Chapter 34: Door 8 - Ben
218 Words
Day 7.
00:00:00
Jessica felt sick.
7 days.
7 lives.
On her desk: FILE 08 - BEN
Age: 19
Last seen: 3:33 AM, 10 months ago
Cause: Overdose
Her phone buzzed.
3:33 AM.
Unknown: Day 7.
Unknown: One pill kills.
White hallway.
13 doors left.
DOOR 8: BEN
Jessica opened it.
A bedroom.
Messy.
Pills scattered on the floor.
An empty bottle.
Ben was on the bed.
Unconscious.
Lips blue.
Breathing slow.
Jessica: BEN!
She ran to him.
Checked his pulse.
Weak.
Man: 24 hours.
Man: Save him... or it's too late.
Jessica: Stay with me!
She shook him.
No response.
Jessica: Call an ambulance!
She grabbed her phone.
No signal.
Man: You have 10 minutes.
Jessica remembered.
From training.
Naloxone.
She searched the room.
Found a kit in the drawer.
Jessica: Please work...
She injected it.
Waited.
Ben coughed.
Gasped for air.
Ben: ...what...
Jessica: You're alive.
Jessica: You're gonna be okay.
Ben started crying.
Shaking.
Ben: I'm sorry...
Ben: I didn't want to...
Jessica: I know.
Jessica: But you don't have to do this alone.
She held his hand.
Until the ambulance came.
Until he was safe.
Man: Day 7... complete.
Man: 12 doors left.
Jessica watched them take Ben away.
Her heart was heavy.
12 more.
12 more chances to fix what she couldn't before.
- Writer
