“Say something. I need you to.”

His words came off barely louder than a whisper. His shoulders shook as he broke into yet another fit of heavy sobbing. His fingers struggled in mid air before they gently landed on her face.

“You have been sleeping for too long.”

Tears pricked his sight and fresh blood flecked his dry lips. He paused and stared at her wordlessly, before a violent shaking overcame his frail body. A burning sensation began to well up in his chest and he struggled to get a breath, like he was a hundred feet under water. He lifted his head and a blood curling yell of agony rang in the room.

“I’m sorry but her condition has evidently worsened within the past few days. I’m afraid she is not going to make it.” The man’s words continued ringing in Kikwang’s head as he finally crouched down, allowing the fear he had been suppressing, to fully envelop his soul. He squeezed his eyes shut, forcing down the bile filling his throat.

If only he had gotten to her faster.

A screeching sound pierced the cold morning air. It was barely seconds before the blaring red Ferrari came crashing against the lamp post and beneath the wreck laid his girlfriend. His eyes widened as a deathlike terror convulsed his heart. His legs gave out upon the sight as his heart thumped heavily, threatening to break free from its cage. He stared up at her out of those sunken eyes as he mouthed, “Help… someone please help her… help…”

He coughed and gagged and lurched repeatedly forward, every vein in his neck about to explode. His jaws firmly clenched as he swallowed the burning juices swirling in his throat. His palms pressed firmly against the scorching ground and he lifted up his feeble legs. He raced across the street, determined to get to her.

“Please hang in there…”

His words drifted off as he saw her lying on the ground, soaked in blood. He immediately kneeled down and intertwined his fingers with hers. Images of her smiling at him ever so gently, weeping whilst watching soap operas, pouting when he made fun of her gums and lying within his arms, fast asleep, flashed across his head. 

He was losing her.

“Kikwang, you need some rest.  It will not do you any good if you keep this up…” His friends gathered outside the ward and each casted a worried look towards him.

He merely shook his head and told them to leave.

They lied. It was just two weeks ago when they said she would re-open her eyes and return to his embrace; five days ago when they said her condition had stabilised; two days ago when they said she would be right back up on her feet and yet now they were expecting him to give up on her and move on, when his girlfriend was still putting up a fight in the ward, struggling to stay alive and to hold onto their promise.

He would not give up on her, as long as she wanted him to. Even if the pain was killing him, he would hold it in for her. Regardless of what everyone was saying, he would wait for her.

Because he would never stop loving her.