NATHANIEL

An audible signal******************

I heard yelling, but I could not understand what was being said.

My ears rang with a shrill, chilling melody. My world spun, and my heart raced and thumped ferociously in my chest as adrenaline filled my bones with so much vigour that it was crippling.

I couldn't move I was ready to get up and move. But my body won't listen.

"........yo..... Kay?"

'What are they saying?'

I could finally make out words, but they were distorted and fragmented. They made no sense.

I strained to concentrate on the voice as it yelled again.

"Are you okay?" the voice yelled.

What's going on? Why is everyone in such a rush?

Wait, why am I here?"

A Light shone in my eyes as I heard a voice yell over my head.

"His pupils are dilated; get him into the truck!"

"Garrett..." I whispered. "Where Is Garrett?"

I remember driving to a specific location with him.

I remember the hazy image of a caravan.

I remember Garrett's smile turning into panic as he yelled something—words I couldn't seem to hear.

I remember him pushing me away.

And I remember the explosion.

The events of the past few days leading up to this second are the reason for my current predicament and the dread that gripped my heart as I thought of what it might have cost me.

"Garrett....." I groaned as I struggled to sit up. "Where......is.....Garrett?"

“Someone attend to this man!" the voice yelled, ignoring my question as my surroundings exploded in a flurry of activity. My pulse was being checked repeatedly as medical personnel swarmed around me.

"His pulse is steady! Get him in the van!"

Before I could object, they lifted me and strapped me to a stretcher. A drip was put into my veins, an oxygen mask was placed over my face, and heart monitors were attached to my chest as soon as I was carried into a waiting van.

I strained my injured hand, which struggled to listen, and laboriously pulled the mask down.

"Please...." I croaked. "Garrett....."

The mask was promptly replaced as a male voice soothed me.

"You'll be fine, sir!" he said. "We're on our way to the hospital now!"

All I heard was the irregular beeping of the heart monitor before the world turned black.

***

"Nate! Nate!"

Opening my eyes with a jolt, I was immediately assaulted with a flood of pain as I tried to stand up on reflex.

I let out a strained grunt as I tried to stop myself from screaming out loud.

Everything hurts.

My head pounded intensely, my eyelids felt heavier than they should be, it took all the effort I could muster to breathe, and I could barely move my arms and legs.

Being abruptly flooded with all the pain, I was disoriented, as all I could think of was a way to stop it.

I heard someone talking—more like yelling—beside me, but I was in too much pain to make out anything they were saying.

As soon as someone else joined in, there was a flurry of activity everywhere. I became even more irritated as more people entered the room, and a beeping sound filled the space.

I gritted my teeth and tightened my chest as I heard someone yell, "He is going into cardiac arrest!" As frantic movements were made around me, I only wanted the pain to stop.

The world quickly went black.

***

"......Nate, ....ate?"

Slowly, I opened my eyes, then quickly closed them as the pain from the piercing light was excruciating.

"Nate?" I heard a female voice say, It sounded familiar.

"Oh my gosh, Nate!" The voice grew louder, hurting my ears.

"Doctor!" she yelled. "Someone get a doctor here!"

I heard a door open and soon felt hands on my chest.

The feeling of a round, cold object came next, and then a different person spoke. It was a male voice this time.

"He is steady. A lot better than last time."

"Is he awake?" the female voice asked, and silence followed.

"I believe so," the male voice said in response. ”Although unconscious, his heartbeat is much faster than expected. That is probably due to the pain he should still be feeling."

"Okay, doctor," the female voice said. "Thank you."

"Do not agitate him, though," the doctor warned. "A nurse will be here to attend to him and take records soon, so please be careful how you handle him."

I heard the sound of the door opening and closing soon after, but I kept my eyes shut.

"Nate?" the female voice said. I recognise it now.

It was the voice of my wife, Jane.

"Nate, I know you can hear me," she said. "I won't make you open your eyes if you don't want to either. Just please get better and get off this bed."

I lay there as motionless as possible, not to attempt to show that I was awake.

But she persisted in speaking.

However, I only wanted her to stop talking and leave me alone.

"If you aren't opening your eyes, then I know you remember what happened and what got you here," she said, her voice sounding like she was on the verge of tears. "It's because you just wouldn't listen to me—both of you. I told you and Garrett to be careful with this job, but you wouldn't.

Garrett has a daughter, and you have a wife. I told you both these exact words countless times. Why didn't you just listen to me?"

"Ma'am, please, you can't do that," a different female voice said as I heard the sound of the door opening again. "I am sure the doctor has warned you not to agitate the patient," the nurse said.

She snorted, "Yeah, I know. Her speech had become a little slurred as she was now sobbing. "I'm sorry. I'll leave now."

The door closing followed her words, and the room was silent again.

My world became pitch-black as the syringe's contents were injected into my bloodstream. Then came the prick of a needle.