CHAPTER 38

Genesis's POV

"Lana, call mum. Call mum now!" She scrambled up and tripped on her feet. Nerves sometimes could be a curse just as it is a blessing. Blood pumped in my ears as I watched her hands shake like the cold had taken refuge in her body. Her fingers fumbled with the phone in her hands as she struggled to get a firm grip on it. Then it fell. It was inevitable. She picked it up and peeked over her shoulder at the boy on the floor motionless and hopefully unconscious and a sob shoved through.

The room was filled to the hilt with drunk teens and adults who had recently been having the time of their lives up until this moment. Barely clothed and highly buzzed, they witnessed with rounded eyes and hollow mouths as Keegan pumped his hands on his chest forcefully while introducing mouth to mouth resuscitation. Color drained from his face every second a single response failed to kick in. There was a lot of tension in the air, so much that I could feel it deep in my bones. Half-moon shapes carved by my nails printed into the base of my palms and deepened.

My stomach churned painfully as horrendous cramps tortured my guts without mercy. I held my breath as he pumped his chest and breathed into his mouth. His zeal to keep on going washed me with hope. Hope that was single-handedly responsible for my upright posture. Gusts of air left his mouth and evaporated into the air as he worked his hands determinedly. Tears brimmed in my eyes the moment his voice wavered. I could feel his resignation from where I stood. It pained me. He was giving up. The hope he had linked me to was slowly sinking. I was dawdle losing contact with it.

           "I-I just called-called her. She is on her way." Lana ran and kneeled beside his body. Her voice trembled. "She said you shouldn't stop the CPR until she gets here."

He cradled his head in his palms and leaned in close. My heart sank as his voice shook. "Brother. Brother, please don't-don't do this. Don't-" His breath caught. "I was just about to tell - to tell you that I was hurting. Don't you fucking die on me or we gonna have a problem when we done here, you understand? Dario? Dario?." A tear leaked from my eyes and I looked away. It was too hurtful to watch.

Minutes passed and the situation was still as torturous as ever. The silence was sickening. Nothing had changed. He didn't let up with the revival but I could feel his pain from across the room because I felt it too. With tears in my eyes, I closed my eyes and talked to God. I realized I hadn't spoken to him in ages. Fear was in control of every part of my body. I strayed away from thinking of the conclusion of this scenario and what all of this may mean. If it actually happens, would Keegan get over it? Would he ever be the same? Would things ever be the same? Would the world halt and grief or turn their heads and get on their way? But I was sure of one thing. Things would surely be different for me. I wouldn't be the same if it really happened. Nothing would ever be as it once was.

A large intake of air caught my undivided attention alongside a throaty groan. My eyes flew open faster than the speed of light and a gasp broke out when I saw the boy who was once almost lifeless on the floor throwing a hard punch to Keegan's chin. Immediately, the room plunged into a frenzy of shouts and screams and Keegan with his back on the floor and Dario hitting him. The ones with ripped muscles and toned arbs sprinted forward to separate the two and I stood there unable to discern how things had spiraled from a fifty to a one fifty in matter of seconds. Soon, they pulled the aggressor away and he shook them off immediately, struggling to get back to Keegan who sat on the floor with a busted lip and two bruised cheeks. For someone who had been unconscious, he really had an insane amount of strength in him.

          "Don't touch her again. Leave her alone or I'll kill you. I'm gonna kill you." He screamed, fighting to grab him again. "Stop hitting her, you hear me? She's your wife not some stupid punching bag. I'm gonna kill you and spit in your grave and no one would do anything about it. I hate you. Leave her alone. Stop hitting her. Stop hitting her, you sorry excuse of a spouse." He shook them off and suddenly scurried away to the corner of the room and palmed his ears. I could hear him mutter to himself, "Stop hitting her" and shaking his head from side to side as he rocked his body back and forth.

Shocked to my bone marrow at the unforeseen playout, I made to rush and help the others with Keegan but Erika beat me to it. He was crowded at his front and sides as people helped him out. I stayed rooted to the ground for a second and decided to check on Dario instead when a young woman rushed into the room. She appeared older than the rest of us and looked nothing like a college student. It was obvious in the medical regalia she wore and the huge white box she carried which had a painted red cross sign on the front. She seemed to be around the age of forty or in her late thirties judging by her young body and stunning features that were free from wrinkles and blemishes. The resemblance between she and Keegan was uncanny. I fixed the missing pieces when she immediately rushed to Keegan and called him son halfway. The crowd parted immediately they saw her and let her through.

