"Help, please!" I shouted to the paramedics who were running towards us. "He's not breathing! I tried... I tried... but he is not breathing. Make him breathe!"

The paramedics immediately put Jayden on a stretcher and lifted him into the ambulance.

 "Pulse is weak. The oxygen saturation level is low." I could barely hear them talking to each other.

One of the paramedics put an oxygen mask over Jayden's face, and the other came over to me. "Come with us; we need to examine you, Miss."

"I... I'm fine," I replied. But I got into the ambulance and sat on the bench next to Jayden.

The paramedic draped a blanket over my shoulders. "Were you exposed to the smoke?"

"Yes... but only for a little while. I am fine. Is he... is he breathing?"

The paramedic put a mask on my face as well. "Breathe and take it easy."

He measured my blood pressure, heart rate, and saturation. He did auscultation. After making sure the readings were good, he turned to the other paramedic and the screen above Jayden's bed.

"How is he? Is he going to be okay?" I kept asking.

"Don't remove the mask, madam. We'll be at the ER in a few minutes. The doctors will take care of your friend."

"But he is alive. Right? Is he alive?"

"There are vital signs, albeit weak."

"Please save him! Please! Please! Please!"

"Breathe, lady."

"I cannot. I cannot."

"Please, lie down."

The paramedic laid me down on the bench, attached electrodes to my chest, and began monitoring the screen of the portable machine.

After doing the EKG test, he helped me stand up again.

"It's okay," the paramedic said calmly, putting the device away. Then he gave me a pill. "It will help you get over the shock."

We arrived at the hospital a few minutes later.

They put Jayden in the emergency room and led me to a room on another floor. An orderly gave me a hospital nightgown, and doctors started doing exams and tests, regardless that I kept telling them I was okay.

After about an hour of not knowing what was happening with Jayden, a doctor came to see me.

"Good afternoon, Mrs."—he looked down at the tablet he was holding—"Mrs. Lewis. I'm Dr. Said. Your tests are back. Everything looks fine. You'll stay under observation tonight, and if all goes well, we'll discharge you tomorrow."

"Doctor, tell me how the man I came with is doing! Jayden. Jayden Hill."

"He's in the ER. A team of specialists is taking care of him."

"But how is he? Is he okay?"

"We'll be able to give you more information when we have it. For now, please, take it easy."

Take it easy?

How the hell was I supposed to do that?

I got out of bed as soon as Dr. Said left the room. I started walking down the long hallway.

Empty. Spooky. Depressing.

Fluorescent lights glowed brightly and reflected off the shiny white tiles on the floor.

I looked left and right at unmarked doors on either side of me.

It was quiet—from that frightening, chilling silence. Every step I took left behind a soft, creepy sound.

The hallway seemed to have no end.

A few meters in front of me, a door opened, and a man in a hospital nightgown and slippers stepped out. He walked slowly, with one hand pushing an IV pole.

"Excuse me, excuse me!" I followed him.

The man stopped and turned to me.

"Do you know where I must go to get to the emergency room?" I asked him.

"You are on the wrong floor, Miss." He turned slowly along with the stand and pointed in the direction I had come from. "You should go back down. A door at the end of the hall will take you to the elevators. The ER is downstairs. You can also use the ramp to the right of the double elevator."

"Thank you! I wish you a speedy recovery!"

I turned and walked toward the other end of the corridor. I went down the ramp and found myself in another long hallway. On the right, it was like a small waiting room with a few benches on either side along the walls. Two large, closed doors were emblazoned with ER. On the left, the hallway led to the reception.

I went directly to the doors of ER, but they were locked. There was no bell. There was no one to turn to for information.

So, I sat and waited. Fortunately, it wasn't long before the doors opened, and a doctor came out of the ward.

"Hello!" I stood up and directly blocked the medic's path. "I need information! A young man was admitted here—Jayden Hill, twenty-nine years old. He was injured in a fire. Please, tell me what his condition is."

"Mr. Hill is currently stable. We had to intubate him. He was put on artificial respiration. The smoke and poisonous gases have affected his lungs. The trachea is swollen..." The doctor continued explaining, using too many medical terms but also gesturing in such a way that he was figuratively able to explain to me what he was talking about. "There are multiple burns on his body, but fortunately, they are superficial and not life-threatening."

"So, there is no danger to his life?"

"We can't tell at this stage. The burns are not endangering him, but the inhalation injury is serious. Mr. Hill will remain in ICU until we're sure he's out of danger."

