Chapter 259

Tessa’s POV

I wasn’t sure how long we were waiting in the waiting room. Time seemed to stand still; we could have been there for minutes, maybe even hours. I couldn’t be sure. My insides had gone numb, and I cried all the tears that I could.

Joseph was kind enough to remain silent for most of the time so I could process my thoughts. I stared down at my phone screen, staring at the last text I received from Ruby. Staring at the words, “I miss you.”

This can’t be the last message I receive from her. I refuse to let this be the last message. Ruby had to be okay; she was strong, and she wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

After what felt like an eternity, Joseph’s phone chimed, pulling me back into the present moment. I looked over at him as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen with a timid frown. His brows pinched together as he swiped his phone on and read the message.

“What is it?” I asked.

He looked at me, facing the phone, so I could see the message.

Carter: I Just did something, and I need your help. Come to room 41.

My brows furrowed together as I re-read the text. How did he expect us to bypass the nurses and the newly planted security team outside the doors? The security team just arrived, probably after Carter pulled a fast one and slipped through the doors while everyone was distracted. He somehow managed to remain behind the doors, but they obviously knew he was there or else they wouldn’t have bothered with the extra security.

Just when I was about to ask Joseph what we should do, a nurse and a doctor that I hadn’t seen before appeared in front of us, both of whom had sorrowful eyes.

“Are you Tessa Campbell?” The doctor asked.

My heart fell deep into my stomach; everyone was looking in our direction, still calm from the effects of Joseph’s abilities, but I could see the panic and concern rising in their eyes. We were all in the same boat; unsure if our loved ones were alive or dead. Whenever a doctor came out and spoke to someone, everyone was tuned into it.

I could hardly speak, so I managed a shaky head nod.

“Would you mind if we go somewhere more private to talk?” He asked, studying my face.

Joseph kept his hold on my hand; I wasn’t sure my legs would work even if wanted them to, so I shook my head.

“We can talk here,” I managed to say in nothing more than a whisper.

He looked concerned for a moment, looking around himself at all the curious and wandering eyes before his eyes landed on Joseph who sat protectively beside me.

“It’s okay,” I managed to say in a raspy tone. “You can talk in front of everyone.”

The doctor nodded and as he sat beside me; it was then that I realized the nurse was holding a box of tissues. She looked at me with such mourning that my heart shattered in my chest. I knew this wasn’t going to be good news. I knew whatever he was about to tell me was going to turn my entire world upside down.

I wasn’t prepared for this, but I knew I needed to hear it.

I held onto Joseph’s hand tighter, digging my nails into the palm of his hand without realizing I was doing it. He didn’t flinch though; it didn’t seem like he even felt it. He only drew circles around my knuckles with his thumb in an attempt to calm me.

“I was told you are Ruby Gonzale’s family?” The doctor began to ask.

I nodded without hesitation.

“She has parents too, but they aren’t really in her life. I’m the closest family she’s got,” I told him, my voice coming out shakily. “Is Ruby okay?”

The question came out as more of a squeak and when the doctor didn’t respond right away, a sob escaped my lips.

“I’m afraid not,” he said sadly. “Ruby faced a lot of damage during the accident. She broke most bones in her body and is suffering from internal bleeding.”

I cringed at his words.

“But she’s alive?” Joseph was the one to ask when I couldn’t force the words to leave my lips.

The doctor sighed, meeting my eyes.

“There’s no easy way to say this…” he said slowly. “But Ruby is brain dead…”

And just like that, my entire world crashed down around me, and I gasped, covering my mouth with my hands.

“There’s no brain activity and it’s been several hours. Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do for her…”

There were several sobs around the waiting room as almost everyone heard the news. My entire body trembled violently as Joseph wrapped me in his arms.

“I’m so sorry…” The doctor said, lowering his gaze. “We did everything we could. But by the time she was found and brought here… it was too late.”

His words were being drowned out by my sobs at this point; I couldn’t tell what was real anymore. Nothing seemed real; I was convinced this was a nightmare that I couldn’t wake up from.

