WHEN THE BOW BREAKS pg.6

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It was sometime later when Champ and Jaclyn rushed from the street and in through the front door of the building, going inside. They were both giggling, laughing at being in the thick downpour, water on their shoulders and faces. The sidewalk outside had been empty.
Still giggling, Jaclyn fell into Champ's arms, laughing into his chest with delight. Champ was laughing too, holding her close. She tilted her head up and kissed him tenderly, wiping raindrops off his face. Champ kissed her back, wrapping his arms tightly around her, almost lifting her off her feet and making her giggle even more.
Together, they began to slowly walk up the stairs to Champ's apartment, lightly kissing each other all the way. Champ smiled, stoping to wipe the rain from her cheek.
"You got all wet..."
Jaclyn's eyes looked at him with adoration. "I don't care..." she said with a smile.
They had reached the top of the stairs, standing in the hallway outside Champ's door.
Champ caressed her cheek delicately, softly drying it with his fingers. "Even rain looks good on you. I have to admit... I'm a little jealous."
"Of what?"
Champ smiled. "The water on your skin."
Jaclyn touched his moist face softly in return. "You shouldn't be..."
"Oh really?" He took her into his arms with a smile, deciding to play along. "And why's that?"
"Because unlike the rain on my skin," Jaclyn looked warmly into his eyes, "You won't rinse away from me so easily."
Champ lifted her chin, dropping his face to hers to kiss her again. They stood there in each other's arms, kissing passionately. As the kiss grew in intensity, small, petite Jaclyn actually shoved Champ against his apartment door with a thud, kissing him deeply.
At that moment, Champ didn't care what Jaclyn did ever again. He just wanted to be there with her. As he kissed her with his eyes closed, he felt something on the back of his neck. It felt like a piece of paper.
Champ's eyes fluttered open, and after a few moments, there was no mistaking it.
"Jaclyn... I feel something on my neck..."
Jaclyn moaned, still kissing him over and over. "I know. I feel great too...."
"No..." Champ was finally able to get the willpower to reluctantly break their kiss, bringing both their bodies off his front door.
"Wait... Jaclyn, hold on."
Jaclyn pulled back with a smile. She looked either way down the hallway, trying to straighten her clothing, realizing they both had gotten a little carried away... yet one more time. But the happy glow in her eyes said that she was already willing to let that delightful indescretion happen again.
Champ turned around, looking at the door behind him. He was right. There was a note, a folded piece of paper of some kind, taped to his apartment door. Curious, he pulled it off.
Jaclyn noticed the paper too, as curious as he was. "What is it?"
"I don't know." Champ unfolded the note and began to read. As his eyes travelled over the paper, the happy expression on his face fell away. He looked at Jaclyn, concern in his eyes, and she wondered what was going on.
Trevor was in his bedroom with the lights out. He was sprawled across his recliner, looking sadly out the window as rain pelted the glass with a quiet patter. The light from a distant streetlight cast a pale blue glow onto his face, distorted and blurred by the water hitting the window and dripping downward.
Trevor sighed, alone. The living room behind him was lit by the soft yellow glow of a lamp, but it's light didn't reach to the shadows where Trevor sat. Suddenly, far behind him the apartment door burst open as Champ and Jaclyn rushed in.
Trevor heard the noise and turned around. Startled, he rose from his chair as both Champ and Jaclyn hurried over to him. He could see the worry in their eyes.
"What?" Trevor looked at them, not understanding. "Did something happen to Claire? What's wrong..."
Champ paused, not knowing what to say. Finally he handed over the small note he carried in his hand, giving it to Trevor. "I... I just found this on the front door, Trevor. It's from Faith."
Trevor took the note, stepping over into the light from the living room to read it. He stood there in the doorway of his bedroom, outlined in black, reading the small slip of paper in his hands.
"Oh no..." Trevor whispered, his face instantly filling with dread. "No no no...."
Trevor ran over and quickly grabbed his black overcoat from where it lay drapped over the top of his bed. He rushed out of his bedroom, squeezing past Champ and Jaclyn, who stood there with concerned looks.
"Trevor," Jaclyn began to ask. "What do we-"
Trevor didn't stop, racing to the front door. "Call Claire! Tell her I'm heading over there. Do it now!" He rushed out of the apartment, slamming the door shut behind him, running all the way.

