Ch7: Fear

The rain lashed against the pavement like angry fists, and lightning sliced through the darkened sky. The jagged flashes of lightning illuminated the large hospital windows, casting eerie shadows that danced around the waiting room. Half an hour felt like an eternity for Leon and James as they paced the sterile, cold floor, their hearts pounding in sync with the thunder. 

Finally, the door swung open, and Finn emerged, followed closely by her attending doctor. Leon's heart lodged in his throat as he rushed towards them, desperation etched across his face. 

"Finn... is she okay?" he asked, his voice trembling.

Finn's expression was grim. "Leon… we've administered primary medication, but she has severe head injuries. She needs urgent surgery."

He felt the world around him tilt. "But this is a small hospital," he stuttered, panic gnawing at his insides.

"We will take Mira to our hospital," Finn replied, determination lacing her voice. "I've arranged for all the senior doctors to be on standby."

Leon nodded weakly, feeling as if the strength had been drained from his body. As they wheeled Mira out, he caught sight of her frail form—an oxygen mask clinging to her face, her body swathed in blood-stained bandages. He couldn't bear to look at her, the sight of her suffering sending a sharp pain through his chest.

He couldn't bear to look, couldn't shake the thought that this might be the last time he saw her. But he had no choice—he needed to be strong for her. They lifted her into the ambulance, the sirens wailing a haunting melody that echoed through the storm. 

Leon climbed in, grasping her hand with trembling fingers, squeezing tighter as if he could somehow anchor her to life. "Stay with me, Mira," he whispered, his voice breaking, echoing his despair into the void. With every jolt of the ambulance, every flash of lightning, his heart raced faster, fear clawing at his throat. The storm continued to rage, both outside and within, as he fought against the tide of darkness closing in around them.