         "Jesus! Keegan, what happened? Did you get into a fight? Christ, this looks bad. Where's Dario? Is he okay?" He winced when she touched his cheek and she immediately withdrew.

         "Yeah, yeah, I'm good. Just some slight discomforts. Please, check on him. I think he had a relapse or something." He pointed to the corner of the room where his friend sat recoiled away from everyone, mumbling words in incoherence while rocking his body. The moment she saw him, she dashed over and immediately got on her knees by his side. She stretched out her hand but he shrunk as if she was just about to strike him and trapped his head between his thighs to protect himself. Her expression fell into hurt. My stomach churned at the obvious meaning. She began to tend to him like only a concerned mother would. With his head still stuck in between his legs and his knees drawn to his chin, he balled into a corner with his mind so far away. It wasn't in the room with the rest of us.

She tried to pry his hands away from the sides of his head but he mindlessly shook her hands away.

       "Dario, it's me." She blandished and tried again but got the same result. "It's only me. You aren't in that horrible place anymore. You're here - with me, with the rest of us. Son, you're free, okay? You're free from him. He can't hurt you anymore. I won't allow it, okay?"

She touched him but he stirred away. She inched closer. Outside, the skies roared and the windows serenaded us with the pitter-patter of the incoming rain.

        "My pretty boy, please come back to me. Come back to us."

Slowly, he began to lift his head and the look on his face destabilized me. It caused my heart to twist so painfully. My eyes glossed and I blinked so hard to keep the tears at bay but they spilled and rolled down my eyes. He looked so broken, so lost, so defeated and done with the world.

       "He hurt her." His voice croaked as tears gathered in his eyes and threatened to fall.

       "I know. I know." She whispered and drew him into her motherly embrace.

       "He hurt her." I saw his lips, blanched and paled tremble and his chin shake with restrained tears. "She left me." Slowly, he was breaking in front of everyone, coming undone, shattering into pieces. His rough and hardened exterior was slowly deteriorating and exposing a brittle and delicate layer underneath. It hurt me to think of how long he had been strong for.

       "Cry." She coaxed. "Cry, son. Let it all out. You should have long ago. Cry. I'm here for you, I promise." And that was the moment he shattered completely. His body shook so vigorously and a painful growl made it way into the air. She took him into her arms and he cried into her chest like a new born. She turned to the rest of us silently watching.

       "Lana, get everyone out of the room. I need to be alone with him. Keegan, I'll be with you shortly. Place an ice pack on the wounds."

We made our way out of the room, through the long hall and into the lounge in a throng. I immediately grabbed the empty spot near the sliding glass doors that led to the garden and observed. People whispered and talked, some began to pack what they could find of theirs and started to leave. The night was long gone and a new day had just arrived. Dawn was just setting in. From one unfamiliar face to the other, my gaze fell on one I knew perfectly. By the bar counter, he sat with a few of his friends. I harked back to our time in the restroom and breathed out in despair. He was completely done with me. He made that thoroughly clear when he terminated our relationship without any explanation. It hurt so much to think about it but I also knew I needed to respect his choices. Our eyes met and he abruptly looked away the second they connected. Erika stood in between his legs and tended to his wounds. I pushed away the fact that she was standing too close to be considered necessary and was extra touchy with him. It wasn't any of my business. He wasn't mine anymore.

An hour snail-ed away or perhaps two but when the doctor upstairs finally showed up, Keegan and Lana dashed over to her in a matter of seconds. She separated them from the rest and they took over a corner of the lounge and she started to talk to them. Curiousity ate at me. I couldn't help but want to know the reason why what happened had happened.

Discreetly, I rose up from where I sat and silently traipsed in their direction while keeping a good distance away but not too far away that I couldn't hear what was being said.

       "Do you know if Dario is allergic to anything? Anything at all?"

He shrugged. "No, I-I mean I don't think so?"

      "Lana?"

      "I don't know. He's just so secretive. This is all so scary and confusing."

      "Why?"

She sighed heavily. "There are - unexplainable reddened bumps and plaques on his body. Hives. They are everywhere. I mean where did they even come out from? He is wheezing and he has refused to come with me to the hospital."

     "He hates hospitals."

     "I administered a shot of Epipen to him. Honestly, I'm just so glad and relieved he is still with us." Her voice lowered and cracked. "We would have lost him for real today."

     "But what happened? Why did he lose consciousness?"

     "Anaphylactic shock."

