Page 110 of Broken Empire

“Likesomething terrible is about to happen andIjust can’t seem to get rid of it.”

“I’msure everything is going to be fine,”Huntsays, trying to sound positive.Iwant to believe him, but my gut is never wrong.

“Doyou thinkMase’sbeen gone for too long already?”Iask andHunterlooks at his watch.

“He’sonly been gone for like an hour and a half.I’msure he’ll be back soon.Why, are you worried about him?”

“Yeah,Idon’t know but something has been off with him the last few days.”

“Nowthat you mention it,Iwas kind of wondering the same thing.It’slike he was trying too hard too to make us think that he was happy or some shit…”Huntersays in thought.

“Ithink we should go look for him.”

“Yeah, let’s just go drive around for a bit.”

“Let’sgo then.”

Weboth quickly get to our feet but before we can actually get movingHunter’sphone rings and he quickly answers it.

“Winter?Wait.Wait!Ican’t hear a thing you’re saying, sis,” he says into the phone before pulling it away from his ear and putting it on speaker.Allwe hear is her sobbing and can barely make out a word of what she’s saying. “Comeon, sis!Calmdown a little and tell me what’s wrong.”

“Getto my apartment downtown now!” she yells into the phone still crying. “Masonis there andIthink he’s going to hurt himself!Getan ambulance there as fast as you can!”

Myskin is covered with goosebumps at her words.Huntercurses, telling her that he’ll call back later as we sprint for the door.Hecalls the ambulance as we run outside and they assure him that they’re on the way.

Hunterhops into the driver’s seat whichI’mglad for because truthfully,Idon’t thinkIwould’ve been able to make the drive there.Hunterfloors it on the gas and we’re speeding down the driveway.

Thegate opens andIsee another car following us.MustbeMase’ssecurity wondering what the hell is going on, since we pretty much ran out of there like bats out of hell.Noteven caring about tickets or any of that shit,Hunterspeeds down the road.

Wereach the apartment building just as the ambulance does andHunterrolls the windows down to yell at them to follow him.Wespeed down to the parking garage and the ambulance pulls up alongside us.

Wesprint out of the car and straight for the elevator with two of the paramedics following close behind us.Thetwo minutes it takes to get up to the penthouse apartment feels like a fucking lifetime.

Itfinally gets to the top floor and we rush out of the elevator.Hunterquickly keys in the code to get in and we split up.Huntergoes to the office andIrun for the master bedroom.Findingit empty,Iquickly decide to check the bathroom as well, just in case.

Iburst through the bathroom door and the sight before me will be one that haunts me for the rest of my life.

“Mason!”Iscream as tears fill my eyes andIrush toward him, screaming at the top of my lungs. “Inhere!”

Mybrother.He’sin a tub of water, red water that is no doubt blood and he’s unconscious.Footstepssound behind me andIhearHunterlet out a ‘fuck!’ before he pulls me away fromMason.Itry and struggle to get out of his hold, but he’s strong as fuck.Iwas about to go lift my brother out of that tub.

“Letthe paramedics do their jobs,” he tells me. “It’sthe only way they’re going to save him.”

Inod and feel myself deflate at his words, knowing he’s right.Moresobs break free from me asIwatch them pull him out of the tub and lay him on the floor.Theyquickly pull some bandages out of one of their bags and wrap both his arms, since there’s a long as fuck deep cut on both of them.

I’mstarting to freak the fuck out because he’s not moved since we came in here.JustthenInotice a pill bottle on the floor.

“Lookat the bottle on the floor!Ithink maybe he might’ve taken those as well,”Itell the paramedics.Oneof them grabs the bottle, reads it and shoves it into his bag.Theyput on one of those oxygen masks as someone else comes in with a stretcher.Theyquickly get him on it and then they’re taking him back down.

“I’llsee you at the hospital,”ItellHunter. “I’mgoing with him.”

Henods his head just as we reach the garage again andIrush out behind the paramedics.Iget into the back of the ambulance with my brother, all the while barely holding on by a thread.

Myheart is fucking breaking into a million pieces right now.Ican’t imagine the thought of losing my brother right now since he’s the only familyIhave left and losing him would kill me.Inless than five minutes we’re at the hospital and they’re rushing him through the emergency room doors.

Igo to move, to walk into the emergency room but my knees buckle as the full weight of reality crashes into me.Idon’t make it to the ground though becauseHuntercatches me.

“Whoathere.Keepit together man.Weneed to stay strong for him andWinter,” he tells me andInod my head.

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