Noah was standing on the other side of the hospital bed, his eyes wide with fear and hope as he stared at Carl. The tension in the room was palpable, as the doctors frantically worked to revive Carl. The air was thick with the scent of antiseptic and the sound of machines beeping. Noah's heart pounded in his chest as he willed Carl to come back to him.
The doctors were working like a well-oiled machine, each action precise and deliberate. They rubbed the defibrillator paddles together, creating a static charge that crackled in the air. With one swift motion, they placed the paddles on Carl's chest and hit the button. The room fell silent as everyone held their breath, waiting for any sign of life.
Carl's chest heaved, rising and falling again. It was as if he were a mannequin without life. The doctors exchanged glances with grim expressions. But Noah stood firm, his eyes fixed on Carl and his face etched with determination.
Carl's pulse had flatlined, and hope was fading fast. The only thing that could save him now was a miracle, and even then, the odds were slim. Time was running out, and the doctors' efforts to revive him were starting to feel useless. The situation was tense and Noah felt his heart sink as he watched the doctors fight to bring Carl back from the brink.
The monitor showed a flat line, its insistent beeping a reminder that Carl's life was hanging by a thread. Noah watched with bated breath as the doctors worked tirelessly to bring him back.
"One, two, three," the head doctor said, before pressing the shock button.
A jolt of electricity surged through Carl's body, and his chest rose and fell. For a moment, Noah's heart leaped with hope, but then he saw the monitor still flat and silent. His eyes were rimmed with red as if he were struggling to hold back tears. He didn't want to accept the fact that Carl might not make it.
Noah might have been a pain in Carl's neck but underneath it all, they shared a deep bond of friendship. Noah always enjoyed teasing Carl and giving him questionable relationship advice, but it was all in good fun. Now, he felt a sense of panic and loss at the thought of losing his friend. He couldn't imagine a world without Carl, and the thought of it filled him with dread.
"Again!" Noah yelled, his voice cracking with emotion. He was struggling to keep it together, but the fear and sadness were overwhelming him. Every second that passed felt like an eternity.
The doctors, however, were sweating buckets as they were being focused on their task with laser-like intensity. They did everything they could, refusing to give up no matter what. They had Carl's life in their hands, and they weren't about to let it slip through their fingers.
"one two three"
Boom!
The doctor counted down and then pressed the shock button. The defibrillator sent a jolt of electricity through Carl's chest, but it was to no avail. His chest rose and fell with the steady rhythm of the machine, but his heart remained stubbornly still.
The doctors repeated the same process over and over again. And as a matter of fact, they have been doing this for over an hour. But Carl's chest kept rising and falling and the line in the monitor remained flat. Carl's heart was simply refusing to cooperate. It was as if it had given up the fight.
Noah could see the doctors growing more and more desperate. They were trying everything they knew, but nothing seemed to be working. Time was running out, and he could see the fear and frustration in their eyes. As the minutes dragged on, it became clear that all their efforts were in vain. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get Carl's heart to beat again.
Finally, the head doctor turned to Noah, his face tinged with sorrow. "Detective," he said softly, "I'm.. I'm sorry. We've done everything we can but there's nothing more we can do," he said sadly.
"What do you mean by that?" Noah questioned the doctor in anger.
"I'm afraid we've done all we can," the doctor replied. "The bullet caused irreparable damage to his heart and stomach,"
Noah felt the world spin around him, and his knees threatened to buckle beneath him. He gripped the edge of the bed, struggling to stay upright. He leaned over and grasped Carl's lifeless palm. His fingers were cold and unmoving.
"Please don't go," Noah whispered. He felt a wave of anger wash over him, mixed with a crushing sense of loss. "You have to wake up," he pleaded, his voice shaking. "you can't die okay? You still have to increase my paycheck so you better wake up" His words hung in the air, but there was no response.
"Prosecutor Carl you can't leave us, think of your friends, your colleagues at work. Think about your family" Noah's voice was thick with emotion. He tried to keep his composure, but it was impossible to hide the pain in his voice.
