Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 16:45:04 +0000
From: Martin Internet <writemartin2@hotmail.com>
Subject: Gambling for Love-8

Copyright (c) 2005 by Martinc16. All rights reserved. Permission is granted
to Nifty Archives,  to archive and display this work. All other uses are
expressly forbidden unless explicit arrangement has been made with the
author.
This copyright applies to all chapters and pages of this work. It may not be
reproduced, posted, stored electronically, or archived, except for personal,
non-public use, without the express written permission of the author.


Authors Note: sorry about the mixup with chapters 6 and 7
		I hope it didn't ruin the plot. comments/suggestions
               <writemartin2@hotmail.com>


Previous Reading:
	I felt something pick me up off of Jeremy's body. It was
Justin, he lifted me off of his body. "James, snap out
of it. You knocked Jeremy out." I suddenly came back to
the horrible reality. I looked over Jeremy and he wasn't
moving, then I looked over at Mark. The pool of blood
was massive now, I couldn't even think straight now.
My world was starting to spin around me, with both
Mark and Jeremy lieing on the floor lifeless, blackness
overcame my consciousness. I soon met them on the floor
as well. My body nor mind could take this stress
anymore.

--------------------------------------------------------

	I slowly woke out of darkness but found myself
in an unfamiliar environment. There were white walls,
bright lights and some muffled voices speaking. I tried
to wake up as fast as I could, to figure out this
situation. It was slow, but then I figured out I
was in a hospital bed, I saw there were no needles
stuck in me, I guess that would be a good thing.

	"Hey, hes awake!" I turned around to see
who it was. It was Justin, damn I was glad to
see him. He was the only guy who took situations
easily, he was very patient and seemed to be
neutral about everything. In a group of friends
you must have a neutral person or peace keeper
if you will, because the group will never work
out if there isn't.

	"Is that you Justin?" My vision still
blurry.

	"Yeah its me, are you okay?"

	"I think I am." I replied

	"I'm going to get a nurse. Hold on
a second." Justin walked out of the room
and I heard more voices. The nurse came back,
she had brown but greying hair. She had brown
eyes and looked like she was aging. She was
wearing a traditional nurses uniform minus
the hat.

	"How are you doing hun?" she asked.

	"I'm feeling better. What happened?"

	"Oh, you just passed out after the
incident at your school."

	"Okay."

	"I want to do a few tests to see
if you are truly alright." With that
said she took a light to my eyes and
did some stupid tests that I had no idea
why they were implimented. "Okay, you seem
to be fine, the police want to talk to you
about the incident in your school."

	"I want my parents here when I talk
to them."

	"There just in the other room. I will
go and get them, they  were already talking
to the police about what they know about the
incident."

	"Okay." The nurse walked out of the room
and in came my parents with an two officers
behind them. They were both big in stature
and had brown hair, brown eyes. One of them
had stuble around his face while the other
appeared younger and clean shaven.

	"How are you doing son?" My dad asked in
a low commanding voice.

	"I'm fine now." I replied.

	"Hunny, these officers want to ask
you a few questions about the incident that happened
at your school. Please answer all there questions
truthfully." said mom.

	"Alright," the older police officer said. "My
name is Dan Trask, and my colleague over here
is Harry Manley. We just want to ask a few questions
about the incident in school."

	So they asked what happened and I told them
everything that happened. Everything, except that
Mark and I are gay.

	Trask didn't seem quite satisfied by my
story. He said that it seemed like there had to
be more of a motive for Jeremy to attack Mark
in such a manner. I told them they were in
a fight and Jeremy couldn't handle losing. That
seemed to make the officer a little more happy
with my story. The officers then told me that
Jeremy has been charged with attempt of murder
and when he is out of the hospital he will be
in the custody of the state. I was so happy for
that news.

	"Wait!?" I paused at my random outburst.
"How is Mark!?" I can't believe I hadn't asked
about him first thing. I must have still been
half out of it. "How is he?" I pleaded.

	Officer Trask said. "He's in the ICU."

	"Oh my god! I must see him! Is he going
to be alright?" I was screaming soo loud,
but I was so worried for Mark.

	The nurse said "We don't know how the
situation is. The doctors are trying to fix
him up. Aparently it is not a fatal blow. Jeremy
missed his kidney but there is a cut to
a major artery."

	I felt a little relieved. "Can I see
him now?" I asked.

	"Not now." the Nurse replied. "Hes
still in surgery."

	Everyone seemed to file out of the room
slowly except for my parents.

	stared at mMy parents just e for a little
while before anyone spoke. "Why did Jeremy
just come and attack Mark?" dad asked.

	"I already told you, he has something
against Mark. That's all there is to it!" I
exclaimed.

	"Right." my dad said unsatisfied. Mom
just looked at me in wonder. I knew they were
trying to pry something out of me but they
aren't getting what they want. I'm not going
to give them what the want.

	Around five oclock I was aloud to walk
around and do whatever I wanted. The nurses
said that I could go home but I chose not to. I
wanted to see Mark. The nurses kept on telling me
there would be no point because he would be under
sedation. I really didn't care if he was under
sedation or not, he was the boy of my life, I would
never leave him to be alone. I got a nurse to show
me to him. He was situated at the opposite end of
the hospital, he was in a single room that looked
quite similar to mine.

	I walked in and I saw Mark lieing flat on the
bed with IV's going into his arms. There were heart
monitors, and computers all around him to keep track
of his vitals. His parents were by his bedside, his
father was standing up while his mother was leaning over
him gripping his hands with her head down. I knocked on
the door and his parents signalled me to come in.

	"Good evening James." said Mr. Stronach.

	"Hi Mr and Mrs Stronach. How is Mark?" I asked.

