Page 81 of Three for a Girl

The table legs rattled, they weren’t level on the floor, shoddy workmanship that Romeo would have hated.

He would’ve taken a hammer to it, beat it until it shattered. Chad looked down at his shaking hands. He held the table in a death grip, tremoring it against the floor.

His arm was shaking, his whole body shook, all the numbers on his chest flared, and the invisible one on his heart turned to ice.

Cold, and delicate beneath his ribs.

“Chad?”

Chad scrambled for his collar, tugging and tugging to loosen his tie, to pop his buttons. Ally noticed he was struggling, and tried to help, but he pulled away from her, crashing into the bookcase behind.

He couldn’t breathe.

Even after pulling off his tie and undoing his shirt buttons he couldn’t breathe. His throat wasn’t to blame, a red hot belt had wrapped around chest, and each time he breathed, it tightened a notch.

“Deep, slow breaths.” Val said, gripping his hand.

Each painful squeeze of his chest pulled the band closer to his fragile heart. The ice cracked, stabbing into him.

“I’m dying.”

“You’re not dying.” Val said.

Her calm voice made him want to scream. Chad looked down at her fingers wrapped around his, but couldn’t feel them. She lowered herself to the floor, and he found himself following, trusting her judgment even though his mind told him not to.

He couldn’t trust anyone.

Chad hit the floor, and for some reason breathing came easier. He no longer had to concentrate on trying to stay upright. The air was cooler, less poisoned by the scent of rotting heart. His own was wounded in his chest, bleeding out cold fear.

Ally crouched next to him, rubbing his shoulders.

“Allergic reaction?” Val said.

The words weren’t meant for him, she was looking at Ally.

“He said he has a seafood allergy.”

Val pressed the bruises on his neck, and he winced, not in pain, but at the discomfort of someone touching him. He shuffled away, and clutched the back of his neck, his hand came away drenched in sweat.

“Take it easy.” Ally said. “Gave me a right scare.”

“I—I need to see him.”

“Who?”

“The man Doctor Carter’s treating, the one you don’t have ID for.”

“He’s in theatre, a skull fracture, bleeding on the brain. He wasn’t in a good way when he came in.”

“I need to see him now.”

Chad struggled to his feet despite Ally and Val pushing on his shoulders to keep him down. He swayed, grabbing onto the bookcase. He knocked a few to the floor with his uncoordinated movements, but then got a good grip, enough to keep himself steady.

“You need to sit down.” Ally said.

“No.”

“Sit.”

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