Devil's Backbone (Muke)

26

I'm rocking. No, not rocking. Shaking. Someone is shaking me.

"Luke? Luke, are you okay?"

I can understand that someone is speaking, but I can't place who. My eyes won't open, either.

Eventually, I realize that the voice belongs to the nurse I spoke to earlier. When I force my eyes to open, she sighs in relief.

"You had us worried! Are you feeling okay?" She asks.

I nod, sitting up from the little couch I'm laying across. I'm still in the same room as Michael; I can hear his heart monitor beeping. Everyone is standing between the two of us.

"I'm fine. Sorry," I mutter.

"It's okay. Good news. The baby is okay. It's the first thing I checked," the nurse informs me. I place a hand on my small bump and smile.

"Thank you," I say. She nods and stands.

"Be sure to drink lots of water. Eat something, too. Your baby will need it."

I nod in agreement and she leaves.

"You scared the hell out of us, Luke," Calum sits next to me.

I feel horrible. None of the attention should be on me right now. Everybody here should be focused on Michael and his recovery. Am I crazy, or has his pulse gotten a little faster?

I examine him. There are no visible changes. He still has an IV, a plastic tube under his nose, and his eyes are still closed. If it wasn't for all the hospital stuff, it would seem as if he was asleep. But he's not asleep; he's unconscious because he was shot. And it's not likely he'll pull through. I sigh.

"I'm sorry," I say again.

Ella hands me a bottle of cold water. I take a long drink and thank her.

As all of us get quiet, the beeping of Michael's pulse fills the room.

"Somebody silence that thing," Ethan complains. I know that there's a silencer button, and that it doesn't do any damage, but I'm still quick to jump to my feet and stand in front of the machine.

"No!" I protest. "Please, no."

I couldn't bear sitting in here without hearing Michael's heart beating. It might irritate them, but it's probably the only thing keeping me sane right now. I need to hear it.

Ethan sighs and looks around.

"We're going to go get some food from that burger place down the street. Do you want to come?" Ryan asks me.

"No, thank you," I answer. There's no way in hell I'm leaving Michael's side. Not for anything.

"Alright. We'll give you some time alone with him," Ryan says. I nod and watch everyone leave.

It's silent except for the beeping of the machinery. I stare at my fiance, wishing for him to come out of this. For him to live. For him to be okay. If he doesn't make it, I have no idea what I'll do. The only thing that'll help me cope is my baby. His baby. Our child.

Still, I need him.

The sky outside is dark. The moon is just a sliver, so there isn't much light out there. I take a look around the hospital room. It's pristine and everything is white or grey. Even Michael's gown and what I can see of his giant bandage are spotless.

They did the surgery while I was unconscious. Then, apparently, they bought me in from a different room after they checked on my fetus and recorded my vitals.

This isn't happening. Surely, it's just some horrible twisted dream. Like the one from a few weeks ago. The one where we had a daughter and we found Michael's lifeless body in the road. This isn't real. I just have to wake up.

I tell myself to wake up several times. It doesn't work, and that's when I accept it. This is not some sick nightmare. This is happening. It's real. I am sitting in a hospital room with my dying fiance, hoping with everything in me that he miraculously survives a gun shot to the chest.

I scoff to myself, then flip my thinking. His pulse has gotten stronger. That's a very good sign. He's strong, too. Stronger than anybody I know.

He'll pull through this. He has to.

Just as I'm starting to think positive thoughts, I hear something.

"Luke?"

Michael's mumbling my name.