Fifteen minutes later, and Kevin found himself standing outside his friend�s room. He put his hand on the door handle and took a deep breath as he turned it, allowing the door to swing open. He closed his eyes as he stepped into the room, not wanting to actually see the image he was about to be greeted with.
Blindly he reached behind him and closed the door behind him and taking another calming breath before opening his eyes and fixing his gaze on the bed in front of him.
The air in his lungs fled from him in a loud gush as he finally focused on his young friend in the bed. He looked even smaller, if that was possible, as if the bed was swallowing him whole, and the tubes and machines surrounding him scared Kevin more than anything.
�He looks so frail. Kevin thought to himself, finally noting just how thin his younger friend had gotten. Kevin closed his eyes again in an attempt to think back, trying to remember the last time he had seen him eat anything.
He came up blank.
Slowly, Kevin moved over to the single chair in the room, which was beside the bed. Sitting down on it, he reached out and took his friend�s hand. His skin was cool to the touch, and he showed no reaction when Kevin squeezed it.
�I know you can hear me.� Kevin began, his voice breaking with emotion. �I know you think that everything is bad, that life has gone to shit for you, or else you would never have done this. And I wish I knew why, but I don�t. We knew something was going on, and we thought that you would come to us. But you didn�t. Maybe we should have pushed you harder to find out what was wrong, but you know what they say about hindsight.� Kevin sighed and wiped away his tears.
�I wish I�d made you talk last night, maybe then this wouldn�t have happened. I don�t know. All I know is this. You need me� us, and we�ll be there for you. All you have to do is ask. Nothing you have ever done could change that, and it will be true for as long as there is breath in any one of us. I�m mad as hell at you right now for doing this. But I�ll get over it, as long as you come back to us. I love you bro, and nothing you could ever tell me would make me hate you. So you come back to us. Ya hear me. We love you. We need you. And we want you here with us. No matter what.�
Kevin squeezed the lifeless hand again, hoping for some response. But there was nothing. Sighing heavily, Kevin let go and stood up, bending over and placing a soft kiss on the other man�s forehead before turning and leaving the room, letting Howie know he could go in for a few minutes. He wondered what to do about the other two. Nick was hardly in a state to see his friend, but equally he wouldn�t leave without seeing him. And the other one� Kevin didn�t have the slightest clue what to do with him. Maybe it was time to have a little talk. Although lately that had been about as effective as talking to a brick wall. But just maybe�
Kevin shook his head as he closed the door behind him. He just hoped that something would help.