The rain was pelting Trevor's face as he ran down the middle of the street, but he didn't care. It was coming down thick and heavy now as the sky above flashed white for a second, before thunder rumbled through the hissing downpour.
Blinking, Trevor tried to see. His face was wet as he splashed through the water on the street. He had to get to Claire. Claire must know where Faith lived. Or at least know how to find out. They had to find Faith before she... Before she did anything foolish to herself, like...
Trevor suddenly remembered how far away Claire's house was. In this downpour, it would take him forever to get there on foot. He turned in place, the hem of his coat swinging out and getting drenched. Suddenly he spotted a cab stopped at a nearby intersection, and he ran over. Trevor jumped in front of the cab as it was about to pull away. Raindrops fell frantically past the glare of the headlights as Trevor slammed his hands on the hood of the cab, getting the driver's attention and forcing it to stop abruptly. He quickly ran around to the driver's side window, as the rain continued to pelt both him and the cab.
Trevor knocked on the window, and it began to roll down. His face wet, Trevor looked in. But he pulled back when he recognized who it was.
It was the same cab driver he had been arguing with a few days ago, when he had been crossing the downtown intersection, trying to hide from Faith.
"It's you..." Trevor said, water dripping from his chin.
The cab driver moaned, recognizing Trevor too. He shook his head, not believing his bad luck. "Why do I always draw the nut cases to my cab? Look, I don't have any money, so-"
"No," Trevor interrupted. "No, you don't understand! It's nothing like that. This is an emergency!" He reached into his pocket and took out a few crumbled bills, shoving them in at the driver. Trevor shouted to be heard over the rain. "Look I need a ride! I need to get somewhere fast! Please, it's really an emergency!"
The driver paused, looking him over skeptically. But he could hear the urgency in Trevor's voice, no matter how crazy he looked standing there impatiently in the rain. Sighing, the driver finally nodded, handing Trevor back his money.
"Get in. This one's on me."