"May I see him?"

"Outsiders cannot be admitted to the intensive care unit. There's no point waiting here. Go back to your room. We'll let you know if there's any change. Who's your doctor?"

"Said... I think. Dr. Said."

The medic looked at the screen of his tablet. "You are Savannah Lewis, room 204-B. You were admitted with Mr. Hill, correct?"

"Yes."

"Okay. We'll let you know immediately if there's any news about your friend."

"Thank you, Doctor."

He nodded, walked off, and soon joined the crowd that could be seen in the distance around the reception.

I sat on the bench again. I didn't want to go back to my room. I wanted to be with Jayden. I had to be there for him.

My head rested against the wall, and I tried to wipe my face, but it wouldn't dry. Tears continued to spring from my eyes and flow down my cheeks like a raging river.

"Savi! Savi!" I heard Carmen's voice faintly. "OMG!" She came running to me. I got up and hugged her. "My God! Are you okay? They told me what room you were in, but you weren't there!"

"Carmen! I'm so glad to see you! I'm fine. I'm fine, but Jayden..."

"I haven't been told anything about him. How is he?"

"I... I don't know. The doctor said his burns were superficial. But his lungs were seriously damaged..." I tried to explain, sobbing. "They put a tube down his throat. It will help him to breathe. He's stabilized right now but not out of danger yet. They're going to keep him in intensive care, and we're not allowed to see him."

"How did this happen, Savi?"

"There was... There was a fire in the garage..."

"That's where I come from. There are still firefighters there. The fire is out, but they're still looking at the scene. They said it's probably arson."

I didn't let go of Carmen. I clung to her like a drowning man clinging to a straw. "Arson... That's what I was afraid of. It's my fault. God! It's my fault, Carmen!"

She pulled back slightly, grabbed my face, and looked into my eyes. "It's not your fault Sa—"

"Of course, it's your fault!" Sophia screamed at me.

I hadn't even noticed she was there. I looked over Carmen's shoulder at her as she continued. "Everybody in town knows you're married to some rich psycho! It's a wonder he hasn't shot everyone by now."

"Shut up, Sophia!" Carmen shouted at her, then turned back to me. "Don't listen to her, Savi! I'm sorry that I brought her along. We met outside the garage, and she followed me."

But Sophia was right. It was my fault. She didn't need to say it. I was aware. But I didn't have the energy to talk or argue with her at that moment.

"Carmen, is everything burnt?" I asked my friend.

"Jayden's car is a total wreck. But the boys are there looking over the equipment... There are pieces of machinery they think can be saved. But don't think about that now. Come on." She put her arm around my shoulder. "Let's take you to your room."

Carmen and I retraced my steps, leaving Sophia behind us.

Once we entered the room, Carmen led me to the bed. "I am going back to help the boys. You lay down and rest, Savi. The firemen told me you got Jayden out of the garage. So don't blame yourself! It's not your fault! You saved him!"

"If he..."

"He's going to be okay! Jayden is strong! You have to believe he's going to be okay!" There were tears in Carmen's eyes as well, but she somehow managed to hold them back. She handed me Jayden's cell phone. "I'll be back tomorrow morning. If there's anything you need or any new information, call me right away!"

I took the phone and squeezed it in my hands. "Okay."

"Do you want me to get you something?"

"Yes. My doctor said they would discharge me tomorrow. Please bring me some clothes."

"Okay."

Carmen kissed my forehead and left.

Time passed slowly. From time to time, nurses and doctors came into the room to check on me. They drew blood, did auscultation, and examined my throat and nose.

The night passed even more slowly. I couldn't sleep at all. I was so scared. I stared at the door in horror. I expected someone to open up and give me bad news at any moment.

The thoughts kept me restless. I felt like I was going crazy.

I got up and went for a walk down the hall. Although I was quiet, a nurse came out of the nursing room and approached me. "Is everything alright?" she asked me.

"Yeah. I just... can't sleep."

"Come with me." The nurse took me back to the room again. She approached my bedside cabinet and took some ampoules from there. She unscrewed the cap of the venous catheter on my hand and syringed in the liquid. "It will help you sleep."

"You don't understand. I don't want to sleep."

"Lie down." The nurse placed a hand under my head and settled me in the bed.

Then she left the room.

Although I didn't believe anything could make me sleep at that moment, my eyelids suddenly started to feel heavy. My vision blurred, and the medicine took over.