William sat between two hospital beds, tuned into the beeping of the two heart monitors. He clutched the hand of the smaller figure, forcing back the years that were threatening to burst out from his deep, soulful brown eyes.
The first one was stable,  keeping a steady rhythm. That wasn't the one that worried the aubergine man,  however.
The second monitor was beeping rapidly and randomly,  sometimes it would let out a droning beep that got the doctor to rush into the room. At other times it would seem to be at a normal pace,  in sync with the first before it sped up again.
Every time the line on the second heart monitor flat lined,  William emitted a muffled sob.
He couldn't afford to lose both of his sons. Despite the doctors whispering words of reassurance,  informing the distressed father that at least one would recover, it was still agonizing to listen to the second heart monitor.
Faster,  then slower,  then flat line, then normal. Slower,  almost nonexistent, faster,  faster,  flat line.
And on and on until William was forced to flee the room,  eyes glistening with tears.
It had been one week since his younger son,  Chris,  suffered a bite at his 8th birthday party.
And a mere 4 days since Michael, consumed by grief, guilt, and thoughts of suicide, had tried to commit self-deletus,  causing what was being dubbed "the bite of '83."
Michael had been plagued with suicidal thoughts for the past month, but seeing him lose the battle was heart wrenching.
"He fought so hard," William muttered. "But even the strongest of people crack in the end." The years had began to leak again, much to the man's discontent. Not yet...not until I'm certain that they're dead. It isn't over yet. It can't be over yet. It won't be over yet!
The doctor,  Dr. Martin Franks, raced in yet again,  the seventh time that hour. He quickly glanced over at Chris's monitor for a fleeting second before turning his full attention to Michael. "Again? This is quite unprecedented." It was astonishing, especially to the elderly doctor. How is he still holding out with his vitals wreaking havoc on the rest of his body?!
William rose to his feet, towering over Dr. Franks. "Unprecedented? God dammit just give me a straight answer! Will I have to bury another one of my children?!"
Dr. Franks sighed,  pushing his wire-rimmed glasses farther up the bridge of his narrow nose. "Mr. Afton,  your eldest son is in an unstable condition. He seems to be dying for a moment,  then he'll suddenly recover. We don't have a straight answer to give." He ran his fingers across the forehead of the elder boy, a small smirk enveloping his features for an instant before returning to the outwardly apologetic doctor. He felt some form of sympathy for Afton, but it was the same pang of guilt all doctors experienced when they failed to save a patient. At first, the agony of the realization that he couldn't prevent Death from reaping the souls of those too weak to fight on their own had been staggering; it had been impossible to face the family of the deceased patient and inform them of their loved one's defeat. Yet, it had grown horrifically easier to accept the death of a human being. He would never stoop so low as to enjoy it, but it had become the norm for the weary doctor.
William sank down to the floor,  eyes brimming with tears. "There has to be one. Please."
Dr. Franks patted William on the shoulder, attempting to reassure the man who would soon lose the remainder of his family. Such sweet sorrow. Mr. Afton, you are doomed to be the man who will lose everything dear to you. Your family, your friends, and eventually your life. He stepped quietly out of the room, making sure that the cross hanging on the opposite end of the room had been flipped so it was now upside down. I will ensure that you lose them. For I know what you did to my son. Now, you shall lose your own. Ironic, isn't it?
William rose, standing between the two hospital beds. He then left the room,  quietly closing the door behind him. Michael, Chris, you will be saved. I'll risk it all..
"So that I can put you back together!"