     "Ana - what?"

     "Anaphylactic shock Lana. He went into an anaphylactic shock. It is a rare but severe allergic reaction that can be deadly if you don't treat it right away. It's most often caused by an allergy to food, insect bites, or certain medications."

    "Wow."

    "That's why I want to know what exactly he is allergic to."

    "The nightmares are back."

    "Wait, what?"

    "I don't even think they ever left. Sometime ago, I was up in his room..."

Keegan turned to his sister. "Wait, what were you doing in his room?"

    "That's not the point here. So, I was in his room and I heard him murmuring in his sleep. The pillow was wet."

    "My pretty boy's been through so much but the things that goes on in there." She pointed to her head and shook it. "Is far from normal. He needs to talk to someone and I don't mean you, me or your father. It is important he sees a therapist, as soon as possible."

Keegan stared at her with a shocked expression on his face and my heart reached out to him.

    "Has it-gone this far?"

    "It hurts to admit it but yes and if something isn't done pretty soon, things are no doubt going to spiral out of control. He urgently needs to see someone. It's long overdue."

    "But you know he ain't gonna agree to that."

    "And that's the problem we are going to face but that kid up there isn't well." She breathed out. "It took a lot for him to get it out but he says he is sorry for attacking you Keegan. He didn't mean it."

   "I know. I get it."

   "Look kids, I've got to head back to the hospital." She leaned in and kissed them on both cheeks. "One more thing, please monitor his eating schedule. He's lost a lot of weight and it's bad for his health. You two, take care of him for all of us and report to your dad and I if you notice any abnormalities in him. Would you?"

They nodded.

    "I love you both. Stay safe. Keegan, take some Advil if the headache starts and drop by the hospital to stitch that up and please this parties are pointless."

    "It ain't mine." He shouted after her but she had already disappeared through the door. Erika came up to him and hitched her tent immediately. I turned and ran in the direction of the elevators. Those were faster and soon his friends would be up in his room to know how he was doing. I made my way to his room and knocked first things first. There was no response from within. I tapped the door again and heard no sound. I decided to come in all the same. I turned the knob and pushed the door out of my way. The spacious room was empty at first impression but when I let my eyes travel the four walls, they paused on a giant figure camouflaged by the shadows as he mounted the polished floors by the floor to ceiling window. A palm plastered on the glass, his back was turned to me as he gazed through the window and into the raining streets. I sauntered forward and halted and instead decided to watch him in utter silence as he traced small droplets of water while they trickled down the window glass from the outside. He seemed engrossed by what he was doing and failed to notice he wasn't alone. But, I was wrong.

      "Are you just gonna-stand there or..." His voice sounded tired and his throat patchy. His hand dropped. Then, he turned. I trotted closer and stopped. My fingers fumbled with each other. He stood glued to the ground, his eyes weakly trained on me. I resumed motion and sauntered further. Then I was full on running-running to him and when I was close enough, I threw myself into him, almost knocking him down. My arms wounded around his neck so tightly. Lost for words and too full with emotions, I let my action speak for itself. For the most part, his hands were stuck to his sides. He didn't hug me back but I was more worried about the fact that he had almost died. Just when I was about to withdraw, I felt him grasp me firmly and tighten his arms around my waist. I felt the tip of his nose tickle the side of my neck. Silence was it till the door snapped open and we abruptly disengaged.

     "Oh my God! Dario! You scared me. You scared us all half to death." Lana barged in. "Are you okay? Do you need anything? C'mon, don't leave me hanging."

I distanced myself the moment Keegan strolled in with Erika hot on his heels. Soon, more people began trooping into the room and I seized the moment to leave. The once empty space was now occupied with his mates who had stayed behind to check on him. It made me happy to know he had a few friends apart from Keegan who actually cared. Hanging loosely by the door, I made a last minute turn around and caught his eyes already on me from across the room. Our gaze lingered for minutes and might have for more if perhaps Lana hadn't grasped his chin to have his attention. I closed the door as carefully as I could and made my way down the hall, taking the long route down the stairs. Thankfully, it was only drizzling by the time I got outside so I hailed the first cab I could find and it took me back to my dorm.

***

Honey!

I'm sorry for the long overdue chapter. Updates are coming in real slow and if I could make them any faster, I would in a heartbeat. Schoolwork is hectic hence the slow updates. I hope y'all understand. Don't forget to voice out your thoughts in the comment section and slap the vote button if you loved the chapter.

I'm working on the next update already so it would be up very soon.