Shadows In Durango

Chapter 119

***** Vincent's POV*****

At first, I thought I was fully imagining it...

That my mind, desperate for any slight sign of life, was playing tricks on me...

But no- the faintest twitch of his fingers in mine was real!

My gasp caught up in my throat, and I held still, afraid to move, afraid to break whatever fragile connection had just been sparked.

"Daryl?!" My voice barely escaped as a whisper, my heart thudding loudly in my ears.

For a moment, there was nothing. The machines kept their steady rhythm, the silence closing in on me again. I gripped his hand tighter, willing him to give me another sign, anything to show me that he was still in there, fighting to come back. Then, just as I was about to lose hope, his eyelids fluttered. It was so small, so quick, that I almost missed it, but it was definitely there.

A flicker of life!

My heart sprung up into my throat next, and I stood up so fast that the chair tipped over behind me with a loud clatter.

"Daryl? Daryl, can you hear me? Whatever you're doing, keep doing it! It's working!" I leaned over the bed, my face inches from his, my hand still gripping his tightly.

"C'mon, man, give me something else..." I plead, not wanting the momentous moment to die out.

His brow furrowed ever so slightly, and I watched, holding my breath as his chest hitched, a faint groan escaping his lips next.

He's responding! He's finally waking up!

The machines around him beeped a little faster, reacting to his movements and sudden change in demeanour, and I felt a surge of hope crash through me like a tidal wave.

I reached for the call button beside the bed, smashing it with more force than necessary as I called for a nurse - pressing it again and again as if that would make them move faster outside.

Dropping it, I rush to the room door, opening it and seeing a half asleep Amelia looking up at me - suddenly startled.

"What's going on Vincent?!" Amelia stammers, leaning forward and dreading to hear any more bad news.

The rush of nurses come speeding down the hallway, as I motion for them all to hurry up...

"He's waking up!" I shouted, my voice shaking with a mix of relief and disbelief all at the same time. "He's waking up, come quick!"

Within moments, the room was a flurry of activity. Nurses rushed in, checking his vitals, adjusting the machines before a doctor arrived shortly after.

gave me a reassuring nod, though her

her tone professional but warm. "His vitals are improving rapidly. This is a

to catch a breath, letting them work, but my eyes never

left - just to come back to us, and for the first time since this nightmare began, I felt the crushing weight of anxiety

me, breathless, her eyes wide with hope as

the doctor inject something up in to

"He's fighting hard, Amelia. He's

clasped her hands over her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked down at Daryl. "Oh, Thank God," she whispered.

to leave, seeming satisfied with his progress in the moment, as they offered us gentle smiles on their

could take minutes or even hours... but just press the button again and the nurses will be with him when he's awake and needs anything. When he wakes up, he will feel exhausted and will probably fall back over so don't be alarmed." The doctor turns to

and heads for the door with the last nurse

but it no longer felt as ominous

in the sound now

both glued to the spot and scared to move an inch incase we

managed to pull him

throat tightening with emotion. "Nah he didn't need me. He did this himself. Daryl's always been

trembling with emotion. "He needed

wanted to believe her, but the guilt gnawed at me. Daryl was fighting for his life because of decisions I had made - decisions

beeping of the machines now a strange sort of comfort knowing that they were helping to bring him in to the

meant he was still

It wasn't over.

Not yet.

silence settled between Amelia and me as we just

the room felt thick and tense, like we were holding our collective breath, waiting for Daryl to

groan, sent my heart racing with

I'll go and get some air, I feel a little nauseous in here, maybe you can try to talk him round again?" she said, her voice thick with exhaustion. She gave me a gentle pat on

as she quietly slipped out of

I stayed by Daryl's side, watching him, silently urging him to fight just a little bit

be still

quickened. "C'mon, man," I whispered, leaning closer. "You can do this." I encourage, assuming he could hear

mine. "That's it! Keep doing what you're doing!" I state, longing

he slowly, very painfully, cracked open his

was enough for

barely above a whisper now, my emotions swirling as I

trying to focus on me as he groaned this

it was incoherent words that I couldn't begin to make