"Think of Anastasia," he added "She needs you. We all need you"
The doctors stood back, giving them some space. They could see how much this was affecting Noah, and they shared in his grief. It was clear that he and Carl had a deep bond, and that this loss would be devastating for him.
"Please, try again," Noah pleaded, his voice hoarse with emotion. "You have to try everything!"
The doctors looked at each other, unsure of what to do. They had already tried everything they knew, and it seemed hopeless.
"Alright," one of the doctors said, his voice steady and calm. "We'll try one more time"
"One... two... three... clear... charge"
The defibrillator paddles were placed on Carl's chest, and a shock was administered. For a moment, everything was still. Then, suddenly, Carl's chest rose, and he let out a gasp.
Slowly, the lines on the monitor started to move, rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Carl's heart was beating again. The doctors and nurses looked at each other in disbelief.
"We have a pulse!" one of the doctors exclaimed. "He's back!"
Noah's hands trembled as he ran them through his hair. He hadn't realized how much he had been holding his breath and how tense his body had been until the relief washed over him.
Carl was going to be okay.
Noah felt a smile spread across his face, weak and watery, but real. It was a smile of pure joy, the joy of knowing that Carl would live to see another day. His heart was so full of joy, so bursting with relief, that it was hard to put into words. He had never felt anything like it before. And in that moment, nothing else mattered but the fact that Carl was still here, still fighting.
However, even though Carl's heart was beating again, he was still in a state of coma. Carl might not have woken up and opened his eyes but at least, he was no longer in danger of dying. For now, he was alive, but his future was still uncertain.
Noah knew this, but he couldn't help but feel grateful. He was determined to stay by Carl's side, no matter what the future held. That was the least he could do, after everything Carl had been through.
........
Outside the hospital, Sasha took a deep breath of fresh air, trying to clear her head. She had been holding back her tears, but the stress of Carl's condition was wearing her down. But after successfully blaming Anne for what had happened, she felt a sense of satisfaction. She couldn't help but take her anger out on Anne because she needed someone to blame and Anne was the easiest target.
The only reason Dexter remained quiet when Sasha was scolding her was because Anne had stopped him. He was fuming with anger at Sasha's cruel words, but Anne's calming presence had prevented him from saying something he might have regretted.
Dexter had to stay silent even though he desperately wanted to defend his sister. Besides, Anne didn't want to make the situation worse by allowing Dexter to get into an argument with Sasha.
However, Anne couldn't stop thinking about everything Sasha had said to her. Those blunt words from Sasha's lips were doing the most in her head and she couldn't help but feel more and more guilty.
She was sitting in the waiting room next to Dexter, her eyes downcast and her face drawn. Anne looked tired and exhausted. She felt like a weight was pressing down on her, and she couldn't shake the feeling of guilt and sadness. She had never felt so responsible for someone else's well-being and the weight of it was crushing her.
Just then, Anne and Dexter noticed a police officer approaching them.
"Are you Miss Stewart?" the officer asked, looking directly at Anne.
Anne sniffled and wiped her eyes. "Yes... Yes, I am," she muttered.
The officer reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar object which seemed to be Anne's phone. "I believe this belongs to you," he said, handing it to her. "You must've dropped it at Dr. Ken's house,"
Anne took the phone, but she didn't feel any relief from getting back her missing phone. Right now, all she cared about was Carl's condition. "Thank you," she said, her voice flat and emotionless.
"Any news about Dr. Ken?" Dexter said to the cop.
"I'm afraid not, Dexter," the officer replied calmly "We've searched everywhere, but it seems Dr. Ken has disappeared without a trace," he said and Dexter sighed.
"But we won't give up," the officer continued. "We'll find him, and he'll be brought to justice." With that, he gave them a final nod and walked away.
Meanwhile, Anne seeing her phone made her think about the heartbreaking text on her phone. She still had that question in her head, how did Sasha know about the text Carl had sent her? That question kept bothering her
"Dexter," Anne said, turning to her brother with a worried expression.
"Yeah?" Dexter replied, looking at her.
"I want you to have a look at this," she said showing Dexter the text she received from Carl.