48
Am I dying?
As Emma lay on the ground and Noelle pressed Max’s shirt under her jaw, blood flowed down her throat, and it stung as she inhaled some into her lungs.
The agony made her cough, which hurled droplets at Noelle and Max and made her see stars from the torture.
Noelle wiped her face with her wrist, leaving blood smears mixed with the tears.
“You’re going to be fine, Emma,” she cried over and over. “Just hold on!”
Emma tried not to inhale or swallow, and blood pooled in the back of her throat.
I can’t breathe!
She forced air out of her lungs and the blood bubbled in her mouth. Her gaze pleaded with Max, and he quickly turned her to her side, letting the blood run out the side of her mouth. “You’re good, Emma,” he said. “You’re going to be okay.”
Pain. So much pain.
“I’m so sorry, Emma,” Max said in her ear, his voice cracking. “I couldn’t get to him in time, but he’s dead now. He’ll never hurt anyone again. You’re safe.”
She lifted a hand to touch her mouth, and Max grabbed it. “Don’t.”
Will I die?
Emma tried to speak, but her tongue and jaw wouldn’t work. She held Max’s gaze again, begging him to understand her.
He took a deep breath. “Drew shot through the bottom of your mouth, but the bullet came out your cheek. There’s a lot of bleeding, and I don’t know what kind of nerve or muscle damage there is.”
“It’ll be okay, Emma. You’re going to make it,” said Noelle, pressing under her jaw. “I can hear the medevac.”
Still on her side, Emma looked past Noelle and saw Drew’s motionless legs. Noelle shifted to get a better angle to hold Max’s shirt under her chin, and Emma saw the rest of him. Max had told the truth. There was no way he could live with that many bloody holes in his chest.
Her muscles loosened, and she sighed, spraying bits of blood again.
I can relax now.
The pain will stop if I sleep.
Just close my eyes for a bit.