We Only Breathe For So Long

I woke up to the sound of my ringtone, my phone was buzzing wildly next to me by the nightstand. With closed eyes, my lazy hand got exposed to the cold atmosphere out of the comfort and warmth of the blankets.

“Hello?” I asked the unknown call with a hoarse voice.

A familiar voice spoke through the other end of the line. “Kylie?”

I sat up, searching for the nearest clock, trying to know if it was still day or night because it did feel like I hadn’t gotten much sleep since I got into bed. It was 5:43. I rubbed my eyes, trying to scare sleep away and keep my eyes opened.

“Jane?” I asked, uncertain if I had recognized the voice clearly.

“Oh, Kylie!” she said through sobs, “I don’t know what to do, I didn’t know who to turn to,” the words rushed out of her mouth. She sounded mortified.

I swung my legs sideways, rapidly getting out of bed, putting my shoes on as I put a large coat too. “Calm down, I’m on my way.”

I was awake in an instant, rushing out of my room and the house without even telling anybody. Whatever was happening or had happened, it managed to horrify Jane –the most tranquil person I had ever met– and that was enough to scare the hell out of me.
Within five minutes, I found myself running towards Eric’s house, I didn’t even bother to get my bike.

I just ran.

Panic and adrenaline rushed through my blood. Anything could be happening, Jane could be being murdered for all I know. She needed me, and I needed to get there fast.

I knocked on the door, ready to break it down if I needed to. I heard Jane cry faintly in the background, getting louder as she approached the front door.

She opened the door, tears falling down her face, reaching out for me to console her with a hug. I hugged her tight, as if the hug would be able to cease the oblivious pain she was experiencing.

“Breathe, honey. Come on, let’s go inside. I'll make you some tea and it will all be alright.”

The smell of chamomile tea hung in the air, and it seemed to calm Jane down the more she inhaled and drank the tea. After ten minutes of utter silence, I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to ask her what was going on, why she was in such a state of shock.

“What’s wrong, Jane?” I cupped my hands on hers, trying to comfort her.

“I-I,” she tried to speak, but the lump in her throat wouldn’t allow her to or else she’d start crying again. “It’s Eric.”

When her voice echoed his name, I became as panicked as she was. My eyes became wider, my breath shortened and my head began to throb. I stood up, and ran to his room as fast as I could. I wasn’t certain if he was there, but it was the only room he could’ve been in. The door was closed and the lights were off. For a moment, I thought he wouldn’t be inside. But I knew he was there because I could smell his essence – the one I had forgotten that I missed so much.

I opened the door, and desperately searched for the light switch as I scanned the room, trying to see anything. I found the switch and I switched the light on.

My entire body froze, I didn’t even move my hand from the light switch. The scene in front of me was horrific. I tried to look away, tried to comprehend what I was looking at but I couldn’t force my head to turn. I was uncertain if I was truly seeing that or if this was some kind of twisted nightmare.

His face, his perfect face, was unrecognizable. He had purple bruises all over it, multiple cuts and various stiches. His eyes were closed, I wasn’t even sure if he could open his right eye. He looked as if a train traveling at the speed of light had hit him. I could see by the layers and layers of bandage wrapped around his torso, that he had a couple of broken ribs. I wanted to get closer to him, wanted to hold him in my arms and make all these monstrous wounds disappear, but I couldn’t. I just stayed there, standing in the doorway, with my mouth opened in shock. The more I looked at his large frame, which looked so fragile now, a wave of sadness hit me.

I felt the warm tears run down my face. “Tell me what happened. Now.”