“The other man is dead.”
“There’s another man?”
I nod, then realize she can’t actually see me.“He’s wearing a mask.I just found them this way.My neighbor is breathing, but—” I scream when a large hand grips my wrist.My gaze lands on my neighbor’s, his dark eyes wide and pleading.
“Help.Her,” he chokes out.
I scan the room.“I don’t see anyone else.I can’t leave you to look, or you’ll bleed out.Help is coming, okay?”
Her.Who is “her”?
His eyes roll back in his head, and I press firmly onto his injury as the blood continues to pound in my ears.
“No, stay with me.Are you there?”I try to wake him, but his head lolls to the side.
“Ma’am, are you still there?”the dispatcher asks.
“Yes, sorry.I’m here.”My throat tightens.Is there someone else here?Someone else who needs help?
“Did I hear that right?Is there someone else there?”
“I don’t see anyone else,” I say.“And I don’t want to risk leaving him to check.He’s going to die if I release the pressure.”Tears swim in my eyes.Please don’t die.There’s so much blood.
So.Much.Blood.
Panic begins to push through my rational mind, and even though I know I’m safe, my body’s fight or flight kicks into gear, and I want to run away.
Far and fast.
“Stay right there.Help is on the way.”
“Okay.Please hurry.”
My gaze drops to where his hand has gone limp on my wrist.His chest is slick with his own blood, and it saturates the diner uniform I’m wearing, staining the rust-colored skirt a shade darker.
Those eyes flutter open again, but they’re glazed over and staring straight up at me as though he can’t really see me.
“I’m here,” I tell him.“You’re going to be okay.”Please be okay.
“I—” he starts, but his eyes roll back into his head, and he falls silent again.
“Stay with me, okay?”I say again.“Please stay with me.”
But he doesn’t stir again.In the distance, sirens grow closer, but his breathing grows more shallow.
Because I don’t know what else to do, and he’ll need a miracle to survive, I lower my head and pray.
“Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.”