Rose

The morning was beginning to unfold like a flower's first opening, it's beautiful, vibrant colours spreading to bloom. The yellow shining sun started rising from the ground.

It filled the sky with pastel colours of red and splashed the clouds with endless rays of pink. It was beaming and enthralling as it invited me to stare, deep into the horizon.

I brought my hand over my eyes to shield them from the unwelcome intruder called the sun.

Yawning, Gage stretched beside me, exhaling slowly as he gazed out into the sunrise, a small yet peaceful smile on his face.

"Genevieve loved the sunrise. She'd always sing that song," Gage told me, chuckling to himself as he thought for a moment as to what the song was. "Um, you know that one? I'm walking on sunshine! Ohh!" I smiled, chuckling softly at his singing as I glanced up at him, sighing gently.

"For like a month, she made us wake up an hour before the sunrise because 'it's an extra hour to live'." Gage sighed, wistfully, his eyes staring out as they twinkled. "I wish I never complained. I'd do anything to have another hour with her."

I smiled at him, a sympathetic look on my face. It was clear how much he truly loved Genevieve and I did not want to get in the way of that.

True love was filled in his eyes and I could see how desperate, and hopeful he was that she would wake up. He wanted his girl back so badly. I felt extremely bad for him and realised something; life was too short to be playing around.

"She'll be back," I told him quietly as he glanced down at me, his eyebrows raising a little. "And you'll both be watching the sunrise before you know it. Just believe, Gage. .and don't give up."

He smiled warmly at me. "Come on. We better head back."

As we strolled, I watched my feet take steps across the concrete ground, my dusty sneakers next to the shined, expensive trainers of Gage.

Silence was between us but it was a comfortable silence. Peaceful and mind settling; it calmed me and I enjoyed it.

Morning was breaking out and already, the birds were testing their throats. I listen to their melody, the birds rising, swooping, resting, just as they do.

Every movement that is so natural to them is reflected in their tune, the way they turn their heads with gentle precision, hop upon branches and dive into the garden air.

I watched them, smiling before they flew away and once again, I was following our feet walking on the path peacefully, the morning giving me a bounce to my steps.

But the feeling of joy suddenly faded away. Once again, I was walking however that time, my body seemed more tense.

Frequently, my head would snap around, glancing behind me to only see the same figures. . .the same figures that had been there for the last ten minutes.

That was when I knew what the uneasy feeling was.

I was not imagining this. I could feel a pair of cold eyes staring into the back of my head, and in that moment, I knew I was in danger.

I walked with caution, my eyes glancing over at Gage to see if he could feel the same way I did. But he was casually walking, not a care in the world.

"Gage-" I began, my voice shaky and frightened. But I was grabbed, pulled harshly. My eyes tightly shut, a small squeak escaping my mouth but a warm hand clamped over my moth, keeping it shut.

My eyes flew open, thankfully to meet his beautiful, grey ones. I slowly exhaled a deep breath I had no idea I had kept in. My face automatically softened and my heart rate began to slow down as I realised that I was safe though I was in an alleyway.

He moved his hand away, pulling a strand of my long hair behind my ear. His finger rose to his lips, silencing me. In my hand, he shoved a gun in it, startling me. Then, he turned, lifting the back of his shirt up, flashing his gun as he pulled it out, discreetly holding it by his side.

"Gage!" I whisper-yelled in shock, my eyes expanding a little as I looked at it in slight horror. His head turned to face me, his eyes darker than before.

"Whatever happens, don't leave until they're gone."

"What!" I whisper-yelled once more, shaking my head. "Don't go-"

He stepped out, pulling his gun out and facing it to his opponents with confidence as he yelled, "you really are fucking punks if you're still trying!"

Gage didn't stand a chance.

He knew it too as he realised how many approached.

He took a step back, his gun slowly lowering as he noticed the crowd of hooded figures coming closer to him.

My eyes widened, my jaw dropping to the ground as my heart suddenly froze, my lungs desperately begging for air as panic filled in me.

Oh no

There must have been eight well armed assailants at the very least. He had nothing to protect him but empty words, his gun and his fists. Even they could not guard him.

Everything happened so fast.

He was ambushed, all of them pilot on top of him as fists collided with him. I could no longer see his body under the mass of men on top of him, all trying to get a way of attacking him.

My hand covered my mouth to keep myself quiet, my legs twitched as though they were ready to run.

But no.

He said not to leave.

But he could die.

What if he died?

Because of me? Because I didn't save him.

