Cruz's P.O.V
Jasper's finger slipped on the trigger, and the explosion came, deafening in its thunderous exultation, the bullet came out of the gun ripping the air as it shattered, piercing and penetrating the nitrogen and oxygen mixture, leaving a ragged and tattered whole in reality like a photo negative with its passage. The bullet rushed as a ray of light and encroached into Brook.
A red hole appeared in his chest, his eyes rolled up, body loosed its balance and he dropped to the grass.

"Brook" Blake whined as tears streamed out of her blue eye's.
Soon the police sirens became more coherent and the policeman handcuffed Jasper.
Blake was numb, she was not able to blink also suddenly the police saw Brook surrounded by his own blood drooling out of the whole in his chest.
A police man called the ambulance notifying it as a criminal case.

Blake crawled towards Brook and her sob was loud enough for the world to hear.
The police took pictures of the crime scene and transported Jasper to the police station. Two men rushed out of the ambulance whih just entered the crime scene. They loaded brook over the stretcher and left for the hospital.

The only thing I could see was Blake covered in her tears, sobbing hard and her hands smeared with blood.
I slowly doddered towards her and kept relaxed my hand over her cold shoulder. She was reduced to a wraith.

"Blake" I whimpered. Suddenly to arms wrapped around my waist.
"Cruz" She cried. I can't see her like this. I can't see the person I love the most crying. I sat with her in silence and cafuné.
"Cruz he had a tournament tonight" She said. I caressed her hair trying to calm her. Its really hard for us.
"We should go to the hospital" I suggested.
"No, I can't see him like that, I want to talk to you" She said dully. I nodded.
"This all happened because of me, I knew something wrong would happen, he was practicing for it for so long" She cried I hugged her harder to reassure her.

"What if he di-" she cries but I cut her,"Shh, nothing will happen, be optimistic, soon he will come with his football and show his sassiness" she chuckles.
Suddenly my phone buzzed.
It was from the hospital, the police whom I gave my number was calling me.
"Blake we need to go to the hospital, Brook needs us" I said, she nodded.

I pull the car into the hospital's parking lot and we both rush inside.
"Excuse me where can we fing Mr. Brooklyn Fox" I ask the receptionist.
"Sir the one who just came?" She confirms looking through the documents.
"Yeah! He is in operation theatre, third floor, Last room from the left"
"Thank you" I sigh and we hush towards the operation theatre.

Two police police constables are standing outside the operation theatre and a nurse arranging some papers.
"Excuse Me we are Brook relative's" I say.
"Ma'am please fill the details" the nurse hands the papers to Blake.
"Sir you were the Witness, Right?" Constable asks, I nod.
"This is a Criminal case sir, we need detail on what happened. Sir we need your sometime, you need to come with us to the police station" another constable informs. I nod.

"Blake I have to go to police station for some formalities. I called your Mom. She will be coming soon" I give her a goodbye hug.
"Cruz I am scared, Its the worst feeling ever" a tear roll down her cheek.
"Blake be strong, have faith in doctors" I squeeze her left arm reassuring her. Suddenly a nurse come's out running from the O.T.
"There is a severe blood loss, We need more O +ve blood, blood banks lack O Rh D postive blood because of the severe loss, this type of blood group is universal donor and is mostly used, therefore, there is a shortage of this blood group" the nurse informs.
"I will donate, we both have same blood group" Blake says.
"Ma'am please follow me" The nurse tells. She looks at me for a moment and I give her a warm nod.
"Sir we are waiting for you" The constable says."Yeah I am coming."

□■□■□■□■□
In the police station.
Constable: Sir could you just give us some detail about yourself and how you are related to the victim.

Cruz: My full Name is Cruz Adams and the victim in my neighbour and my childhood friend.

Constable: Sir can you please give us some detail about the time. [Takes a note pad and starts scribbling the information]

Cruz: I didn't get you, what time? If you mean that at what time Jasper shoit the bullet than sorry I did not check the time.[scratching his head]

Constable: Sir by time I mean was it evening, noon or night. I want an estimate.

Cruz: stupid questions, why don't you just come to the point. It was near six in the evening.

Constable: Sir we know its a hard time for you but these are formalities.
Sir are you in any way related to the suspect?

Cruz: Yes! He is my step-brother. But we are not really brothers, I did not even knew that I have a step brother.

Constable: Okay! Sir do you know the reason why the suspect wanted to kill the victim?

Cruz: Not really. It was a revenge kind of thing. Jasper's sister died few years/months back, I clearly don't know. It was a suicide and Jasper blame's Brook for his sisters death though Brook was innocent and he wanted revenge.

Constable: How do you know that Brook was inocent? And did the suspect tried to do something wrong before also?

Cruz: Sir if he was guilty he would not be in this critical condition inspite he would be behind the bars.
And Yes, Jasper once tried to molest Blake for this revenge purpose in drunk state but I saved her and he was unsuccessful and this time he tried again to complete his revenge.

Constable: Blake, victims sister? [Cruz nods] Sir molestation is a crime, why didn't you inform the police then and there only?

Cruz: Hmm I know its a crime, and it was our mistake to not report the matter but at the moment we all were too scared so we thought that we should not exaggerate the matter and
Jasper also disappeared so we thought he will not come back.

Constable: hmm you people think alot! Anyway when did you got to know Jasper is back?

Cruz: Today morning Blake recieved a message from him saying Lovely, I am back.

Constable: Sir you recieved a message this morning and you informed us in evening. Sir have you ever heard of that phrase Prevention is better than Cure?

Cruz: Blake recieved this messave from and unknown number, it was not sure that its from Jasper nor it was a death threat or something, It could have been a prank or something we did not find it necessary to inform you. so we...

Constable: Ohh I see, sir don't worry continue.

Cruz: so we decided to investigate who send us this message and then I got to know Jasper is my brother. We got few more messages from the same number which made it abvious that these were from Jasper. We were going to inform you when Blake decided to tell Brook first and then all this happened you know.

Constable: okay! [making note] Sir thanks for your patience, our investigation is done now if you want you can see the suspect. [Constable shakes hand with Cruz]

Cruz: No I don't think I need to ever see that person again. Thank you too and I hope you punish him hard. [Leave's the investigation room and heads towards the hospital]
□■□■□■□■□

I enter the hospital and head towards the O.T but there is no one sitting there. Where is Blake? I try to call her but she doesn't pick the phone.
"Excuse me are you looking for someone" A ward boy asks.
"Yeah the one who was bieng operated" I sigh.
"He is shifted to the ICU, third room from the right" he tells.
"Thank you so much" I say and leave towards the ICU.

I see my Mom and Aunt Eva sitting at one side and on the other side is Blake with her head hanging low. Aunt Eva's eyes are full red. I slowly slide beside Blake and rest my left hand over her right thigh.
"Is Brook alright?" I ask. She shakes her head.
"No, doctor says he is critical the chances of recovery are very low" she cries.
"Shh Blake" I pull her into a hug.
"His soccer mates are calling on his phone, he can't miss the tournament, he is the captain" She says.
"Did you answer any call?"
"No I can't" She cries.
______________________________________

Brook in critical condition.
what do you think will he die or survive?

Don't forget to vote for next chapter.