Original: To His Grave: Chapter 3
Nov. 20th, 2008 05:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elvenavariTitle: To His Grave
Author: Seylin
Summary: This is not a story about romance. This is a story of friendship and how far that friendship goes.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Some m/m situations mentioned however it is not a main piece of the story.
To His Grave
Chapter 3
Sneakers squeaked against the wood of the gym floor as the owner’s of said sneakers ran up and down their half of the court. A basketball was bounced in quick succession before being passed to another player. Laughter and calls for the ball echoed through the gym. Eli caught the ball as it was passed to him. He dribbled and ran, a smile showing between pants from how long they had been playing.
Nearly forty-five minutes into their game, and another thirty before class ended, the game was nearly tied. Eli stopped, he was blocked… well would be if he didn’t do something, he dribbled to take up time as he thought. Eli cast a quick glance over at Tommy, had he not been trying to strategize in his he probably would have worried about how hard Tommy was breathing or that he was paler than normal, however he didn’t. Tommy gave a quick nod and took off on his side of the court. Eli faked to the left before cutting right around his blockers; he passed the ball to Tommy, where Tommy should have been… Tommy wasn’t there.
“Wha…?” Eli thought and then he heard Lena’s scream. Turning his head toward the sound his eyes widened. Tommy was on his knees, a hand to his chest looking very much in pain. “Tommy!” Eli broke into a run getting to his friend before anyone else. “Tommy.”
“…Can’t…breathe…” Tommy gasped. Eli quickly sat on the floor across from Tommy, he didn’t know how bad this attack was but this had worked before with less serious attacks. Eli took Tommy’s hand and put it on his chest.
“Breathe with me Toms,” he said focusing on breathing at a steady pace. Tommy tried to calm his breathing to Eli’s pace but it quickly became obvious that this wasn’t going to work this time. Eli looked up at their classmates, who had gathered around. “Someone run to the locker room and in the smallest pocket of Tommy’s backpack get his inhaler. If it's not there... check his gym bag! Someone else tell Mr. Edwards!” Quickly two people ran off returning moments later with the inhaler and Mr. Edwards, the gym teacher.
“I called 911 Tommy,” Mr. Edwards told him. Tommy nodded as he used his inhaler. Usually the inhaler worked very quickly but this time there seemed to be no change. Tommy’s eyes met Eli’s.
“It’s…not…working…” Eli’s eyes widened.
“Not working? But it always works!” Eli Exclaimed. Tommy just shook his head. Outside they could hear the sirens of the ambulance and one of the students went to open the gym doors for them.
Within the next five minutes the EMT’s had Tommy on the stretcher and were loading him into the ambulance. Tommy was barely conscious now but he managed to hold onto Eli’s hand. “Stay…” He whispered.
“Can I do?” Eli asked the EMT’s. “I’m his best friend and neighbor.” The EMT looked unsure but finally nodded. Eli climbed up into the ambulance and took Tommy’s hand again. “I’m here Toms.”
Tommy could feel his world fading, it was a terrifying feeling but he tried to remain calm by thinking about how warm Eli’s hand felt in his own. Tommy was barely conscious now but Eli swore that he could see a smile. Eli tried to smile back but his half hearted smile turned into a frown as he felt Tommy’s grip on his hand go completely slack.
“What happened?” Eli questioned.
“He passed out but it’s alright we’re almost to the hospital,” one of the EMT’s told him. Even with this small reassurance Eli’s heart pounded against his ribs. He knew Tommy had had bad attacks before but this seemed to go so far beyond that.
When the ambulance came to a stop the EMT’s rushed Tommy into the emergency room. Eli wanted to follow but he knew he wasn’t allowed, after a few moments a nurse came and showed him to the waiting room. He told her Tommy’s name and that his mother worked there in the hospital, the nurse left to go page Robyn, and Eli was list with just his thoughts.
It wasn’t hard to remember the first time he had seen Tommy have a serious attack. Eli’s parents had always had little spats, for as long as he could remember, but then they had gotten worse. The same month his parents had started talking about divorce and who he would love with Tommy had his attack. They had been outside playing when the attack happened. Eli remembered being terrified as Tommy’s parents ran outside and watching them rush him to the hospital.
