“Because you—”
I nodded, ignoring the disorienting pain. “I know.”
“You know?”
“I saw my mother.”
“You… you did?”
I scoffed. “Yeah. Crazy, right?”
“Maybe when this is all done, you can tell me about it.”
She cupped my cheek and I fell into the warmth. I lobbed my head over, trying to seek out as much of her comfort as I could. Holy hell, she felt fantastic. I almost didn’t want the moment to end. Had it not been for the blinding pain that made me sick to my stomach, I would’ve cried out for everyone to leave us alone.
But I needed a damn hospital.
Before I died again.
“I promise you’re gonna be okay.”
Rae’s lips pressed a kiss to my ear and I moaned. I didn't even try holding it back. Over and over, she pressed kisses against me, warming me from my toes to my nose. I felt my legs come back to life. I wiggled my toes as the sounds of sliding rock and dirt sounded above us. I felt sprinkles of the earth battering against my face, the smallest specks sending ricocheting pain signals all the way to my brain.
“It’s okay. I’m right here. I’m going nowhere, okay?”
I sputtered. “How did you—? Are you okay?”
I couldn’t speak through the pain anymore. It was excruciating. How the hell did Rae get down that steep cliff? Was she hurt? Had she fallen over, too? What the fuck was happening around me?
I couldn't crane my neck enough to see. All I felt were people gathering around us as Rae’s lips left my ear.
“No, no, no. Come back.”
“I’m right here, Clint. Just right here. Take my hand.”
I felt her fingers curl around my wrist, but it wasn’t enough. I needed her lips. Her body. Her warmth. Her presence. I needed more of her. All of her. I didn’t want her to leave me like my mother had.
I drew in a shaking breath. “Please, don’t leave.”
“I swear to you, I’m going nowhere. I’m going straight to the hospital with you, all right? Just let the paramedics do what they do best.”
I heard a count off before my body was lifted. I cried out in pain as the world around me flashed. In an instant, the dark world was gone. Replaced by the white of my dreams. Or my purgatory. I saw my mother’s face smiling down at me. Clad in that beautiful white summer dress of hers.
“Don’t let her down like your father let me down.”
“Heave up!”
“Shit!”
“Clint, it’s okay. I’m meeting you at the top, all right?”
“Heave up!”
“Fucking hell.”
“Clint? Can you hear me?”
Every time someone called out ‘heave up’ my body jostled. I tilted my head off to the side, spitting up bile as the pain took over my body. I stopped fighting it. I stopped trying to make it better. And instead, I became one with it. The paramedics heaved me up from the ravine. A straight shot of absolute hell before pulling me over the edge of the bridge. I heard Rae scrambling for me. Telling me to keep my eyes open as lights flashed in them. I felt something prick the tops of my hands. I felt a mask come down over my