Claire was already on the phone when Trevor opened her front door, rushing over to where she was across the living room. He was soaked to the bone, splashing water across her floor and panting heavily from all his running. He left the front door open behind him, rain still falling outside in the night.
Sliding awkwardly to a stop, Trevor tried to catch his breath, water dripping down his face. His hair was caked on his head. Claire raised a finger to silence Trevor before he could speak, as she listened to the person on the other side of the phone.
Dr. Dehnt was at home, and he swallowed, feeling a little overwhelmed by what Claire had just hit him with out of the blue. He searched frantically through his therapy notes spread out before him, going over Faith's case in his memory, trying to remember session after session, searching for clues.
"I don't know, Claire. I-... I seriously doubt that she'll do anything drastic. My experience with her seems to-" Richard paused, trying to calm his jumbled thoughts. "Umm... I honestly don't think that she would literally harm herself." Richard wasn't even sure what he was saying, swept away in the speed of events.
Claire gave Trevor a worried look as he stood beside her in her house. She continued to speak to Richard. "But Trevor did find a note on his doorway. She made it sound like she no longer wanted to... she wondered what life was worth living for, Richard. And I presume it's because... well,Trevor rejected her rather publicly today."
Trevor looked away, not able to face her.
Richard sighed nervously, alone in his house and feeling way in over his head. For a moment he wondered if his hands were shaking. "Well, umm.... well maybe that's a good thing."
Claire didn't understand. "Good?"
"Yeah. Sure. It could force a breakthrough in her. Force her to see how shallow, how false her delusional state has always been."
"But what about the note?"
"Faith's always liked to be melodramatic, Claire. I mean, the way she describes her mission, the way she runs her Eros Society. Even the way she shut it down so suddenly. A martyr. She's playing a part. She thrives in the melodrama, but I doubt that she has any-" Richard exhaled nervously, "...any real intentions of going through with something drastic. Look, I'm sure I can work this all out with her in the morning. I've been working with her for a while. I know her. Trust me, this will pass..."
"Ok." Claire exhaled reluctantly, only slightly comforted by Richard's word's. "Still... I've got the address you gave me. Maybe I'll go over and check that she's ok."
"I doubt that'll be necessary, Claire. But if you feel the need, be my guest."
"Ok." Claire said again. "I'll trust your judgement on this, Richard. She is your patient after all. And you do have the most experience with her." Claire paused. "But you are positive... aren't you?"
Richard froze in his kitchen, looking down at Faith's file laid haphazardly out before him in a frantic jumble. He closed his eyes tightly, uncertain, and deep down... secretly afraid. He didn't want to be wrong. Didn't want to be seen as being wrong. So he kept all the doubt so clearly evident in his eyes... out of his voice, answering confidently. "Yes..."
"Fine. Thank's again, Richard. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Great. Talk to you then. Bye, Claire."
"Bye, Richard."
Trevor rushed over to Claire as she hung up the phone. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the small note Faith had left taped to his door, handing it to her.
"I did this." Trevor said. "This is all my fault."
Claire paused, looking down at the note and opening it to read it out loud. "Trevor, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I upset you. That was never my intention. I don't know how it all could have went so wrong. How I forced you to reject me like you did. You're the god of love, but now you've stopped believing. Because of me. So now.... I've lost anything that's meant anything to me. I don't know what to do, Trevor. I can't go on like this. Without my faith, what else is there to live for? Trevor... I'm so sorry it had to happen this way.... Faith."
Trevor nodded, pacing back and forth as he listened to Claire read the note. "We've got to find her, Claire! Before she hurts herself!"
Claire calmly looked up from the note, turning to Trevor. He was almost frantic, coming closer to her, waiting for her to speak.
"Well?" He asked impatienly.
Claire nodded, looking at Trevor and trying to talk in a soothing voice. "That was Dr. Dehnt on the phone. I called him after Jaclyn called me."
Trevor waited. "And? Does he know where she could be?"
"Well, he gave me her home address, but-"
"Great. Let's go. Get your car keys, Claire." He grabbed her by the arm, about to drag her to her still open front door.
Claire didn't budge, making Trevor stop. She looked into his eyes. "Trevor, wait a second. Dr. Dehnt think's Faith'll be fine. He honestly doesn't think she'll hurt herself. He doesn't think it's in her make-up."
"What? Are you crazy? You read the note didn't you?"
Claire nodded. "Yes, but Richard says that Faith likes to be melodramatic, and-"
Trevor's voice was incredulous. "And you believed him?"
"Yes, Trevor." Claire blinked, annoyed. "I did. I mean... I do. I trust Richard. I trust his judgement. Faith is his patient and he would have the most experience with her. And he is a fellow psychologist after all-"
"And what a fine fellow that must make him then!" Trevor shook his head. "Just because he's a psychologist like you are, you instantly believe him. You don't even really know him. I don't see how you can just-... I guess there are all kinds of faith, aren't there?"
"Trevor, she's not even my patient."
"So that means you shouldn't even be bothered to care?"
Claire tried to stay calm. "Richard's far more qualified to make any assessment about-"
"Assessment!?"
"Yes, assessement Trevor! As in the polar opposite of vague suspicions..."
Trevor interrupted. "And doctors are never wrong?"
"Well, no one's infallible, but-"
Trevor pressed his point. "Have you ever been wrong about one of your patients, Claire? Any of them? Any who suprised you? Who's actions you couldn't predict?"
Tongue in her cheek, Claire paused, looking silently at Trevor, thinking about her history with him. Finally she turned. "I'll get my car keys..."