There was no way I lost my best friend. There was no way she was…. I couldn’t even think of the word, let alone say it out loud.

“She…” my voice broke off as tears drowned my features. “She’s…”

The doctor nodded and then motioned for the nurse; on cue, she stepped forward, handing me the tissues.

I was too numb to move my arms, so Joseph took a few tissues from the box and tried his best to wipe away the tears, but it was no use. They fell quicker than he could wipe.

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” the doctor said sadly as he stood to his feet. “You are able to go and see her now though. While she’s hooked up to the machines, her heart is still beating. You should say goodbye to her before we unhook her.”

Unhook her.

Unhooking her would mean killing her officially. Her heart would stop and Ruby would be… dead.

I felt sick to my stomach.

“Can you take us to her?” Joseph asked for us both.

“Of course,” the doctor said, nodding his head.

Joseph stood to his feet, and I stood with him, willing my legs to work. I needed to see her for myself; I was still convinced she was alive; logically I knew she wasn’t… but my heart wasn’t believing my brain, and it wasn’t going to believe my brain until I could actually see her.

Joseph kept his hold on me as we slowly walked through the ghostly silent waiting room. We passed the security officers who stepped out of the way for us, and we walked through the swinging doors.

The halls seemed like they went on forever; nurses and doctors were running around each room, trying to tend to as many patients as they could. There were a lot of people in the waiting room, and I wondered how many survivors there were. I wondered how many would be leaving the hospital in tears, heartbroken, and how many would be relieved that their loved one was okay.

Joseph’s phone chimed again and at first, he pulled his phone out of his pocket, frowning at the message. His brows pulled together as he scanned his phone. Then he showed me the message.

Carter: I need you here now! Come alone!”

My heart was racing in my chest when I read the message, and I looked up at Joseph curiously. When room number 41 came into view, I realized that was the room Carter was in and that was where he wanted us to go.

That was also where the doctor was leading us.

It was Ruby’s room.

The doctor reached for the doorknob to open the door—

“You don’t have to worry about coming in with us,” Joseph was quick to say, making the doctor freeze. “I’m sure you have other patients to tend to.”

The doctor furrowed his brows.

“It’s not a problem,” the doctor said, staring at Joseph curiously.

“It’s a problem for those still waiting in the waiting room,” Joseph told him. “Honestly, you don’t have to come in with us. Go tend to the others and let the people know what’s happening with their loved ones. We can handle it from here.”

The doctor's pupils grew and then shrunk again; he then nodded and stepped away from the door. I knew Joseph used his abilities on him.

“Okay, then,” the doctor said. “If you need anything just press the button on the side of the bed.”

“Thanks,” Joseph said, nodding to him.

We waited for the doctor to disappear down the hallway and into someone else’s room before I looked up at Joseph. He had a concerned look on his face as he stared at the door, but he said nothing as he grabbed the knob and turned it, allowing me into the room first.

When I walked into the room, I wasn’t prepared for what I was about to see.

Ruby was on the bed wrapped in a full-body cast. Tubes and wires stuck out of her and the parts of her face that were visible were covered in bruises and cuts. The heart monitor beeping gave me the illusion that she was alive, but according to the doctor. Her brain no longer worked.

I couldn’t help the gasp and then the sob that escaped my lips as I covered my face with my hands. Joseph wrapped me in his arms, allowing me time to grieve my friend.

It was all so real now… she was actually gone. Or at least she will be soon.

“Carter?” Joseph called into the empty room. “Are you in here?”

When there was silence, Joseph’s phone chimed again and when he read the message, he answered it out loud.

“Yes, we are alone.”

On that note, Carter stepped out of the room to our left, startling me. It was the bathroom, and the light was off, making it hard to see Carter at first, but when he stepped into the light, my entire body froze.

His mouth was covered in blood and his eyes were blazing red.

I gasped, stumbling away from him and behind Joseph.

Joseph stared at him with his eyes growing larger by the second and then he looked at Ruby, then back at Carter.

“What the hell did you do?”