215 Numb (1/2)

Andrew was devastated. It was happening again. Why did it have to come to this? Why couldn't things go in their favor for once?

He had been praying for years that at least his daughter would be saved but it was happening again. The miracle he had been wishing for, waiting for, was again nowhere to be seen, nowhere to be found. It was not coming…

”C-can you give us time to think about this?” Andrew asked and the doctor told him that Abi would need to have surgery within the next two days.

After the doctor left, Andrew looked at Alex. He was standing there in a standstill.

Andrew walked towards him and patted his shoulder. He had no words to say to him. He remembered himself back then. He remembered how his parents had consoled him but no consolation could actually reach him. No amount of kind words could soothe the pain, or even make him feel better, not even a little bit. Nothing.

That was why Andrew didn't speak anymore. This young man had to accept the reality by himself to help himself cope with what was coming ahead.

Abi was then brought out of the emergency room and was transferred to a private room. Andrew followed her inside but Alex didn't. He remained there, outside her room, standing like a soulless statue, his face sunken, almost haunted. His world was growing cold again.

Despite the denial, Alex's heart was drenched by fear. The wild fire she had started that burned in his veins was slowly fading away, turning back to an icy numbness, numbness that was worse than ever.

…

Outside the hospital, Kai and Zeke arrived.

They went straight to the emergency room but found out Abigail was no longer there. Zeke spoke with the doctors who treated her, took her data from them and went to his office.

”Are we not going to go and check on him?” Kai asked but Zeke simply sat on his chair and started going through the information he got from the doctors.

After a short while, Kai sighed as he stood up. ”I'll go and check on him.”

”No need. He'll come here on his own,” Zeke muttered and the door was opened with a loud bang.

Alex entered. He flew straight to Zeke, bent down and grabbed his collar.

Zeke was unfazed and calmly looked at him. He noticed Alex's trembling hands as he waited for him to speak but no words left Alex's mouth.

Alex's jaws were clenched hard. It was obvious he was having a hard time, but Zeke waited, just looking at him wordlessly until his lips finally opened.

”Zeke…” he started as he looked down, not letting go of Zeke's collar. ”Go check on her again… those… those incompetent doctors… I'm certain there must be some mistake.”

Zeke let out a quiet sigh. ”All the doctors here are topnotch, Alex –”

”Shut up!!!” Alex gritted his teeth. His grip on his collar tightened. ”Just do what I want you to do! If it's you… I know you can save her!”

Zeke creased his brows as he stared at him. He could see that Alex was still in denial. His mind was probably still numb.