Heart Stopper - 2

2

The stench of the OR clung to the air. Blood. Metal. Latex. Bright lights overhead and blurry images passing before Reo's eyes.

"Can you hear us?"

Yes.

"Stay with us."

Trying.

Lights flashed and the sound of a gurney ground in the back of his head. Reo closed his eyes, succumbing to the cold numb.

"Reo...oh no, Omiko get me a blood bag, O negative! Now!"

Fuan.

His fingers twitched. Fuan was working in the trauma ward, but he could hear her voice. His body ached. He cracked open one eye and stared at the unfocused ward.

He still felt the pain. Cuts on his face. He remembered colliding with something denser than his own body.

"Thank you."

Fuan's voice. Trauma ward. I'm at the emergency center. He squinted as sneakers squeaked across the tile floor towards him. His vision went static and he inhaled sharply.

"Hang in there, Reo."

I have to tell her!  Gasping Reo jerked his head back. He couldn't talk through the plastic invading his mouth. Couldn't feel his fingers or toes, only the headache throbbing in the back of his head. There was so much sound, rushing, beeping, his heartbeat pounding in his ears, and the angry screech of a monitor.

"Calm down, calm down."

His hands fumbled at the sheets, trying to grip the blankets. I have to tell her! He couldn't see her face, though. Even with his eyes wide open. Fuan's face was nothing more than a blurry shadow over him.

She grabbed his hand. Pain shot up his arm and he closed his eyes, turning his face away as his chest clenched. His lips wouldn't move, obstructed by the breathing tubes. Standard procedures. Screw them.

I have to tell her...

Not enough air, and not nearly enough strength. Reo's hands went limp and he barely felt the brush of her fingertips against his. Her voice was white noise.

H e struggled soundlessly with the words that wouldn't come. Black spots danced before his eyes. She was leaving.

No.

His hand was cold. The room was cold. Reo's head slumped back. Come back, I have to tell you—

"Get a doctor and the crash cart!"

Reos' back arched as a surge of pain and electricity jerked him back out of darkness. It burned, burned like a fire inside his chest.

I love you...I-I

His eyes widened as he slumped back down, coughing and gagging on the plastic tubes. Where was Fuan? Was she a dream? No, can't have been. I heard her voice. His eyes skittered side to side, the monitor reminding him to calm down.

He couldn't.

I have to tell her something. Come back, please, I don't know...I don't know if—

Tears slid down his cheeks, stinging in the cuts and bruises. He groaned, stretching out his stiff sore fingers. Don't let me die, I have to tell you something.  He struggled to breathe as he sobbed into the quiet air.

"Calm down, you're back, just take it easy."

Her voice sounded so raw. Reo hiccuped and sobbed, searching for her face amid the watery blur of the room. On the right a shock of red hair, he couldn't mistake. He tried to choke out her name but couldn't make a sound past gargling with the mask on.

The screeching started up again. Everything hurt. He wanted to close his eyes, but kept them plastered open for fear of death.

Fuan.

Her hand wrapped around his. He felt his fingers in the warmth of her's, even though his hands remained cold. More tears slid down his cheeks but  her face into focus as she smiled and nodded at him, her eyes red and purple from lack of sleep.

"I've got you."

His fingers twitched but he couldn't curl them up yet. She patted the back of his hand and he tried again. Don't let go. His chest clenched just as the machine stopped screeching for a moment.

"Fuan, we still have nineteen other patients." 

Omiko's voice. Reo remembered it vaguely from earlier. Something about a blood bag. Fuan turned away from him to look back. His fingers twitched again.

Fuan cupped his hand in hers. "Workaholic," she muttered. "She's not talking to you."

No, don't leave me. Omiko can handle it, please, don't.

His lips failed to work properly. How was he supposed to tell her in this state? He had to before he lost consciousness again; before she left him in this room to die. Reo's teeth ground in the back of his head, tears welling back up.

She wouldn't leave him to die.

She was the angel of the trauma ward. Still, he clung to her hand with every ounce of his weak strength.

"Go get Jinn and Taedo. I need to keep an eye on him," Fuan said. Her voice sounded strong, except for the raw undertone.

Get them. Get anyone else but her. Please, I know I'm selfish, but please, Omiko. Reo heard Omiko mutter something about Jinn. Her voice sounded too far away. Cold seeped into his arm and he recognized the feeling. He leaned his head over as far as the machinery allowed and shook it.

No, I'm not dying here. I'm not. I have to talk to Fuan first, Omiko, shut up!

She did. At least he assumed she did. His ears still rang, though, the sound in the room becoming static white noise. Something deep inside his chest popped as he tried to twist his neck back around to see Fuan. Reo stopped.

Blood rushed inside of his throat again. Spasmic coughs gripped his body and his fingers lost their grip, his hand sinking down.

The lights were swirling. Spirals of white and black over his head, and hands pulling him down. Cold deathly hands. He couldn't fight them off. Couldn't move. Couldn't speak.

"Reo? Reo!"

He grit his teeth to the cold but it made no difference as the chill settled into his bones anyway. Omiko, you should've just shut up.