Shut Up & Listen

Fight or Flight

Cobe

Ordinarily, Lonnie and I are a very relaxed duo. I know everything about him. We finish each others thoughts, I know what he needs before he even asks, but I have no clue what to do with him now. He isn't frantic, but he isn't relaxed either. I understand that he's in excruciating pain but I don't know what to do and he cant even tell me. I think he's dead. But he's breathing?

Cole told me not to call the police but What the fuck am I supposed to do?! I leave the front room and head to the bathroom and lock the door.

A few minutes after I fled the scene, I hear Cole talking to someone.

"Shit, I really hope that ain't Oz." I pace back and forth in the bathroom.

Aight nigga relax! Relax, relax, relax.

After a few minutes of attempting to calm myself down, I hear the front door open. The footsteps crossing the room are swift and heavy. I sit on the toilet and burry my face in my hands. Then I hear a deep accented voice.

Okay, it isn't Oz.

I let out the breath that I didn't know I was holding in and stand up, facing myself in the mirror.

Shit, stop being a bitch Cobe, get it together... get it together.

I wet my face and dry it with a towel. After a few more seconds of internal yelling, I unlock the bathroom door and make my way down the hall, slowly. I peek around the corner into the front room and see an unfamiliar man talking on the phone beside Cole.

"Yeah, but will I have to bring him myself or is there an ambulance available?" MacAruthur spoke calmly into the phone.

"Aight, man. Yo I really appreciate it Doc."

"Mhm, I'll be there in about fifteen minutes"

After gathering my emotions, I walk back into the front room.

"Aye Cobe, this Lonnie pops." I greet him and shake his hand.

"He got help waiting at the hospital, we gotta get him in the car. Help me out." I wanted to help, but I couldn't make my legs move. They felt heavy as if I were cemented to the floor. My ears were ringing and my vision blurred watching the scene before me. The blood, an unconscious body on the floor... the yelling for me to do something... anything... why does this keep happening? I could only faintly hear Cole's urgent calling, "Ayo Cobe? C'mon man?"

"I got it, c'mon man grab his legs." MacArthur replied to Cole.

"Time is of the essence nigga, ya boy already bleedin the fuck out Cobe."

"Yo leave him be, we ain't got time."

My feet are still stuck like glue to the floor. Once their bodies left the threshold of the front door with my nigga in hand, a tear escaped my eye and rolled down my cheek.

It's all my fault.

———————————————————————

Approx 12 minutes after

Cobe POV

Oz pulled up a little bit after Lonnie pops came and got him. I was sitting on the couch in a daze while Cole was outside on the phone with God knows who. I turned my head to Oz who was standing over me. He was yelling at me but I was fresh out of feelings. All I could do was watch him, and that pissed him off even more.

Oz slammed his keys on the coffee table and the sound snapped me out of the daze I was in.

I rise off of the couch and push past Oz making my way to the kitchen. My throat is burning from holding back my tears. I wish I was numb. I wish I didn't give a fuck. This shit hurt so bad.