A song began to play as Trevor sat in the front of the car with Claire, rain pelting the hood as she drove ot Faith's apartment. It was a slow, sad song. A song of release, or maybe of loss and acceptance. Of letting go. But as Trevor listened, forced to remember his own words to Faith, he could hear a desperate finality to the music as well. He sighed, hoping they would find her in time. The lyrics began, making him remember what he had told her about letting things be.

When I find myself in times of trouble,
Mother Mary comes to me,
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be...

It was still raining.
The water came down in dense sheets as Claire waited anxiously, sitting alone in the car. The car wipers were frantically trying to clear the rain from the windshield, sweeping back and forth across the glass, but they were overwhelmed by the thick downpour. Claire's window was open, and she squinted through the watery deluge toward's Faith's apartment building, looking for Trevor. He had run in to see if she was there, and he hadn't come back yet. Water was splashing into the interior of her expensive car, but she didn't care. Sighing nervously, she just wished that Trevor would come back, worried about him. Lightning flashed in the sky. Thunder rumbled overhead as the storm raged on.

And in my hour of darkness,
she is standing there in front of me,
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be...

Trevor suddenly appeared through the heavy rain, bounding down the steps, his shoes splashing the entire way as he ran to Claire's open car window, leaning in to her.
He was soaked, eyes full of concern as water dripped down his face. He looked at Claire, worried. "Faith isn't there. In fact... her room mate said she wasn't at David's either She called there to check. And she hasn't come home all night."
Claire could see it in his eyes. He still blamed himself for this. She tried to offer some sort of solace. "Trevor... I-"
"We've got to find her, Claire. Where else could she be? She has no where else to go..." His thoughts were suddenly filled with images of all the tall buildings and deep rivers in Chicago. Trevor looked at her, blinking the water out of his eyes. She could hear it in his voice, see him imploring her to help him find her, all with that one wordless entreaty on his face.

Let it be, let it be...
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be...

Claire finally nodded. "Get in, Trevor. We'll drive around. She's got to be around here somewhere. We'll find her."
Trevor rushed around the back side of the car, still getting pelted by the thick rain. He was momentarily bathed deep red in the light of the car's stop lights. He quickly opened the passenger side door and got in. The twin beams of Claire's headlights illuminated two cones of light, filled with falling raindrops as she pulled away from the curb, leaving Faith's apartment building behind them, alone in the rain.

And when the broken hearted people,
Living in the world agree, there will be an answer,
Let it be...

The windshield was awash with a blurred array of several different colors, traffic lights shining through in hazy and distorted patterns as the rain flooded everything from view. Claire could barely see where she was going as she drove, barely able to make out the green light above telling her to go ahead. She drove slowly, trying her best to make out what was in front of her. With a worried expression, she looked over at Trevor.
He was in the seat beside her. Trevor had the car window rolled down, and his head was sticking out the side for a better view, scanning back and forth as he looked, searching frantically across the streets and sidewalks around them for any sign of Faith. His face was getting wet, the rain soaking him, but he didn't care. Trevor kept mumbling to himself softly.
"This is my fault. If anything happens to her, it's my fault... It all used to be so easy.... Just a game... Point and shoot..... Just a silly game.... I've got to find her..... I... I can't let this happen..."
Claire watched him silently, concern in her eyes, worried for him. But she didn't stop him. She didn't make him bring himself back into the car. Because she knew. She could hear the self blame in his voice. The blame that he felt. And she knew he had to do this.

For though they may be parted,
there is still a chance that they will see,
There will be an answer, let it be...

