Josh
I couldn't even processed what had happened when Aster pushed me, but in an instant, it was like my life was over even if I didn't get hit by that truck. My heart broke as Aster squinted at me from my arms. Red blood was oozing bout of cuts and scrapes on her body and leaking from the side of her mouth. I kept yelling at people to dial 911 as Aster's head fell to the side towards our shopping cart.
"The apples are probably bruised now." She sighed.
I felt confusion rush over me as this was her concern right now. "That doesn't matter right now Aster, stay with me." I said as I wiped a tear from her cheek and smeared red over her skin, it made me sick.
"Josh, go on tour please."
Again she wasn't even worried about her state, "Aster I'm not leaving you."
"They need you, I'll be okay Joshie." I couldn't even reply, I was so heartbroken that even when she was literally dying in my arms she was more concerned about my well being.
She squeezed her eyes closed and panic rushed through me as colors around me were rapidly fading. "Aster, please keep your eyes open baby." I pleaded as sirens got closer and closer to the scene.
"I'm really tired," she sighed again. "Josh I love you, I'll be okay, please go on tour they need you."
"Aster wake up!" My tears were falling even faster now as EMT's were loading her onto a gurney.
"Sir we need you to step away so we can get her to the hospital." A nurse said to me.
"Let me ride with her she's my soulmate!" I yelled frustrated.
"Okay, but you need to calm down and don't get in the way."
I rode in the ambulance with her and all the surroundings around us seemed to mush into one. It was like my head was underwater and she was all I could see. I focused on her face and realized all color had drained from my surroundings, except for red.
As the ambulance pulled up to the hospital I finally gained awareness as I heard the heart monitor stuck at one high pitched tone. I stopped breathing as doctors and nurses yelled at each other as she was rushed away into a room and I stood there in the middle of the lobby, alone.
A nurse approached me with sympathetic eyes. "Are you here for Miss Montillo?" I only nodded, not able to form words. "I'm sorry about your situation, she's been rushed into surgery but she's still alive. I'm not sure much more about her condition but you may have a seat and call some friends and family. if they would like to wait. I'll have the doctor update you as soon as we have more news."
I just nodded again and sat in an uncomfortable plastic chair in the waiting room. I started down at my hands, covered in the dark red of Aster's blood contrasting the grey world. It was then I realized I couldn't even imagine a work without Aster and now here it was dangling in front of my face from a think string.
I called Tyler and Jenna before I broke down again, watching as my tears mixed with her blood on my hands and dripping onto the sanitized tile below. And I sat like that for hours. Just waiting.