“Tag! You’re it Toms!” Eli called laughing as he dashed away from Tommy after lightly hitting his shoulder. Tommy laughed as he chased after Eli. Just as Tommy was about to tag him, Eli dodged to the right causing him to miss. Tommy turned quickly hoping to grab his best friend and tag him, he knew the instant he did it that it was a mistake. Tommy’s breath caught and his chest tightened, Tommy grabbed his throat gasping.
Eli turned just in time to see Tommy grab his throat and drop to his knees. His brown eyes widened as he ran to his friend. Eli took in the scene before taking off to Tommy’s front door, banding on it to get Tommy’s parents attention.
“Mr. White! Mrs. White! Something is wrong with Toms!” Eli called. Daniel and Robyn came running out of the house. Eli watched as Daniel had Tommy take deep breaths with his inhaler. Within minutes that seemed like seconds Daniel had picked Tommy up and they were in the car backing out of their driveway in a rush.
Eli could only watch, shaking with adrenaline…fear… he didn’t know but he connected it more with fear. A hand on his shoulder caused him to look up at his dad. Ryan squeezed his son’s shoulder before leading him back to the house to talk about what had happened. Two days later Tommy had been able to come home from the hospital, he and his parents were just in time for Ryan and Becky’s biggest fight to date. Eli had spent the night at Tommy’s. The next day Ryan had asked Eli who he wanted to stay with.
“I’m moving out Eli. You’re a big boy so you get to choose if you want to stay here with your mom… or come with me, I’m going to find an apartment in the same city as the main airport I fly out of,” Ryan told him. Eli stared at him with wide eyes… this was too much for an eight year old boy to decide! And his father’s main airport was four hours away! Looking back over his shoulder Eli stared at Tommy swinging on the tire swing and his heart thudded in dear. What id Tommy had another attack and he wasn’t here to call for help? Tommy could die… he couldn’t let that happen.
“I want to stay with Tommy,” Eli stated. Ryan blinked in surprise.
“What?” He questioned.
“I want to stay with Tommy. Tommy needs me. I need Tommy. I want to stay with Tommy.”
“…li…Eli!”
Author: Seylin
Summary: This is not a story about romance. This is a story of friendship and how far that friendship goes.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Some m/m situations mentioned however it is not a main piece of the story.
Chapter 3
Sneakers squeaked against the wood of the gym floor as the owner’s of said sneakers ran up and down their half of the court. A basketball was bounced in quick succession before being passed to another player. Laughter and calls for the ball echoed through the gym. Eli caught the ball as it was passed to him. He dribbled and ran, a smile showing between pants from how long they had been playing.
Nearly forty-five minutes into their game, and another thirty before class ended, the game was nearly tied. Eli stopped, he was blocked… well would be if he didn’t do something, he dribbled to take up time as he thought. Eli cast a quick glance over at Tommy, had he not been trying to strategize in his he probably would have worried about how hard Tommy was breathing or that he was paler than normal, however he didn’t. Tommy gave a quick nod and took off on his side of the court. Eli faked to the left before cutting right around his blockers; he passed the ball to Tommy, where Tommy should have been… Tommy wasn’t there.
“Wha…?” Eli thought and then he heard Lena’s scream. Turning his head toward the sound his eyes widened. Tommy was on his knees, a hand to his chest looking very much in pain. “Tommy!” Eli broke into a run getting to his friend before anyone else. “Tommy.”
“…Can’t…breathe…” Tommy gasped. Eli quickly sat on the floor across from Tommy, he didn’t know how bad this attack was but this had worked before with less serious attacks. Eli took Tommy’s hand and put it on his chest.
“Breathe with me Toms,” he said focusing on breathing at a steady pace. Tommy tried to calm his breathing to Eli’s pace but it quickly became obvious that this wasn’t going to work this time. Eli looked up at their classmates, who had gathered around. “Someone run to the locker room and in the smallest pocket of Tommy’s backpack get his inhaler. If it's not there... check his gym bag! Someone else tell Mr. Edwards!” Quickly two people ran off returning moments later with the inhaler and Mr. Edwards, the gym teacher.
