…“Stay with me, Reid!”...
…“Come on!”...
…“We are here for you.”...
Voices stir up the remaining life inside the freezing body. Reid was determined to grab a hold of the fragile fragment of his now fading consciousness with all his might. The nearly closed vision captured the figures of Theodore, who were determinedly focusing on the wound. If he is as calm as he appears to be, then why can he feel the light shaking of those experienced hands? The blurry sight of a red-haired girl busily working with the medical equipment and Lily. It is his family. Finally, he is here, home, to once again be embraced in the warmth of love. Three days away from them is already enough for every cell in him to yearn for home. Quite ironically, he thought. To grow under their loving arms, and now... to turn to dust under their loving arms. After all, that is not actually a bad thing. Reid let out the tiniest chuckle at that thought. Is that how things are going to end? Unable to warn the blade waiting to point at them? The pain that used to bloom on his ribs is no longer there, instead, a complete loss. He no longer feels the pain, but instead finds a rare peaceful feeling.
“Quick, lay him on the bed. Lily, prepare three units of blood type A, along with a transfusion kit. Cecil prepares surgical tools with iodine. Amber, please bring bandages and saline solution. And for both of you, assist me with this…”
Tick tock…tick tock
With a sharp scissor in hand, Cecil cut open his tainted shirt, revealing a dried lump on the right side of his abdomen. “The situation is worse than we expected," Theodore sighed in concern. Doctor, his pulse is too weak! I’m afraid we already missed the chance. “No, we must do everything we can.” He continues, “Lily, clear the wound, and Cecil." “Can you prepare the tubing?” “You can count on me, Theodore,” Cecil says in a confident tone. Together, the medical staff of the mansion tried to save Reid, harmonizing in their actions. Just when the wound was clear to see, blood once again sipped out and soaked Cecil’s pair of hands. Yet, nothing in this world can make Cecil fearful, especially seeing one of her friends' lives fading away. “Theodore, we must take another approach, patches alone can not do much help!” Theodore, in a calm tone, responds, “We must glue the wound. I believe it’s time to put one of my products to use. Lily, can you grab that for me?” With a simple nod, the girl rushed to the office. “While waiting, It’s best for us to transfuse more blood now!” Cecil with Amber, one with the blood units and one with the saline solution, and then injected into the seemingly lifeless body. While Theodore and other nurses were sewing the wound closed, Luke and Alderic stood outside, waiting for a glimpse of hope.
Tick tock…tick tock
Lily finally arrived with the glue bottles. She then handles Theodore, who then pours into the wound to seal, quite effectively, as the deadly wound has now stopped gushing out blood. However, “Doctor, we are losing him!” a nurse says out loud after checking his pulse and blood pressure. Grunting, Theodore shouts, “Inject sodium lactate solution now!” William nods before grabbing the clear bag and turning it upside down in one swift motion. He then plugged the syringe, and the liquid slowly flowed into Reid’s body. No matter the efforts, moments later, his heart eventually gave up on beating.
Tick tock… tick tock
The clock has stopped…
Reid can no longer hear or see what is happening anymore. His body was strange, as light as a feather. He wants… Desperately wants to tell them that it's fine, they have done what they could. That for a wandering soul like him, to die here, in a home he has always dreamt of, is more than a privilege. Seeing the last fragments of them like this, Reid can’t help but feel regret. He is afraid to hurt them, he has grown into the habit of distancing himself to protect their steps from afar. But if only... if only he was stronger, to stay with all of them just a little longer.
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Forgive me
I can no longer protect you anymore...
How many times has he thought of this day? To finally leave this world. Though he was not afraid of death, with all the sins he had committed, surely those last moments would be nothing but nightmares. Slowly dragging the steps chained by blood towards the gate of Hell, pushing into the eternal prison of punishment. For he has to pay the debt of his mother’s death. Yet the reality is contrary to his expectations. Opening his eyes, he sees the world covered in snow. The white snowflakes gently fall down, sparkling in the tender sunlight. His mind was more peaceful than ever. No more calculation, no more botheration. The snowflakes danced in the air, resting on his palm. So this is the end of me... of a soul named Reid? The world will be better without me... Reid chuckles lightly. In light steps, he goes forward.