They came to a red light, or at least what seemed to be a red light under the deluge of water. Claire looked over. Trevor was still searching, his head out of the window. Taking a breath, she slowly reached out to him, tenderly placing a hand on his shoulder, comforting him.
Trevor felt her hand there, but he didn't turn around. There were tears in his eyes, obscured by the water on his face as he looked out the window. But he raised his hand and gently placed it over hers on his shoulder, acknowledging her concern.
"We've got to find her, Claire."
Claire tried to keep her composure, hearing the pain in his voice. She turned her palm upward under his, taking his hand into hers, their fingers interlocking, gripping tightly.
"We will, Trevor. It'll be ok. We'll find her..."
Trevor seemed frustrated, his field of view limted by the rain obscuring the car windows. He finally grabbed the door handle, letting go of her hand. "I can't see anything this way..."
Without warning, he opened the door and stepped out into the rain.
Claire reached for him too late. "Trevor...!"
He started to walk down the street beside her car, Claire idling slowly forward to keep up with him. He was getting soaked in the thick downpour. But he didn't care. In his mind, maybe it was what he deserved.
"Trevor, get back in the car! Trevor..."
He didn't listen to her, turning as he walked slowly forward, searching in every direction. The light turned green, and Claire's car pulled forward, moving slowly through the rain as Trevor looked everywhere. Claire sighed, worried, but she kept pace with him as he walked on the empty streets, as the rain continued to fall heavily all around.

Let it be, let it be...
There will be an answer, let it be...

The pouring rain seemed to stretch endlessly all around them, falling in twisting curtains. The streets were barren and desolate, no one else outside. The rainfall never let up, as they moved all across Chicago, one lonely car on the surface streets, one lonely man walking in front of it, moving slowly, searching. In the distance, the Sears tower loomed behind them, its top blinking with tiny red lights. The sky above it flashed white as Trevor led the car slowly past, and thunder rumbled after the lightning.
The windshield was still a mosaic of shifting colors, prismed through the rain on the glass as the windshield wipers continued to sweep back and forth constantly, endlessly, beating out a futile, silent rhythm.
Trevor became lost in his thoughts, face still getting pelted with rain as he walked. He looked up into the sky, desperately searching for answers. He could see thousands of individual raindrops falling slowly towards him, a swarm of tiny beads of light under the glow of a high street lamp. They fell mournfully past the edges of his sight like a silent ballet, and Trevor closed his eyes, beginning to lose hope.

Let it be, let it be...
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be...

Claire paused, looking over at Trevor in her headlights. She didn't know how to tell him. They had been driving around for hours, and they had seen nothing. She put the car in stop and opened her door.
Slowly she walked towards him, catching up gradually on the street, the rain pelting them both as she came to his side. It quickly soaked her as well, dripping down her face. Softly, Claire touched his shoulder again.
"Trevor..." Claire looked at him, her eyes filled with sympathy. "We're not going to find her tonight, Trevor."
Coming to a stop, Trevor nodded, already realizing that himself. "I know. I know, Claire..." He sighed sadly, feeling her hands on his shoulders. He placed one of his hands over hers. Without a word, she led him back to her car, both of them getting in, out of the downpour.
He pulled his door shut behind him with a sigh, defeated, looking over as Claire got in too, closing her door.
She watched him, voice soft and concerned. "Trevor, we did our best..."
He sniffed. "I know." He looked at her sadly, nodding in agreement. Finally he offered her a dejected smile. "I know. Thanks for trying. Really, Sparky. I appreciate you trying to help me. Just... take me home." He began to roll up the still open car window, finally shutting out the sound of the rain outside.
Claire nodded, her voice soft. "Ok..." She put the car in gear, and turned in the middle of the road, heading back the way they had came, towards Trevor's apartment.
The road was swimming in water, mini waves flowing across the dark asphalt. More rain was falling, illuminated in the streetlights as Claire's car drove away.

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be...