	"He seems to be okay." said Mrs Stronach. She sniffed
and shed a tear. It looked like she was crying for quite a
while because she had red patches underneath her eyes. "I
won't be sure until he wakes up." wiping a tear away from
her eye.

	"You know the boy who did this to Mark, don't you?" Mr
Stronach asked me.

	"Yeah, we were friends. Including Mark." I said.

	"What would ever, ever, drive a fucking boy like that
to stab my own son. I can't comprehend it, I hope that boy
does some time. I will do anything within my power to get
justice for my son." Mr. Stronach's speech was powerful
and I totally agreed with him.

	"Do you know why he would stab my own baby?" Mrs.
Stronach asked.

	I looked over at Marks beat up body. All the IV's, computers
and machinery connected to Mark. It was such a sad sight. I wanted
to tell Mark's parents the truth, that he and I were having a
sexual relationship. I don't know how Mark's parents would take it
and I don't know what Mark would want me to do. I started to tear
up to the sight of my friend, "I don't know why he would do that."
Thats when I really started to cry.

	"There, there James, you did your best. We thank you for
comming here. Maybe you should go home and try to get some
sleep. The nurse said that Mark will be awake by tommorow and he
will be ready for visitors by the afternoon. " Mrs Stronach explained.

	"Well, Mrs Stronach, I was wondering if I could spend the
night here with Mark. I won't be able to go home not knowing whats
going on here."

	"We'll have to ask a nurse. You will have to ask your parents,
but I'm okay with it." Mrs Stronach said.

	The parents left the room to find a nearby nurse. I just gazed
at Mark. Even when beat up, I thought he was the most beautiful thing
in the world. My eyes were glued to his rising and falling chest. It
was so beautiful to see him breathing, after all the things that have
happened.

	"You can stay here with Mark." said Mrs. Stronach. "We'll have to
be leaving though because we have work tommorow. We will visit him in
the morning before we go to work."

	"Thanks Mrs. Stronach!" Before she left she kissed Mark on the cheek.
Whether or not he could feel it, at least he has a mother who really
does love him. Mr Stronach came to the doorway and looked at his son for
the last time that day. They both dissapeared.

	There I was left alone with the boy who I loved. I pulled a chair
right next to Mark's side. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it
just a little. I then started to whisper in his ear. "I love
you so much baby, I can't wait till you wake up." I felt stupid
doing it but I truly did mean it. Even though Mark wasn't able
to respond I said it over and over again hoping he would.

	It was around eight o-clock now, and I felt extremely
exhausted from what happened today. I rested my head onto
Mark's rising and falling chest. The movement felt hypnotic,
and within seconds, I was asleep.

><---------------------------------------------------------------------><

	I was woken abruptly by a hand on my shoulder. It was
a nurse, she whispered in my ear that I had to get off Mark
while she injects his medication. I looked up at a clock on
the wall. It was only 9:30. A few minutes pass by as I watch
the nurse stick needles into Mark.

	"Why does he need medication. It's not like hes sick,
he just got stabbed right?"I asked the nurse.

	"Yeah, he was just stabbed." She replied. "But we need
to inject him with medication because he might get an infection
from the blade that stabbed him. Plus, these are sedatives,
this will make Mark rest till the morning."

	"Oh, Okay." I said.

	The nurse quickly left me alone with Mark, but right now
I wasn't too tired. I began to walk around the hospital,
exploring its many vast corridors during the darkness of night.
Most of the wards were dark now and it was sleepy time for the
patients. I walked by this one room with someone who looked
familiar. The door was closed but it had a window in it. I peeped
through to see it was Jeremy, that bastard of a human being.
I couldn't help but grin when I saw him on that hospital bed
sleeping. His face was swollen beyond belief, even more
than Mark's. "He's lucky he's asleep." I thought to myself.

	"Excuse me but what are you doing here?" A strange voice
said behind me. I looked around and saw a white uniform, it was
an old man with blue eyes and glasses. Even his eyes looked like
they were old, he was very tall but skinny, he had a pointy noise
and kind of reminded me of a bald eagle.

	"Uhh,"  I studdered for a moment. "I was just walking around
the hospital, I was tending to a friend but I felt restless so
I decided to walk around."

	"Oh." he said. "You really shouldn't be walking around this
part of the hospital you know that?" He paused.

	"Why not?" I asked

	"Well, I was the one who conducted a surgery on Mark and
I know the situation. My name is Dr. MacDonald, and I understand
whats going through your mind when you're looking at the young
boy in the bed over there. The deed has been done young man, and
you have to move on with your life, that boy in the room will
pay dearly for his actions today. Mark has paid the price but he
will move on with his life and become successful. Unlike Mark,
this boy will have to struggle his way through life because
of what he did today."

	"It just hurts so bad." I said to the doctor.

	"I know it does, you just gotta move on with life. You never
know but when that boy in there matures, he may try to make good
with you guys again and maybe even ask for your forgiveness for
his actions."

	I just stood there not knowing what to do. I just kept on
looking at Jeremy, wondering if I or even if Mark could ever
forgive him for his actions.

	"I will leave you alone now, but you better go back
to Mark. He needs you." The doctor then started walking down
the hall until he turned down another corridor. I was still
so angry at Jeremy, I wanted to break the door down and
strangle the life out of him, but the doctor was right, he
will pay for it his whole life. Death would be an escape
from his harsh and bitter future.

	I continued walking around the hospital, the light was
dim, and I felt like a ghost walking by the many wards and
offices. I didn't know what to do with my life, with Mark,
with Jeremy, with anyone. I decided it was best if I sleep
till morning so maybe time will clear up my problems. I walked
back in the room where Mark was lieing. I sat down on the chair
next to him and lay my head down on his rising and falling chest.


To be continued...comments/suggestions <writemartin2@hotmail.com>