people they bring in to try to keep him pinned down to the bed enough for them to work on him, the more combative he gets.

I can't just stand here anymore. The more scared Lane becomes, the more protective I get, and I can't just do nothing while every ounce of my being is screaming at me to move! He needs me! Lane needs me! I have to help him!

Without another thought, I push the door open and enter the room again. It's amazing how much sound the glass was blocking.

Lane is in full blown panic mode now, punching, and kicking, and shoving, and screaming. Oh boy, can he ever scream. And he's strong. He's strong on a normal day, but now with adrenaline pumping through him, that strength is magnified, and the doctors can't handle it.

Suddenly, his panic is all I can feel.

"GET IT AWAY FROM ME!" he shouts, ripping his arm free from two of the doctors trying to hold it down, and taking a swing at a third who's trying to get a syringe of something into his IV.

They're so preoccupied they haven't even noticed me yet. There's no doubt in my mind now, that he's got no idea where he is or what's going on.

"Doctor, his heart rate is going through the roof."

"Hold him still, damn it!"

"Lane, we're just trying to help you. You need to calm down."

"He's going to hurt himself!"

"Hurry up and get the sedative in him!"

"I'm trying!"

"NO! NO, I DON'T WANT IT! I WANT TO GO! JUST LET ME GO!" Lane screams; ripping and straining against them. It's heart breaking.

Do something, Zuuro. Snap out of it! Help him!

Finally, I'm able to push his feelings out enough to regain control and speak up. "Lane, I'm here, okay? I'm right here." I tell him.

But he can't hear me. He's too scared. His senses are completely overloaded by everything that's going on, and he's so panicked now that he can't even register anything beyond his own fear and need to free himself.

I need to get closer to him. I need him to see me. I need to be able to touch him, but with all the doctors and nurses currently surrounding him, it's impossible.

"STOP! YOU'RE HURTING ME! STOP!"

"Didn't you hear him, he said stop! You're just making it worse!" I tell them, advancing and trying to get someone – anyone – away from Lane so that I can get closer to him.

Now they notice me.

"Who let him in here? Get him back outside!" the doctor – the one who threw me out before – barks.

The same nurse releases Lane and tries to usher me out again, but this time I don't budge. "I'm not going anywhere. I can help. I can get him to calm down. Why won't anybody listen to me?!"

Lane finally pulls a leg free and manages to kick someone else away, sending them crashing into the nurse trying to push me out, and all three of us onto the floor.

I have my opening.

I scramble back onto to my feet and to his side, narrowly missing being kicked by his still unrestrained leg. "Lane! Lane, I'm here." I tell him, placing my hand on his knee. "I've got you. It's okay now."

It's not immediate, but his struggling slowly begins to calm down, and his screaming reduces to an inaudible whisper.

I breathe out a little sigh of relief as the others in the room holding him down carefully begin to release him so that I can move up towards his head. Even the doctor who'd just been trying to get rid of me takes a step back.