Read Online All is Lost (All Series, Book 2) by Marie Wathen - Free Book Online Page B

this
terrible thing has happened I must be strong for all of them.
Tristan, Anna, Marcus, Morgan...all of the Walkers. God, if
you're listening, fill me with the strength to get through this…for
them .

Chapter Five
    Breesan
    The front wall of Tristan's hospital room is
all glass with a pale yellow curtain that runs the full span,
obstructing our view of what is happening inside. Shoving open the
door, Granddad grips my hand tightly, pausing briefly to allow my
acclimation. My senses are assaulted once the door closes. A
hauntingly familiar beep taunts me. A god awful smell almost like
burning flesh mixed with iron crawls inside my nose and mouth. I
bite back on the gagging, forcing its way up my throat. A wave of
anxiety pushes its way through me and my body tenses. I
reflectively squeeze Granddad's hand through my turmoil and he
takes it as a sign of encouragement, pulling me deeper into the
room. Avoiding the imposing bed in the center, I scan the familiar
faces and see they are all distraught, worn and tear
stained.
    Rising out of the beige recliner standing with
her arms open, Tristan's Gran greets me first. Not personally
comfortable with this type of contact with anyone, I hesitate but
see the determination etched in her forehead and frown lines
surrounding her eyes. I have resolved to be strong for them so this
is my first test. I step into her embrace and she cradles me,
moving our bodies in a twisting motion. She makes a shushing sound,
but I’m not crying so it's more for her than me. Soon I am passed
over to Gretchen, who holds me in the same manner.
    “ Breesan thank you for coming down
to the hospital.” Gretchen whispers, pulling my hair from my
shoulders, a sweet motherly gesture. “I was worried when I didn't
see you last night, but Officer Monroe explained that you remained
behind to assist with the investigation. I am so grateful to you
for that.” She pauses attempting to keep her composure. “Dad spoke
with the Sheriff late last night and assures us that his department
is doing everything they can to catch the men that did this to our
Tristan. It's all so surreal. I can’t believe my baby was shot.”
Sniffing softly, she faces her son’s bed and a sad solitary tear
slips down her cheek.
    I hear Anna's breathing hitch several times
while Gretchen is speaking to me, but I don’t look at her. I know
she is sitting there next to him, just as she had done when I was
in the hospital after someone overdosed me on Ryske. Slowly,
Gretchen pulls away from me, but keeps my hand tucked tightly in
hers. I look at her and see fear marring her exquisite beauty. She
offers me a half-smile then releases her hold completely. Anna is
much closer than I anticipate when I turn around. She rushes over
and grabs me, crying immediately. I squeeze my eyes shut, fighting
back against my own broken heart. My whole body trembles, a result
of her breakdown. With a trembling hand, I smooth her hair down in
the back. Her long, blonde hair is a mess and I can see red
splattered throughout it. I cringe noticing that
the side she used as a shield for Tristan holds the most
blood . In fact that whole side of her body is covered in it.
She pulls away from our embrace, partially turning us toward his
bed.
    My eyes immediately drop down and the first
things I see are his fingers. There is a large clip with a wire
running from it clamped to his middle finger. I allow my gaze to
travel up his arm, noticing another tether in the bend of his arm
where a clear liquid is dripping into a vein. A stabbing pain hits
me deep in my chest and I clutch my hand over the spot while
continuing to focus on my breathing.
    “ He can hear us, you know?” Anna
says. “That's what the doctor told me.” Trembling visibly, her
whisper is barely audible. I chance a quick glance at her, but she
doesn't notice. Her eyes are fixed lovingly on Tristan. With a
sweet smile, she continues, “I've been talking about us, and
school. We have all laughed about