Claire pulled up to the curb outside Trevor's building, and he sadly opened the door, getting out as the rain began to fall on his momentarily drying shoulders again.
"Trevor..."
He turned when Claire softly called out to him, leaning in to hear her over the sound of the rain, waiting to close the car door.
Claire looked into his eyes, trying to offer him some encouragement. "We'll find her tomorrow, Trevor. Me, you, and Dr. Dehnt. She'll be fine. I promise. Ok?"
Trevor nodded, getting wet again in the rain. "Thank you, Claire. And thank you for helping me. I'm glad you were with me."
"Sure, Trevor. So was I. I was... glad to be with you." She looked at him fondly. "Get some sleep."
He nodded, tired. "I better go. You're car interior is getting all wet."
Claire smiled. "That's ok, Trevor."
He smiled back at her. "Goodnight, Claire."
She quickly reached out before he could turn to leave, unexpectedly taking his hand in hers, squeezing it tight. "It'll be alright, Trevor."
He closed his eyes, feeling her hand in his. For a moment, he forgot everything else around him but her, revelling in her touch, relishing it like warm sunlight on cold skin. Thunder rumbled overhead, filling that perfect... quiet moment. "I know... Goodnight, Claire."
"Goodnight, Trevor."
Their hands slipped reluctantly apart, and Trevor closed the car door. Claire watched as he walked through the rain and up to the front door of his building, going inside. Finally she drove the car away, leaving Trevor's building behind.

Thunder still rumbled softly outside as Trevor turned and walked slowly up the stairwell leading up to his apartment, soaked from the rain. His head hung down sadly, despondent over not having found Faith. In the ceiling of the stairwell far above, a light glowed softly, glittering off his wet face.

And when the night is cloudy,
There is still a light that shines on me,
Shine until tomorrow, let it be...

Trevor suddenly stopped on the stairs and looked up. Faith was standing there. She was at the top of the stairs, a shadow in front of that distant ceiling light. Her wet hair hung straight down the sides of her face like a shawl. The distant light surrounded her head like a halo, making her look almost angelic. Except that she stood there silently, looking down at Trevor, her face tragic, full of despair.
Trevor blinked, surprised. "Faith..."

I wake up to the sounds of music,
Mother Mary comes to me,
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be...

Still concerned, Trevor stepped towards her, happy for a moment that he finally had found her. "Faith, where were you all night? We were looking all over for you! Are you ok?"
"Trevor..."
Her voice was soft and fragile, filled with a terrible sadness. Trevor had never heard a voice sound like that before. He blinked, growing even more worried as he saw the futility in her eyes, the desperation in her face. Her clothing was drenched, as if she had been walking out in the rain all night. And as Trevor looked at her, for some reason he couldn't get that damn song out of his head, still hearing it.

Let it be, let it be...
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be...

Trevor stepped forward, closer to Faith, wanting to comfort her. But he paused, suddenly reluctant to get any nearer for some reason. He could see how fragile she looked, just standing there.
"Trevor..." Faith was crying softly, but trying to swallow it back. "Trevor, I know you're a god. You can't lie to me. You... you were supposed to rescue me... I know it. But the truth is... I wasn't worthy enough. So you rejected me..."
"No, Faith. I didn't rejected you, OK? It wasn't like that. I just... I just think you need some help." Trevor moved one step up, cautious. Somehow he felt that it all hung in the balance. The air seemed to be holding it's breath.
"I..." Faith was saying. "I just can't live with that rejection, Trevor. I... I can't. I can't go on like this..."
Faith's arms hung straight down the side of her soaked clothing. It really did seem she had been out in the rain all night. But her right hand seemed to bounce nervously against her hip.
Trevor looked down, and a chill passed through him. Inside Faith's right hand was a hand gun. It's cold silver metal glistened with drops of rain that clung to its shiny surface.
The air seemed to stiffen with low thunder. Trevor swallowed, his body going alert, judging his distance to her, wondering how quickly he could move. He took a step forward, cautious, rising towards Faith as he tried to speak in a calming voice.
"Faith, give me the gun. Please... don't do anything foolish to yourself..."
Faith didn't seem to hear. "You are a god, Trevor. I know it."
Trevor nodded, eyes locked on the handgun. "Sure. Yeah... absolutely. Just give me the gun. Life is still worth living. You don't need to hurt yourself, Faith. Please. You have nothing to prove. Everybody sees you now. We're all finally noticing, ok? We believe you. Really. You'll get through this, I promise. We'll get through this together. You and me. Ok? Just... just give me the gun."
Faith shook her head. "No, you don't understand. You're a god, Trevor. You're Cupid, and you're immortal. And there's only one way to prove it."
Faith suddenly pointed the gun straight at Trevor and fired a single shot directly into his chest, filling the hallway with a flash of light and thunder.
Trevor blinked in shock, trying to understand what had just happened. His body seemed to lose all it's weight, the distant light far above now in front of him. Then he realized that he was falling, still in mid-air. His spine crashed violently onto the stair landing between floors behind him, pain slamming suddenly through his body like lightning.... Blood began to spread across Trevor's punctured shirt as he lay there sprawled on the floor, staring dimly at the light far above. It seemed closer somehow. He could hear a soft voice, singing.

