shred her very soul. Warmth wrapped around her hand, though nothing was there. A pressure, a small squeeze, a tug that caused her world to become a little more solid.
"Don't leave me. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry...for everything." Sobs punctuated the words now, and the sound made Evelyn want to cry too.
"—insert an IV. Has she had any alcohol to drink, Mr. Moore?"
IV? Evelyn struggled now, flailing at the shadows around her. The darkness had promised her freedom from all of her pain. It had bargained with her: the pain that plagued every moment would go away forever if she just took the pills. The darkness never said anything about needles, about more pain.
"No IV," she cried out.
The world burst open, the fog that surrounded her evaporated in a flinch-worthy cacophony and painful, blinding light. People bustled all around her; people that averted their gazes and wore scrubs or lab coats. Curtains with bright, horrid patterns surrounded her on all four sides.
Hospital! I’m in a hospital.
Panic welled up as two of the nurses began preparing needles. Another squeeze on her hand had her turning her head. It took a moment for her to register that her husband was sitting there, encasing her hand with both of his own. Derek's face appeared so different; pale and haggard. His chocolate eyes were red-rimmed and tears streamed freely down his face. His BDUs, usually so clean and without creases, were now rumpled and sported a few stains.
"Derek?" Tears filled her voice as she beseeched him with pleading eyes. "No IV. Don't let them put an IV in me. I hate needles!"
"Mrs. Moore?" A doctor patted her knee, his kind face doing nothing to alleviate the sick panic that clawed at her stomach. "I'm glad you're back with us. We're going to draw some blood to make sure the pills you took aren't causing your kidneys to shut down. We need to put an IV in and get some fluids in you to help flush your system out."
His words sounded slurred in her head as a wave of dizziness crashed into Evelyn. Uncertain of what the doctor was trying to tell her, she looked to her husband for help. "No IV's," she whispered as she collapsed against the bed.
"I'm sorry, honey." He choked on a sob before nodding at the doctor. "Do whatever you have too. I can't lose my wife."
Evelyn wailed like a newborn baby, though the sound quickly became distant, as if the noise didn't belong to her. "How could you?"
I like you more than my wife. I feel like I can't talk to her about anything anymore.
Then divorce her. She's a crazy bitch anyway.
"Now you're going to feel a little sting. Just take calm, deep breaths." A nurse's voice, cheery and grating, greeted Evelyn from the fog that was settling in once more.
I can't be the man for you anymore. I want a divorce.
"You left me for her!" Evelyn struggled against the memories, the words. Bile rose in her throat and she couldn't get her breath. Please, just let me die!
"We need an oxygen mask here!"
"Stay with me, Evelyn." Derek's voice called out to her as the darkness took her once more. "I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me and stay with me."
* * * *
Derek pressed his forehead against the cool glass of the window and exhaled. His breath fogged up the view of the night sky and he swallowed a lump in his throat at the sight. That’s how his life had been lately; whited out by a self-imposed fog.
How could I have been so stupid?
“Moore?” A hand settled on Derek’s shoulder. “How’s she doing?”
He turned to face Jonathan Flint and shook his head. “Eva’s out cold. They gave her a sedative and she’s under constant surveillance. They— ” His voice broke as he fought to keep his self control. Humiliation, guilt, anger, fear; all of these things battled within him as he met the gaze of his superior officer. “They want to put her in a mental ward.”
“I know,” Flint said. Then, in a softer tone, “It’s standard procedure for a suicide attempt.”
Derek turned to face the window
"Don't leave me. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry...for everything." Sobs punctuated the words now, and the sound made Evelyn want to cry too.
"—insert an IV. Has she had any alcohol to drink, Mr. Moore?"
IV? Evelyn struggled now, flailing at the shadows around her. The darkness had promised her freedom from all of her pain. It had bargained with her: the pain that plagued every moment would go away forever if she just took the pills. The darkness never said anything about needles, about more pain.
"No IV," she cried out.
The world burst open, the fog that surrounded her evaporated in a flinch-worthy cacophony and painful, blinding light. People bustled all around her; people that averted their gazes and wore scrubs or lab coats. Curtains with bright, horrid patterns surrounded her on all four sides.
Hospital! I’m in a hospital.
Panic welled up as two of the nurses began preparing needles. Another squeeze on her hand had her turning her head. It took a moment for her to register that her husband was sitting there, encasing her hand with both of his own. Derek's face appeared so different; pale and haggard. His chocolate eyes were red-rimmed and tears streamed freely down his face. His BDUs, usually so clean and without creases, were now rumpled and sported a few stains.
"Derek?" Tears filled her voice as she beseeched him with pleading eyes. "No IV. Don't let them put an IV in me. I hate needles!"
"Mrs. Moore?" A doctor patted her knee, his kind face doing nothing to alleviate the sick panic that clawed at her stomach. "I'm glad you're back with us. We're going to draw some blood to make sure the pills you took aren't causing your kidneys to shut down. We need to put an IV in and get some fluids in you to help flush your system out."
His words sounded slurred in her head as a wave of dizziness crashed into Evelyn. Uncertain of what the doctor was trying to tell her, she looked to her husband for help. "No IV's," she whispered as she collapsed against the bed.
"I'm sorry, honey." He choked on a sob before nodding at the doctor. "Do whatever you have too. I can't lose my wife."
Evelyn wailed like a newborn baby, though the sound quickly became distant, as if the noise didn't belong to her. "How could you?"
I like you more than my wife. I feel like I can't talk to her about anything anymore.
Then divorce her. She's a crazy bitch anyway.
"Now you're going to feel a little sting. Just take calm, deep breaths." A nurse's voice, cheery and grating, greeted Evelyn from the fog that was settling in once more.
I can't be the man for you anymore. I want a divorce.
"You left me for her!" Evelyn struggled against the memories, the words. Bile rose in her throat and she couldn't get her breath. Please, just let me die!
"We need an oxygen mask here!"
"Stay with me, Evelyn." Derek's voice called out to her as the darkness took her once more. "I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me and stay with me."
* * * *
Derek pressed his forehead against the cool glass of the window and exhaled. His breath fogged up the view of the night sky and he swallowed a lump in his throat at the sight. That’s how his life had been lately; whited out by a self-imposed fog.
How could I have been so stupid?
“Moore?” A hand settled on Derek’s shoulder. “How’s she doing?”
He turned to face Jonathan Flint and shook his head. “Eva’s out cold. They gave her a sedative and she’s under constant surveillance. They— ” His voice broke as he fought to keep his self control. Humiliation, guilt, anger, fear; all of these things battled within him as he met the gaze of his superior officer. “They want to put her in a mental ward.”
“I know,” Flint said. Then, in a softer tone, “It’s standard procedure for a suicide attempt.”
Derek turned to face the window
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