Chapter 9: Growing Debts
Natalie~
The hum of the car engine filled the heavy silence between us. Zane sat rigid in the driver's seat, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, every movement deliberate and controlled. Jake shifted slightly on my lap, curling deeper into me, his tiny body radiating warmth against the chill seeping into the night. I stared out the window, the city lights blurring past as my thoughts spiraled. The events of the evening played over and over in my mind, a chaotic reel of despair, desperation, and an inexplicable glimmer of hope.
Garrick lay in the back seat, motionless except for the faint rise and fall of his chest. The sight of him, so frail and lifeless, gnawed at my heart. I couldn't bear the thought of losing him.
We pulled up to the hospital just as the clock struck nine, the glowing red numbers on the dashboard a harsh reminder of how late it was. Zane stepped out of the car with the same calm efficiency he had displayed all evening, his movements almost too composed for the situation. He opened the back door and gently lifted Garrick into his arms, his strength juxtaposed against Garrick's frailty.
I followed, Jake still in my arms, my legs shaky beneath me as I hurried after Zane into the brightly lit hospital. The sterile smell hit me immediately, a sharp contrast to the musty scent of the shelter. A nurse spotted us and immediately sprang into action, her voice sharp as she called for assistance.
"This man needs immediate care!" Zane's deep voice was commanding, cutting through the chaos as medical staff swarmed around him.
A stretcher was brought out, and Zane carefully placed Garrick onto it. The nurses wheeled him away quickly, their voices fading as they disappeared into the emergency room. I stood frozen in place, clutching Jake tightly as if he were the only thing anchoring me to reality.
Minutes dragged into what felt like hours before a doctor emerged, his expression grave but tinged with reassurance.
"Pneumonia," he said. "It's severe, but you brought him just in time. He's in the ICU now, and we're doing everything we can. If you had been even a little later, he wouldn't have made it."