OUT OF THE WOODS
LUKE
Every time the operating room doors swung open, my heart leaped into my throat. Every time a scrub nurse or a doctor came through, I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t even think. My eyes. would lock on them, but nothing happened. There was no update, no relief, just the same void of answers stretching out into what felt like an eternity.
By the seventh time the doors opened, Josh and I were no longer even looking up. We’d already been here for hours- hours of waiting, pacing, and praying for some kind of sign that everything would be okay. But with each passing second, I felt more and more powerless.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. We were supposed to be together–safe, away from all the chaos and the hurt. Instead, we were stuck in this sterile waiting room, surrounded by sterile white walls, trapped in a nightmare we couldn’t wake up from.
Josh’s phone buzzed, and I saw him stiffen. He was talking to his parents, updating them on what happened. They were in the air, both of them on their way back, but not fast enough.
I dialed my parents, but all I could tell them was that I didn’t know. Didn’t know if Jess was going to make it. Didn’t know if Laura would ever open her eyes again. My mother was still in Rome with Josh’s family, and my dad was in Texas. They promised they’d come back as soon as they could, but it didn’t make it easier.
11:59
OUT OF THE WOODS
11
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the ever–present feeling of dread clawing at me. Every time the doors opened, I tensed. But this time was different.
The door opened again, and a doctor stepped through, his face obscured by the mask, but his eyes gave him away. I stood up instinctively, heart hammering in my chest. He lifted his cap, and for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, he smiled. A real, genuine smile.
Josh’s breath left him in a rush. He didn’t say anything, but the relief in his eyes was enough. I exhaled, but it felt like my lungs had forgotten how to function.
The doctor nodded to Josh before turning his attention to us. “We got the bullet,” he said, his voice steady and calm, but there was something in it–a quiet assurance. “It lacerated her spleen, so we had to remove it. The bleeding was pretty severe, but we managed to stop it. She’s stable now. She’ll be in the ICU for a bit, and she’ll need some blood, but we’re confident she’s going to be just fine.”
I froze.
“She’s going to be okay?” Josh whispered, his voice rough.
The doctor’s smile grew a fraction wider. “She’s going to be just fine. We’ll keep her under close observation, but it looks like she’s going to pull through.”
For a moment, there was nothing but silence. The weight of those words had yet to fully hit us, and I could feel a wave of gratitude and relief washing over Josh. He was shaking, barely holding it together, but the tears that glistened in his eyes were ones of relief–not grief.
I swallowed hard, not trusting myself to speak just yet. There. was still so much I couldn’t process. So much I couldn’t handle. Jess, the blood on my leg, the feeling of the world spinning out. of control–but now, this.
“Thank you,” Josh finally said, his voice thick with emotion. “Thank you so much.”
The doctor nodded once, his demeanor professional but kind. “We’ll get her settled in the ICU now. She’s in good hands.”
As he walked away, Josh sank back down into the chair, a long exhale slipping from his lips. I felt the tension in my shoulders. ease just slightly, but it was only temporary. The relief was fleeting as if the joy of hearing Laura was going to be okay was momentarily overshadowed by the weight of everything else that had happened.
“Luke,” Josh muttered, still staring blankly at the door. “Jss will be okay too, man. She has to. My sister has been through hell and back twice. This is nothing for her. Walk in the park, man!”
75.25%
