Snow Lodge
Chapter 40
After a few minutes both men got their emotions under control, and they pulled away from each other, heading back to AJ's bedside.
"Jesus." Kevin whispered as he moved closer, taking in all the machines and monitors around AJ's bed. His eyes lingered on the respirator, watching it pump the oxygen into AJ's lungs. Howie saw this and spoke; his voice so soft that Kevin barely heard him.
"Jonesy said he wasn't breathing on his own, that's why he's on the respirator."
"I can't believe this." Kevin told him.
"I know." Howie agreed with him. "And I just don't understand any of it. There are so many questions in my head right now, and I don't have any answers for them. But then, you look at him laying there like that, and all I can think of is that it isn't natural for him to be like this. He's never this still, not even in his sleep."
"Don't we know it. Fidget-ass, the number of times I wanted to tie him down to his bed, or his bunk, so I didn't have to listen to him squirming around..."
They both smiled a little at the memories, before Howie teared up again. He lay his hand on top of AJ's, holding it gently. "Now I'd give anything just for him to move anything. Squeeze my hand, wiggle his toes, anything, just so we know he's in there still."
Kevin pulled Howie close again and lay one hand on top of Howie and AJ's joined one's. "I know D. I know."
The two lapsed into silence again, the sound of the respirator echoing in the room. Howie resumed his seat beside AJ's bed, and Kevin pulled another chair up, so he could sit on the other side, holding AJ's other hand. Howie looked at Kevin, who seemed to hate the silence as much as he did.
"Jonesy said we should talk to him, he might be able to hear us." Howie told him.
Kevin nodded slightly, he had heard that about coma patients, and he started talking to AJ.
"Hey Bone. I can't believe you're napping on us man. Time to wake up and talk to us."
"Yeah." Howie added. "You're never quiet for this long, you must hate it."
"I actually miss hearing you talk, though I'm sure you'll make up for it when you wake up. Then you'll go right back to talking our ears off, and driving us completely batty."
"You'll have so much energy stored up from sleeping so long that you'll be bouncing off the walls, and driving us up them, in no time at all." Howie added with a small smile.
"Oh God yeah." Kevin smiled as well, able to visualise it happening. "But right now Brian's muscling in on your territory man. He's acting all crazy, thinking he hurt you. The Doctor's had to knock him out to keep him from climbing the walls. That's your job."
Howie frowned as Brian was mentioned. There it was again, that uneasy feeling in his stomach. The feeling only increased as he listened to Kevin telling AJ how Brian wasn't doing so good, and he needed to wake up and sort him out. After all, it was Brian's fault AJ was like this wasn't it?
Howie was shocked when he thought this. It wasn't Brian's fault at all, and Jonesy had said that Brian was the only reason AJ was alive. So he couldn't be blamed for any of this, could he? Howie just didn't know.