“I called 911 Tommy,” Mr. Edwards told him. Tommy nodded as he used his inhaler. Usually the inhaler worked very quickly but this time there seemed to be no change. Tommy’s eyes met Eli’s.
“It’s…not…working…” Eli’s eyes widened.
“Not working? But it always works!” Eli Exclaimed. Tommy just shook his head. Outside they could hear the sirens of the ambulance and one of the students went to open the gym doors for them.
Within the next five minutes the EMT’s had Tommy on the stretcher and were loading him into the ambulance. Tommy was barely conscious now but he managed to hold onto Eli’s hand. “Stay…” He whispered.
“Can I do?” Eli asked the EMT’s. “I’m his best friend and neighbor.” The EMT looked unsure but finally nodded. Eli climbed up into the ambulance and took Tommy’s hand again. “I’m here Toms.”
Tommy could feel his world fading, it was a terrifying feeling but he tried to remain calm by thinking about how warm Eli’s hand felt in his own. Tommy was barely conscious now but Eli swore that he could see a smile. Eli tried to smile back but his half hearted smile turned into a frown as he felt Tommy’s grip on his hand go completely slack.
“What happened?” Eli questioned.
“He passed out but it’s alright we’re almost to the hospital,” one of the EMT’s told him. Even with this small reassurance Eli’s heart pounded against his ribs. He knew Tommy had had bad attacks before but this seemed to go so far beyond that.
When the ambulance came to a stop the EMT’s rushed Tommy into the emergency room. Eli wanted to follow but he knew he wasn’t allowed, after a few moments a nurse came and showed him to the waiting room. He told her Tommy’s name and that his mother worked there in the hospital, the nurse left to go page Robyn, and Eli was list with just his thoughts.
It wasn’t hard to remember the first time he had seen Tommy have a serious attack. Eli’s parents had always had little spats, for as long as he could remember, but then they had gotten worse. The same month his parents had started talking about divorce and who he would love with Tommy had his attack. They had been outside playing when the attack happened. Eli remembered being terrified as Tommy’s parents ran outside and watching them rush him to the hospital.
“Tag! You’re it Toms!” Eli called laughing as he dashed away from Tommy after lightly hitting his shoulder. Tommy laughed as he chased after Eli. Just as Tommy was about to tag him, Eli dodged to the right causing him to miss. Tommy turned quickly hoping to grab his best friend and tag him, he knew the instant he did it that it was a mistake. Tommy’s breath caught and his chest tightened, Tommy grabbed his throat gasping.
Eli turned just in time to see Tommy grab his throat and drop to his knees. His brown eyes widened as he ran to his friend. Eli took in the scene before taking off to Tommy’s front door, banding on it to get Tommy’s parents attention.
“Mr. White! Mrs. White! Something is wrong with Toms!” Eli called. Daniel and Robyn came running out of the house. Eli watched as Daniel had Tommy take deep breaths with his inhaler. Within minutes that seemed like seconds Daniel had picked Tommy up and they were in the car backing out of their driveway in a rush.
Eli could only watch, shaking with adrenaline…fear… he didn’t know but he connected it more with fear. A hand on his shoulder caused him to look up at his dad. Ryan squeezed his son’s shoulder before leading him back to the house to talk about what had happened. Two days later Tommy had been able to come home from the hospital, he and his parents were just in time for Ryan and Becky’s biggest fight to date. Eli had spent the night at Tommy’s. The next day Ryan had asked Eli who he wanted to stay with.
“I’m moving out Eli. You’re a big boy so you get to choose if you want to stay here with your mom… or come with me, I’m going to find an apartment in the same city as the main airport I fly out of,” Ryan told him. Eli stared at him with wide eyes… this was too much for an eight year old boy to decide! And his father’s main airport was four hours away! Looking back over his shoulder Eli stared at Tommy swinging on the tire swing and his heart thudded in dear. What id Tommy had another attack and he wasn’t here to call for help? Tommy could die… he couldn’t let that happen.
“I want to stay with Tommy,” Eli stated. Ryan blinked in surprise.
“What?” He questioned.
“I want to stay with Tommy. Tommy needs me. I need Tommy. I want to stay with Tommy.”
“…li…Eli!”
