NovelEnglishOUT OF THE WOODS LUKE
Every tthe operating room doors swung open, my heart leaped into my throat. Every ta scrub nurse or a
doctor cthrough, | couldn't breathe, couldn't even think. My eyes. would lock on them, but nothing
happened. There was no update, no relief, just the
svoid of answers stretching out into what felt like an eternity.
By the seventh tthe doors opened, Josh and | were no longer even looking up. We'd already been here for
hours- hours of waiting, pacing, and praying for skind of sign that everything would be okay. But with each
passing second, | felt more and more powerless.
It wasn't supposed to be like this. We were supposed to be together-safe, away from all the chaos and the hurt.
Instead, we were stuck in this sterile waiting room, surrounded by sterile white walls, trapped in a nightmare we
couldn't wake up from. Josh's phone buzzed, and | saw him stiffen. He was talking to his parents, updating them
on what happened. They were in the air, both of them on their way back, but not fast enough.
| dialed my parents, but all I could tell them was that | didn't know. Didn't know if Jess was going to make it.
Didn't know if Laura would ever open her eyes again. My mother was still in Rwith Josh's family, and my dad
was in Texas. They promised they'd cback as soon as they could, but it didn't make it easier.
11:59
OUT OF THE WOODS
11
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt| squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the ever-present feeling of dread clawing at me. Every tthe
doors opened, | tensed. But this twas different.
The door opened again, and a doctor stepped through, his face obscured by the mask, but his eyes gave him
away. | stood up instinctively, heart hammering in my chest. He lifted his cap, and for the first tin what felt
like a lifetime, he smiled. A real, genuine smile. Josh's breath left him in a rush. He didn't say anything, but the
relief in his eyes was enough. | exhaled, but it felt like my lungs had forgotten how to function.
The doctor nodded to Josh before turning his attention to us. "We got the bullet," he said, his voice steady and
calm, but there was something in it-a quiet assurance. "It lacerated her spleen, so we had to remove it. The
bleeding was pretty severe, but we managed to stop it. She's stable now. She'll be in the ICU for a bit, and she'll
need sblood, but we're confident she's going to be just fine."
I froze.
"She's going to be okay?" Josh whispered, his voice rough.
The doctor's smile grew a fraction wider. "She's going to be just fine. We'll keep her under close observation, but
it looks like she's going to pull through."
For a moment, there was nothing but silence. The weight of those words had yet to fully hit us, and I could feel a
wave of gratitude and relief washing over Josh. He was shaking, barely holding it together, but the tears that
glistened in his eyes were ones of relief-not grief. | swallowed hard, not trusting myself to speak just yet. There.
was still so much | couldn't process. So much | couldn't handle. Jess, the blood on my leg, the feeling of the world
spinning out. of control-but now, this.
"Thank you," Josh finally said, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you so much."
The doctor nodded once, his
demeanor Prof RIR pL
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pel ge herséitie in the ICU now.
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She's in good hands." The content is
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As he walked away, Josh sank back
down into the chair, a long exhale
slipping from his lips. | felt the m
tension i my shoylefs) ehsejust
skighitly, Butt was only temporary.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmThe relief was fleeting as if the joy of
hearing Laura was going to be okay
was momentarily overshadowed by
the weight of everything else that had
happened. The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
I" [1 : :
Luke," Josh muttered, still staring
[1 :
blankly at the door. "Jss will be okay
too, man, She hast Ka) sister has
BL
This is nothing for her. Walk in the
[1 0, :
park, man!" 75.25% The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
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