Then, a woman stands ahead and looks at him with a kind smile. The soft wind blew out her dark hair. How could he forget her, for she had lived in his dreams for countless nights? A rare teardrop of bitterness, quietly falling down. He wants to say something... to scream out her name, yet words seem to imprison in his throat. He missed her… missed her so much. Though many years have passed, those fragile memories soon faded. But he still greedily tried to capture even the slightest trace of her, reminding himself to never forget her. In trembling steps, he reached for her. Mother… All of a sudden, he seems to have once again become the boy that year, joyfully going to her side.
The clock struck 5:01 am, marking the clinical death of Reid. In the eyes of others inside the operation room, the flow of tears is escaping, yet the only one who can not accept the truth is Theodore. “No, no, don’t you dare leave this world!” Despite the stream of bitterness, he does not care. With an unwavering determination to save the soulless body, he then performed chest compressions. “Please... Stay," he shouted. Tears fall down his cheek, quietly caressing the person lying on the bed. He can't... Can’t bear to lose any of them. The shouting soon becomes a whisper, a beg, “Please... please, don’t leave me...” The silver drops blur his vision, leaving him with strength in his hands. Letting go, Theodore was distraught. His ocean eyes are wide open, as if he can’t understand what is happening. Looking down at his hands, the blood on them was still warm. He can’t do anything. Putting Reid in a state like this… pushing him into danger like this… This was all his fault.
Why is this world so cruel?
Reid… Faint calls echo behind his back... Reid. He turns around and sees everyone. Theodore’s navy eyes were filled with gentleness. Kneeling down, he stretched out his hand for him just like that snowy day. Lily, as a little girl, reaches out the candy bag at him with a smile. He knows she was saving the candies for him like a habit, or more like protecting the candies from Cecil. The red-haired girl hides behind Lily, showing her little face. Her chubby cheeks blushed from the coldness of the snow. And comes the other, vividly just like in his dusty memories. They are all here, giving him nothing but love and tenderness, warming his freezing heart... Waiting for him to go home. Behind, his mother was still patiently waiting for him. Her figure gleams in the sunlight. No matter where you are… we will wait for you…
Memories of Reid - his most important ally… Friend, roll back inside Theodore’s mind like a film. Even though Reid is quite a mysterious person and hard to approach, those who have grown used to him, see him as a man full of love to give this world. Ah, a grin full of bitterness painted on the darkened face of Theodore. He strokes Reid’s hair, feeling every strand, softly and gently. “I still remember the first time we met. "You are too young… Too naive, always grabbing my legs around." he sobbed. “I remembered your first painting, such a rare gift you have… And our promises. You have promised me to go see the mockingbirds with you... Do you still remember?”
“I’m sorry.”
The moment Reid realizes, a thin red string has tied his hand to them. Why are you still hesitating when your heart already knows the answer? Axl stands in front of him. Contrary to his usual mania, Axl is now quiet and solemn. Smiling lightly, he looks at Reid with kindness. Is this the real him? His hand is placed on Reid’s chest, Go... They are waiting for you... I am too, waiting for you to save me… So don’t give up on us that quickly, alright? He smiles awkwardly. He was right. Reid’s heart has already given him the answers. He turns around, and he can see the images of his mother fading away into the dancing white snowflakes. Her smile never once vanished.
Forgive me, mother... Wait for me just a little longer. Little Reid then ran into their warm embrace.
When everything seems to come to an end. When a miracle seems to be forever a dream, Reid moves his fingers with the most subtle of movements. With a random glance, Cecil witnesses happiness explode in her trembling heart. With a muffled voice, she says, “R-Reid, you back?” It seems that in the pure silence of the room, her jittering voice has drawn everyone's attention. Within seconds, all gathered around the patient’s bed. From Theodore, Cecil, Lily, Amber, William, and others, all lay their eyes upon the used-to soulless body, now full of life. They all shed earnest tears, not because they feared for his life had been taken. It is indeed the purest form of happiness. Luke and Alderic picked up the good sign, barging into the room. Beholding them is the sight of Reid slowly opening his eyes. Certainly, Theodore is the one who hugged Reid with all his strength, sobbing.
I’m home.