It worsened for him. He held my hand tighter. I felt his body shake as he exhaled. Sweat dripped down the strands of his brown hair. He shuttered back and forth between cold and warm; like a fever that was trying to break. The shirt he was wearing lie soaked on the floor.
"You don't have to take it." I whispered to him.
He pulled me closer, "I know." He clenched his teeth and
leaned his head back on the headboard.
"Why are they doing this?"
"Because they know I won't let you go through this. They
thought it would get them what they want." He squeezed my hand tighter.
The bed creaked as he adjusted himself slightly. I pulled the blanket higher up
on him.
"What do they want?"
His breaths became short and uneasy again. I cupped my hand around
his chin. His facial hair grown past his usual well-kept stubble.
"Stop." I snapped.
"I'm okay." He assured me.
I pulled my hand away from his. The pain returned immediately. It
moved through my whole body, originating from my side and pulling on every
tendon and nerve as it made its way to my head. I was sweating too, half way
from the heat his body had been giving off and half way because of the pain. I
began to shake. Liam took my hand back quickly. I watched his veins bulge as
black made its way up his arm and half way across his chest. He swallowed hard.
"How do we make it stop?" I whispered.
"I don't know."
“It's going to keep getting worse for you.”
He exhaled, "That's what they want."
"Who?"
"It's too much to explain," He clenched his fist around
the sheets, "I am so sorry, you got caught up in this."
"In what?"
"I can't."
"Is it because you can take other people’s pain? Does someone
want to use you?”
"Be still." He arched his back. I was silent for a
moment. He took deep breaths. I tried not to move but the pain continued to
increase. I could see it in his face. The veins on his chest bulged and the black
blood crept further along his chest.
"Le. Please."
He clenched his teeth and swallowed again. His body trembled.
"Alex!" I called, "Ky. Someone help."
"What are you doing?" He could barely get the words out.
Alex ran into the room followed closely by Ky and Emma. They couldn’t have been
far. It wouldn’t have surprised me if Alex was sitting outside of the door this
whole time.
Emma pulled the curtains back blinding Liam and I. I had no idea
it was even daytime. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Liam said through his teeth.
"Make him stop." I pleaded, "He can't do this
anymore."
Alex walked over and placed his hand on Liam's shoulder. Liam
turned my face to look at him. His body relaxed. I heard Alex; a noise left his
lips that he wasn’t intending on making.
"Liam you can stop." Emma took my hand, "I managed
to get anesthetics and pain killers from my shift last night, I can give them
to you."
I nodded.
"Will they work?" Liam practically whispered.
"You will be asleep." Emma looked up at him, "It's
going to be okay."
"I am not leaving her." Liam protested; his voice forced
from his lungs.
"You don't have to." Emma walked towards the door,
"I'll be back."
"Alex." Ky sounded concerned. I wanted to look; Liam prevented
me from turning my head.
"Be still." He whispered; he pushed my hair away from my
face.
Emma returned with her med
kit. She placed it on the foot of the bed and unzipped the bag. She pulled out
a long needle and a jar with a rubber lid and stuck the syringe into the top.
Clear liquid pulled up into the tube.
Liam looked at me, "This is not going to help you like I
can."
"But it's going to help." I assured him.
Emma took my hand and faced my palm towards the ceiling. The tip
of the needle entered my arm; I looked away. I felt her remove it. I tried to
pull my hand away from Liam. He didn't move.
"It's okay."
"What if it doesn't help you?"
"It's helping." Alex exhaled from behind me, "We
should have done this sooner." Alex walked next to Emma at the foot of the
bed, Liam's body tensed slightly.
I tried to pull my hand away again, "Let go. It's okay."
Liam shook his head. I began to feel the drug overtake me. My eyes
grew heavy. Alex reached into Emma's med kit and pulled out a second syringe.
This one was already filled with something. He handed it to Ky. They took slow
steps toward Liam and I.
Liam shifted, "What are you doing with that?" I could
feel his heart rate increasing.
"This is for your own good. She is going to be okay."
Alex held his hands out in front of him, as he spoke calmly, “You haven’t slept
in days. You haven't relaxed in a week."
"Stop." He pushed back against the wooden headboard.
Alex gently grabbed his arm. Liam tried to pull away.
"Don't fight. You're too weak already. We're doing this for
you."
"She needs me." Liam protested. He pulled at his arm
again trying to shake it free. Alex was right though. He was too weak.
"She needs you to be alive." Ky stuck the needle into
Liam's arm.
"Stop." Liam tried to fight, "Don't do this.
Please. What if something happens?" Desperation hung on the end of his
words.
"You're both going to be fine." Alex assured as Ky
injected the liquid into his system. Against his will Liam's body fell limp. I
felt a small bit of pain return. His hand was still intertwined in mine; I held
it tightly for the security. I opened my heavy eyes and looked up at him. He
was asleep, completely out cold. I looked at Alex who was closing Emma's med
kit at the foot of the bed.
"What did you do to him?"
"Emma says it's for patients who are stubborn."
"Will he be okay?"
"He is just asleep. You should try and rest too." He
picked the kit up of the bed, "I will be right down the hall if you need
anything. Sleep."
"Thank you." I whispered. I closed my eyes and placed my
head back on Liam's chest. I let the drugs overtake me falling asleep listening
to his slow and steady heartbeat. For the first time in what felt like forever
we both slept. I knew it was only because of the anesthetics but I was okay
with that.
I slept without a dream and woke up before Liam, whatever Ky gave
him knocked him out hard. I reached my hand up and pushed his matted brown hair
back from his face. It fell as soon as I pulled my hand away. I pushed it back
again and placed my hand on his cheek. He was so warm, I hoped that he didn’t
have a fever. I pulled my body up and kissed him on his forehead. "Thank
you." I whispered. I curled back up with my head on his chest listening to
his heartbeat I let sleep come again.
Every once in a while, Emma will walk back into the room with
Alex. She sits on the side of the bed next to me with her med kit on her lap.
She injects more anesthetic; it keeps me out for hours at a time. I have yet to
see Liam open his eyes. They must be keeping him asleep to buy time while they
look for a cure. I know that they mean well, if he is asleep than it is easier.
If we are both asleep than it is much easier, less to worry about. I don’t
fight it. I would rather it be this way. I don’t like seeing Liam in pain,
especially because it’s my fault.
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