I heard him yell out, I saw them laugh as each had a turn, laughing and kicking him, spitting and attacking Gage. A flash of a glimmering metal caught my eyes; a knife.

Innocent Gage.

He did nothing wrong.

Gage was my friend.

And no one hurts my friends.

My legs were moving, going out of the alleyway and standing so powerfully and confidentially as my eyes stared upon the masked men, anger raging in me.

I pulled out the gun and shots were fired.

Some dashed, some were hit and some managed to barely scrape by but thankfully, they all left. I didn't care who got hurt; only my friend.

On the ground, cast away was him.

I barely recognised him.

A loud gasp left my mouth as I saw him, I ran over, my body lowering as I went on my shins, my hands reaching out to his weirdly angled body.

"Gage!" I exclaimed in fear, my voice breathless and filled with worry. "Oh, Gage!"

He was grotesque. Already his eyes were swollen over and bloody spit drooled from his slack jaw. His nose smashed and eyes almost shut with swelling. His arms are wrapped round his guts as if to help. I shook my head, a horrible pang of pain in my heart.

His body was damaged; his clothes ripped and crumpled and a patch of blood, soaking as he bleed. He was stabbed.

He was a bloody mess.

My heart fell. He was purple. His left eye was so badly swollen, he couldn't be see a thing out of it. His face still bore congealed blood and cuts that seemed unimaginably painful.

I quickly started patting his body, frantically trying to find his phone. Rummaging around in his pockets, I managed to find if, using his thumb as a fingerprint to unlock it.

He grunted softly, coughing so violently that more blood splattered out of his cracked lips. "Mm. . .Rose. ."

"Don't talk," I softly told him, although my voice was shaky and filled with anxiety. "You're gonna be okay, just stay with me, Gage, okay? I'm gonna call an ambulance."

"No!" He managed to loudly wheeze our, coughing roughly once more. I placed my hand on his chest, my eyes staring into his with worry. "Gage, please, you have to go."

He groaned, wincing as he tried to look back into my eyes. I went to dial the number but he grunted loudly, jolting his leg up which pushed the phone of of my hands.

"Call Cristiano."

"Cris? But-"

"Please, Rose. . .call him. ."

I hesitated, before following his orders and finding his number. I called him.

It ring for a few times before finally he answered, "yo."

"Cris-" I started before babbling frantically about Gage's situation and how desperately he needed to come. I gave him the address

Hanging up, Gage continued to cough and wheeze, panicking me even more. "Gage," I said, my voice cracking as I grew with worry. I took off my coat, taking off the hood and pressing it roughly against his bleeding side.

He grunted in pain, yelling out a little. "Fuck!" He cursed, his head against the concrete as he groaned in pain.

No one was around to help - we were literally in the middle of a deserted, small and quiet street with no houses but closed shops. All we could possibly do was wait for Cristiano.

"No, no, no!" I loudly snapped at him, shaking him gently. "Gage, stop! Open your eyes - eye! Wake up!" I fretted, panicking.

He softly moaned, opening his good eye to look at me. "Tired. . ." He barely spoke, his voice croaky. "So. . .tired. . ."

"No, Gage!" I worried, shaking his roughly again. "Come on! Let's. ." I hesitated, unsure of what to say whilst I struggled to think straight.

"Tell me about Genevieve! Yeah, tell me about Genevieve! What are you gonna do when she wakes up?"

He continued to groan, his body beginning to shake a little. I used my coat to cover him, worrying.

"Mm. . .a house. . .big house. ."

"Ooh! Why a big house? Who's gonna live there?"

". . .me. . .Gen-Genevieve. . .b-baby - lots of babies. . . No - kids - lots of. .kids. . ."

"Tell me about their names, Gage. What are you gonna call them?" I asked, my voice intrigued yet I continued to fret inside. My stomach knotted and a lump rose in my throat as nervousness built butterflies in me.

"I. . .don't . .kn. ."

"No, Gage!" I quavered, my finger caressing his cheek softly as his eye opened, meeting mine. He was beginning to pant though he was struggling for air, his voice wheezing a little.

"Genevieve. . ." He whispered, "I want. . .where's . . . what. . ?"

He looked utterly confused and once again, his eyes began to shut.

"Gage! Come on, Gage! Stay strong, please, please don't leave. I need you to stay awake, please. Cris'll be here soon, I know he will. Please Gage, talk to me. Tell me about your kids! How many do you want?"

But it was too late.

His eyes shut but that time, they did not once open.

__________

What is Gage's condition?

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