TW: Blood, (Implied) Character Death
No…
No no no no no no no no…
Panic slowly began to rise in Caretaker’s chest as she watched the cloth she held on Whumpee’s wound soak up his blood. She frantically looked around for something else she could use when she caught sight of Whumpee’s closing eyes.
“Whumpee—” She pressed down on the open wound more as she glanced around a second time. “Whumpee, stay with me—keep your eyes open, okay?”
“Care… Caretaker, it… Hurt.” He whimpered.
“I know, I know…” Caretaker’s voice sounded far away as she scanned their surroundings a third time. “Help is on the way, okay? I just need you to keep your eyes open for five more minutes. Just for me.”
His eyes finally opened, weakly pleading for her to make the pain and the bleeding stop. Caretaker forced a soft smile and nodded. “Yes, just keep your eyes on me for another few minutes okay? You’ll be okay, I promise.”
“Caretaker…?”
“Yes, Whumpee? Talk to me.”
He whined before hissing in pain, tightly shutting his eyes and furrowing his brows. “It hurts! It hurts so bad…”
“I know it does. Just hang on a little longer. Help is almost here okay?”
“Caretaker…” He opened his eyes, revealing the tears that were starting to gather. “What if I… What if I die?”
Her own heart almost stopped. “No. No, don't say that. Just keep your eyes open and on me. You’ll survive. I know you will. Help is almost here.”
A tear rolled down Whumpee’s cheek as his eyes slowly began to close.
“No! No no no no, keep looking at me Whumpee. Keep your eyes open. Look at me.”
His eyes opened briefly before rolling back shut, his body falling even more limp.
“Whumpee? Whumpee, look at me.” Caretaker begged. “Whumpee, please. Open your eyes.” When he didn’t move an inch, tears gathered in her own eyes. “Whumpee, talk to me. Please. I need you to stay awake.”
Still no response.
“Whumpee?”
No…
“Whumpee?”
No no no no no no no no no—
He can’t. He can’t be dead.
Caretaker shook him. “Answer me!” She choked as her tears fell from her face onto his. “You can’t die Whumpee! I won’t break my promise to you. Not now. I can’t let this happen, you have to stay alive! Just for me… Please!”
She began sobbing, begging, praying that Whumpee’s eyes would open for just one more second.