My chest burned as I gasped for air. Every time I looked back, I could see Colin's unconscious body lying in the back seat. His hat fell off his head, and his face was obscured by his curls. His chest rose and fell. He is still alive. At least, he is now.
My body bent forward. The seat belt was the only thing keeping me from falling to the floor. I buried my face in my hands. My tears soaked the sleeves of our sweaters! .
Oliver yelled at me to stop crying. He gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"Please," I shouted. "Let's not do this. We can leave him on the side of the road and when he wakes up, he'll forget all this."
"The night you were taken away," he said. "So too!"
"You've injected me now, why haven't I fallen asleep yet?"
"That's just saline," he said. "Let's go home, I don't want you to feel tired. Then how can you help me with the surgery, haha."
"I won't help you."
"Okay. Then he'll die during the operation."
Oliver quickly crossed the street and returned home. I couldn't stop the tears. Oliver jumped out of the car. My fingers fumbled with the seat belt.
He was pulling Colin out of the back seat.
"Grab his legs, Diana," he said.
I gripped Colin's legs and gritted my teeth as his heavy weight pulled at my muscles. Colin's head fell back against Oliver's chest. We walked towards the house. His legs slid down. I had to keep changing hands so I wouldn't drop him.
Every time I stopped, Oliver took a deep breath.
When we finally moved him inside and we threw Colin on my bed, he wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.
"I'll get everything sorted and ready for surgery, honey," Oliver said before walking down the hall.
I waited until Oliver left and grabbed Colin's shoulders. I shook him as hard as I could.
He didn't move.
I opened his eyes, hoping he would wake up, but it was no use.
"Come on, Colin," I said.
I dug my nails into the skin of his mouth. no response!
Oliver's footsteps echoed in the hallway. I jumped back from Colin. Oliver strolled into the room. He put on dark green overalls. There was a hat on her head, covering her hair. There was another surgical gown folded in his hand.
"Change," he said.
"Please," I begged, "please, I won't do this."
"If you don't, he'll die."
I turned around. But Oliver grabbed my shoulder.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"You told me to change," I said.
"Then? You used your childishness to escape again?. I don't believe you anymore. Just change your fucking clothes here."
"I'm changing clothes in the room?"
"I don't know, and I don't care." Oliver crossed his arms over his chest. "Get changed before I knock you out."
I put on my pants and covered my body with my skirt. I turned around and held my chest after taking off my sweater and skirt. I put on a boxy top.
When I turned around, Oliver grabbed my hair. I jumped back and his fingers tightened. It burned me like my scalp was on fire.
He put my hair into a bun and tied it back with an elastic band. Grabbed the hat and put it on my head. He took my glasses out of his pocket and I put them on.
He pushed away the bed where Colin was lying. Oliver asked me to hold on to the headboard of the bed and help him walk down the hallway. We passed through a set of double doors.
Marcy watched a lot of hospital drama TV shows in high school. This room reminds me of the operating rooms from those shows. It was cold and a shiver ran down my spine. There is a flat metal table in the center of the room.
A large mirror hung on the far wall.
Trays, tables and poles were scattered around the room.
This must be the room where I was operated on. I could almost see myself lying on that table with my eyes looking out as Oliver gouged his eyes out.
My eyes fell on Colin. A corner of the red phone case poked out of the pocket. Ollie's back was turned to me. I took the phone off of him and put it in my pocket. Oliver turned around and I pulled the hem of my shirt down, hiding the lump in my pocket.
My heart was beating so fast I could hear it beating in my ears.
"Let's put him on the table."
"I need to go to the bathroom." I blurted out.
If I could sneak out of this room and into the bathroom, I could call the police. They'll show up before Colin loses his eyesight, and then we'll be out of here.
"No," he said. "It won't take long."
"Please," I said.
"Hold his legs, kitten," he said.
I looked back at the set of double doors. I could run, but I found I was out of shape. I can't run that fast. My room and bathroom doors also had no locks. Oliver could break in before I called.
"Diana." Oliver's voice brought me back to reality. "faster."
I grabbed onto Colin's legs as Oliver pulled his body onto the table. He handed me a pair of gloves and a mask. I put them on while Oliver took the clothes off Colin and put a gown on him.
I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror on the opposite wall. Most of my face was covered by a mask and hat. My eyes became more noticeable, they were the only thing visible on my face.
Oliver handed me the IV pole, and the wheels on the IV pole made a squeaking sound. As he inserted the IV into Colin's hand, he asked me to prime the line with saline. I had memorized the steps from the textbook, but I was fumbling in real life.
I heard Oliver let out a small chuckle. I struggled even more when he handed me the supplies for inserting the catheter.
I avoided looking at Colin when he was ready. Oliver pulled out the scalpel and my stomach tied in a knot.
I grabbed the pole to keep from falling. I kept my eyes on the cold tile floor. I wanted to cover my eyes as I listened to the procedure. I could hear slicing and popping.
The whole process didn't take long and I had my eyes locked on the floor. I didn't look up until Oliver started talking.
"Keep your head up," he said.
Colin's eyes were covered with gauze.
Oliver's gloves were covered in blood. I could see two jelly-like balls in the plastic bag on the cart. I had to fight back the taste of bile in my mouth when I realized those were Colin's eyes. Oliver took off his dirty gloves and put them in the bag to shield his eyes. He picked up a roll of gauze balls.
"Come on," he said. "Hold his head."
I placed my hands on either side of Colin's temples. I slowly raised his head to prevent the gauze from falling off his face. Gauze wrapped his head in gauze.
Moved Colin back to bed.
Colin's phone is like a heavy rock in my pocket. I could use an excuse to go to the bathroom and call the police. Colin has lost his eye, but at least we can save our lives.
I put the blanket over him. Oliver took out two sets of handcuffs from the drawer. He clasped Colin's wrist on one side and fixed it on the bed with the other.
My hand moved over the phone. Oliver's back was turned to me as he filled the syringe with the drug.
I took a step back. I was about to go to the bathroom again when the bell rang. As the ringing continued, my pocket vibrated. Colin's phone number?
Oliver glanced back and frowned.
"What-?" he started.
I turned around and started running to the bathroom.
