Darkly and Eternally Yours

Chapter 15

"You know, you never really told me a lot about yourself. Like I have a friend, Dianna. Do you have any? Friends, family?" I asked, in intellectual curiosity.

He smiled a half smile. "Well, what can I say... I guess I can just tell you everything, now that I have nothing to hide from you."

He gulped, a brief moment of indecision on his face. His eyes met my steady gaze, contemplating, searching. He seemingly found whatever he needed and composed himself up, bringing my hand closer to his lap.

" On my 12th birthday, my father took me on a 'trip' or so he called to a small town. My father and I never really got along. He was distant. So naturally, when he told me he was taking me to a trip, I was excited. Finally, I could tell me school mates about an awesome adventure I had. With my father." He smiled, bitterly.

"I was so stupid, Kiara. That night, I took my first life. It wasn't intentional. I didn't know what was happening or what I was doing. I was terrified, seeing life leave his eyes, knowing I had done it..." He gripped my hand tighter. I gave him a reassuring look, not quite knowing how to react. All I knew was that he didn't deserve this.

"Do you know who it was?" He asked, his lips curling from disgust. His face a mixture of anger and sadness.

Confused, I asked "Who?"

He struggled to meet my eyes, "It was-" He suddenly froze, his eyes wide and empty. His expression dazed. He didn't blink or even breath, he was just inert, like he was in a movie and I paused it.

I shook him, called him, but he didn't move an inch. He was as stiff as a rod, not one muscle twitched. I shook him again, and again, kept calling him, but nothing. Nothing changed. Panic spread like wildfire through my whole body. His eyes were open, yet so... so empty. Like his physical body was here but his soul, Somewhere far away. Out of my reach.

Is he he having a shock? Is he having a seizure? I frantically dialed the hospital, my rib cage vibrating harder on every ring. Is this something medical? He can't... die can he? No that's impossible. I shook my thoughts away, gluing my eyes to Adrian, to note any sign of movement.

"Hello this is Florence Hospital, how may I help you?" the receptionists annoyed voice faded, before they even reached my ears. There was smoke. Black smoke. Blacker than black, surrounding Adrian. His eyes were closed. The smoke seemed to revolve him, my mouth hung open in bewilderment. The phone forgotten beside me, all I could do was stare. His eyes opened abruptly, his pupils as black as the smoke. He was facing the ceiling, his jaw clenched. I could hear him raggedly breathing, grappling to breath.

The smoke calmed down a little, he kept wheezing, like he just ran a marathon.

"Kiara." He breathed.

"Kiara." He repeated, his voice coming out hoarsely.

"Adrian?" I called, moving closer to him.

The smoke cleared, as he slumped against my couch, tired to his bone. "Adrian," I called again, confused as hell.

He was sweaty, too exhausted to even open his eyes. He was still breathing heavily, i was about to get up bring him water, a towel or anything at all, but he firmly grabbed my wrist, before I could get up. His eyes opened halfway, "Dianna." He breathed.

"What? What about Dianna?" I asked.

"She's..." He paused to catch his breath, "She's in danger." He finally choked out gruffly.

"What kind of danger?" I asked. He took a deep breath and said, " She'll be in the hospital in ten minutes. Go." He weakly pushed me.

"Go." He repeated.

I wanted to rush over to Dianna, make sure she was okay. But, when I looked at Adrian, struggling, drained out of energy on my couch. I knew I couldn't leave him in this state.

"Do you need anything? Tell me what's wrong?" I asked.

"No, She's in danger. You have to go. I'm fine, I'll be on my way soon. Just go first." He replied.

I felt torn, I couldn't leave him here, but I couldn't risk Dianna in danger either.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Positive. I'll be fine. This happened before." He said, straining to keep his eyes open. "I'll be on my way as soon as I can." He said.

I lingered, "You promise?"

"I promise." He assured me. "Go."

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A begrudging sense of dread filled me, as I stared at the dry, cracked walls of the hospital. I rushed to the reception.

"Hi I was wondering if Dianna Rivers was here?" I asked, trying to look calm and composed.

"Oh yes, She's in the emergency unit." The receptionist, a girl in her late twenties informed.

"Did she get into an accident? What happened?" I persisted, impatiently.

"Sorry Miss, but are you family?" She asked, tiresomely.

"Oh for heaven's sake, Yes! Yes I am!" I yelled at her. Couldn't she understand how urgent this was?

"Okay, okay, she got into an accident, her car collided with a tree. The doctors are in the lab with her. You can go that way." She pointed and I bolted at the direction. Please tell me she's okay. I chanted over and over in my mind. Like a hymn.

I tried to look through the glass in the doors, but they were fogged up. I slumped on one of the chairs, praying. My best friend, my only real friend, she 's fighting for her life behind those doors. She might... die. No! No! No! She can't. Adrian won't. He can't. He didn't say it. I got up and paced back and forth, my head throbbing.

