Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
That was the thing I heard.
Then the smell of clean sheets.
Hospital.
Antiseptic.
Noises from different wards echoed through the room .
My head felt heavy.
My eyes felt weak like they have been working for days.
I finally opened them, white light stabbed my vision. I was alive.
I was breathing.
Then the memories all rushed in at once.
The gunshots.
People screaming.
James.
A nurse rushed and gently pushed me back to the bed.
"Ma'am,you need to rest".
" You're lucky though".
I looked up at him in confusion. "It would have been pretty bad if you weren't rushed here on time". "You would have slipped into a coma.
"James", I said.
"Sorry, what did you say?".
"Where is James?"my voice cracked.
She looked confused. Like she doesn't know who I was talking about.
"Who is that ma'm?",she asked.
I tried getting up one more time.
"Easy", she said. "You are still too weak to walk .
But I didn't care at that moment.
"Let go of me!!"I shouted.
A sharp pain rushed through my head . Like I was stabbed there.
I felt dizzy after that. But I still didn't care much about it. All my thoughts were about James .If he is okay .
"Where is James?", I asked one more time.
Before she could reply, the door suddenly opened. It was the doctor.
"Ohh thank God you are awake miss Manda".
Where is James?",he asked him .
He hesitated.
That hesitation destroyed me .
I froze in fear . That it might be bad news but I shaked it off.
His face faded. That was when I knew it was not gonna be good.
"I am sorry miss... "stopp!!.
I couldn't let him finish his sentence.
"Please , I just want you to call James and tell him that I'm awake". My voice was shaken with fear.
"He's in coma ma'm", his face faded in sadness. My heart stopped. Tears just rolled down my cheeks. I couldn't alter a word.
Everything inside me went cold.
My head felt heavy, I started breathing fast. Memories flashing through my head.
"Are you okay?", the doctor asked. "Nurse!! get her some water", he said.
The nurse left for the water. I started murmuring to him in tears.
"Please tell me you are joking". "Tell me he's just pranking me please", I said in tears. But he shook his head in disagreement.
"I am sorry miss we tried everything we could but we couldn't help him". "He pushed you out of the way", he said. "The bullets were meant for you , but he saved you".
What about the other agents?", I asked. "I hope they are okay?". "Yes", he said. "Some were injured but others are okay".
An hour later, my mom came in. "Oh my baby", tears filled her eyes. She hugged me.
"Ouch!!mom".
"I am sorry baby, I was just scared. "I am fine mom", I smiled at her. "Don't ever scare me like that young lady",she said as she dragged my cheeks.
"Okeyyy mama",I giggled.
She bought some food for me, but I couldn't eat it . "Sorry mom, I don't have an appetite for that", I said. "Oh okay baby. "I will keep it in the refrigerator for you. "Thanks mom".
I was escorted by a nurse to use the bathroom. She wasn't assigned to me but I just felt that she might know where James ward is.
"Emmmrrr…I know I'm not allowed to see him but if you can help me, I will never forget you", I pleaded with her. She giggled.
"What's his name miss?",she asked. "James". "His name is James",I said.
"He's in a coma", I said. "Ohh! I'm sorry miss, I can't help you".
"We were instructed not to allow anyone there for the main time", she said sadly.
"Please", I begged. Her face weighed up as if she understood my pain. She looked like my age gap.
I was about giving hope, until she said; "well ... I can help you , only if you promise me that you will be quick?".
I swirled with joy.
"Yesssss I promise".
She sneaked me into his ward. We reached the door I was scared to enter. I felt guilty that I'm the one that kept him in this condition. "Goo!! " she said.
But I was lost between our worlds.
"Thank you,"I said .
She smiled. She was about to leave and I leaned in and hugged her and she hugged back. "Your welcome".
"10mins" she said. "Yes ma'am",I giggled at her. I opened the door and I saw him lying helpless on the bed.
The machines are quieter here. I got closer to him. He looked….. different.
His face was peeled but at the same time he was looking beautiful. I touched his face. It was cold. I started crying but he couldn't hear me (maybe).
"James, I know you might not hear me but please I need you. I want you to fight this and conquer it. I know you can please. I just fell on his chest and sobbed.
The door suddenly opened but quietly. "Tmes up", the nurse whispered. "The doctor is coming this way", she said.
I wiped the tears off my cheeks.
*Bye James, I will be back tomorrow", I whispered to his ear. I pecked him and left.
I was escorted back by the nurse. "If you need anything , just tell me. "I am willing to help", said I nodded in approval. "Thank you" I said to her.
Then she left.
I was in the hospital for a few more days. As I was there I kept on sneaking in to see James. I was told that the agency didn't want anyone in the room cuz they can't trust anybody for now so I had no choice but to see him in secret with the nurse's help.
I went home. Weeks later, I received a call from the hospital.
"Hello Ma'am, are you Manda?", the voice asked.
"Yes". "Any problem?", I asked with fear.
"No no no ma".
"We were just calling to tell you that James is awake".
"Oh my goodness", I said with tears of joy. "Yes and you can come and visit him now", the voice continued. I left all I was doing and rushed down to the hospital. There he was. Lying on the bed all weak. He looked different from the last time I saw him, still strong, still intimidating but paled.
A bandage was wrapped around his stomach, an IV connected to his arm.
For the first time since I met him, he didn't look untouchable.
I lean closer towards him . He was closing his eyes so he didn't notice I was there already.
"You idiot",I whispered.
Tears rolling down my cheeks.
"Why would you do that, why would you risk your life for me like that?"I sobbed more.
His fingers twitched.
He slowly opened his eyes.
They were weak .
Dark.
Still intense.
Still him.
"You are safe",he murmured.
"Is that all you care about", I felt more guilt.
He wasn't concerned about his injury nor the bullet but me.
I wiped out the tears from my eyes and tried smiling.
"You were shot James, and you fell into a coma". " But you are safe now, I'm here okey!"I giggled in a crying tone.
He studied my face carefully as if he was confirming if I was real.
"He was aiming for your heart", he said. "I couldn't watch that happen".
My chest tightened.
"Why?", I asked.
"Why do you keep risking your life for me?" I asked again.
"Because they are not after Manda".
Silence stretched between us.
"What do you mean?".
"They want to hurt me", he said.
"And you think I don't know that?", I said in tears.
"You kept risking your life for me and now it's got you here".
I wasn't random I know, I wasn't unlucky. I was leveraged.
But I will never give up on us .
He held my hand; "I will always protect you" he said.
"But first, I need to tell you something. "I haven't been fully honest with you".
Before I could reply, the door suddenly opened.
Two police officers stepped in.
"Mr. James, one of them said. "We need to ask you some questions about your connection to a man named Luke Harrison".
James' expression hardened immediately.
LukeHarrison.
The main boss.
The real danger.
And from the look on James face, this was far from being over.