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be...

The door to Trevor's apartment suddenly flung open, and Champ looked out, having heard the shot. He saw Faith standing there at the top of the stairs, holding a gun in her hand. Champ rushed her without thinking, easily tackling Faith to the ground and wrestling the gun away, kicking it out of reach. Faith didn't fight him at all as Champ lay sprawled over her. Her eyes were full of tears, and she was crying, shocked, looking down the stairs in disbelief.
"Oh god... oh no what have I done..." she cried.
Champ held her down, wondering what to do next, when he noticed where Faith was staring. His eyes followed her gaze down the stairs... to where they looked incredulously on Trevor laying there, bleeding... dying. Champ's eyes widened, moistening in despair before he rushed down the stairs to Trevor, calling out, yelling desperately.
"Help! Someone help! Someone call an ambulance! Help me! Trevor's been shot! Call an ambulance!"
Champ slid to his knees, frantically taking Trevor into his arms. Trevor's clothes were still soaked with water. He was limp in Champ's grasp, his eyes open slightly but glazed over as Champ looked over Trevor's wound. "Oh... Oh god.... just hang on, Trevor. Somebody help me!" Champ's voice yelped, calling out again.
Faith was still sprawled on the floor at the top of the stairs, making no attempt to move, weeping softly as other residents began to come out of their apartments.
Trevor still gazed at the light in the ceiling far above., face still glittering with moisture. Mind hazy, he could almost see the rain outside again, falling sadly past that ceiling light, like he had watched it falling before. Slowly Trevor lifted his hand to his chest, even though his fingers somehow were going numb. But he still felt his blood flowing warmly around them. He was growing faint, dizzy, looking up at that distant light in a daze. His lips began to move, softly forming words that were almost indistinguishable.
"Quos deus vult perderes, prius dementiat..." he mumbled.
Champ tried to comfort him, wiping his face. He didn't understand, wondering what Trevor was saying. Finally, he pressed his palms against Trevor's chest too, trying to stop the bleeding like Trevor had done a moment ago. It felt warm flowing on his fingers. Then Champ realized that Trevor was bleeding out his back too.
"Somebody get an ambulance!" Champ shouted out again, frantic.
A man appeared at the top of the stairs, keeping a wary eye on Faith. "The call's been made..." He said to Champ. Champ nodded, concentrating on Trevor.
Champ and Trevor both lay sprawled there on the floor of the landing. Trevor was in Champ's arms, both of them lit by the soft glow of the ceiling light far above.
Trevor continued to mumble softly, a tear falling down his cheek. His words were starting to get muffled, sounding wet from the inside.
"Quos deus vult..."
A single tear rolled down Champ's face as well. Looking into his face, he desperately began to rock Trevor back and forth in his arms.
"Hold on, Trevor. Please, hold on..."

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