After what felt like an eternity, the doors finally opened. I rushed to the blonde doctor, "Is she okay? What happened?" I asked, practically ambushing her.

"She is stable, for the time being. There was a hard collision, with her right shoulder. It is dislocated and her right leg is broken. We'd be checking her again, after a few hours, for any signs of internal bleeding." She explained, in a calm robotic voice.

"When will she be discharged?" I asked.

"She should be here for at least a week, so we can monitor her." She replied.

"Can I go see her?" I asked.

"Yes, of course."

I rushed inside Dianna's room, and I wear I had never seen my best friend look so... lifeless. She was pale. So pale, her skin almost blended with the white hospital sheets. There were bruises concealing her beautiful face. A small bandage on her skin.

I touched her hand, it was rough and dry. Touching it felt foreign, this wasn't Dianna's hand. She would die rather than seeing her hands in this condition. For some reason, I laughed. A mad laugh. A mad giggle. Perhaps she really did need to go for a manicure. She asked me to... and I didn't go. Suddenly, fresh hot tears burned my eyes. I didn't go. I yelled at her. These could have been my last words to her.

A sob escaped my lips, then another, and another. I clutched her hand tightly. I should have gone... this wouldn't have happened.

I heard a soft click as the door shut. It was Adrian. He looked grave. He walked over to Dianna's bed and sighed. "She will be okay." He muttered, stroking her hair.

"I should have gone with her." I whispered. "This wouldn't have happened." I said.

"You don't decide fate. This is not your fault." He said, his eyes still on Dianna.

"What happened?" I asked. He looked at me, and glanced at Dianna again. "I just got a warning." He said.

"For?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"You don't need to know right now." He replied.

I rolled my eyes, suddenly, I felt an urge to yell at him. "Hell I do! What the hell happened?"

Adrian looked physically taken back at my sudden outburst. "I will tell you, now's just not the right time." He said.

"Actually, now's the perfect time. my best friend, is on the state of dying. I could have prevented this, but no. I decided to be selfish." I said, pacing around the room. I was so irrationally angry, confused and scared, I had no idea what I was saying.

"God no, if anyone is to blame for this, it is me!" He exclaimed, walking towards the door.

"Where are you going? I asked, warily. He didn't turn to look at me, he muttered a half-hearted 'I have to go', which i don't even think he intended for me to hear.

I let out a heavy sigh, as I tried to calm my frustration. Bigger things are at stake now, I need to be here for Dianna. And so I was.

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A soft light hit my eyelids, causing them to open. I rubbed my neck, it was sore. I fell asleep beside Dianna's bed. The machines were still beeping simultaneously, she was still unconscious.

"Di?" I called, expecting no answer. "You have to wake up, why on earth would you waste your time here? When we could be going to nail salons and little shopping trips? I promise I won't complain, besides your nails really need to get done." I smiled.

"I won't abandon you. Never." I said, tenderly stroking her soft hair.

As my mind drifted, I wondered where Adrian was. I checked my phone, nothing. Where did he go? I got out of Dianna's room and dialed him.

No answer.

"Miss?" I turned around to find a young nurse calling me.

"You're here for Dianna Rivers, correct?" She asked.

"Yes." I replied.

"You have to sign a few papers." She motioned towards the desk, and I followed. She slammed a thick stack of papers on the desk, it may as well have been a book.

"Take your time, look them over, sign them and hand it to me." She said, giving me a pen and gesturing towards the sofa. I sat down, reviewing the papers mindlessly.

Dozens of tiresome signatures later, I found my way back to Dianna's room, and dialed Adrian again. Still nothing. Aggravated, I tossed the phone away on the couch and stared aimlessly at the wall. Thinking about how things got so stirred up. Just yesterday, my head was over the clouds.

After a while, a nurse came by to check up on Dianna's vitals and progress. "Her heart rate is awfully weak." She frowned, glancing at the clipboard she was holding. "Is that really bad? Is she going to be okay?" I asked, alarmed.

"I'm hoping, love. Let me fetch the doctor." She said, walking away.

A few minutes later, the blonde doctor came in with the nurse, "Miss, you have to leave." The nurse said, gently but firmly.

"Is she in danger?" I asked.

"She will be fine." The doctor said, trying to look convincing. But she failed miserably.

I shot a worried glance at Dianna, and walked out with my heart in my throat. I waited outside, for hours. Four hours. It was exactly four. I knew it because I spent all four watching the clock, praying.

When the doors opened, the doctor wasted no time coming to me. Her face was grave, she was clearly fighting off any emotion to be displayed on her face. But it was a losing battle. She came bearing bad news.

I gulped, preparing myself mentally. There was really no way to prepare yourself to witness God, taking away someone you love so much from you. Again.