mundes

I wake up to the sound of Taylor's weird tone. A wheezing sound, as if he's struggling for air. I turn to him and he's holding his chest while propping his body down, facing the floor. He's holding his chest. I wrap my arm around him. "Taylor? You're not okay." I sigh. "Let's go. They probably took you out too soon, baby."

I feel a stinging and sore sensation on my lower half but I still go to his side and raise his arms over my body to help dress up and walk out. Now, we never really needed to use a car too much and I've certainly never had enough experience but this was something to try for the sake of Taylor. "Baby? You okay?" His cheeks are red and he keeps holding his chest. "No air." Is all he exhales.

At the hospital I sign forms while he's headed to the emergency hallway. "What's his case?" The desk nurse asks. "I-I don't know! He's having chest pains and can't breath. And he was recently found in a fire a two days ago."

I'm lead to the eight floor waiting room while I hear results. And two hours later I hear, "Taylor Caniff guests?" I bolt up and follow the nurse into Taylor's room eight twenty two.

There he is. Lying there pale, some of those marks of mine, and the fire on his chest and neck and cheek. "Tay-wuw." I say softly and he flutters his eyes. "I love you Shawn."

"Think you'll be okay? Strong for me right?" Taylor takes slow easy breaths as he says that. His hand clutches the mental bed arms. "Anything for you, Taylor. But the question is, will you be strong for me? You're okay and I know it."

Taylor makes a small smile and it trickles a tear down my cheek from his happiness even when he's in the worst state. "Shawn, I can't be strong enough for you and you're wrong. But I'll always love you." And that last sentence, that's what killed me. Though the lung infection killed him.

- April 26