Chapter 7
The morning light slipped through the curtains, waking Asmodeus up.
"I'm starting to hate the sun," he muttered, squinting at curtains.
"I need blackout curtains."
“Let me sleep again.”
"...they had to lock the door..."
"That voice... is dad home?"
Asmodeus stumbled down the stairs stuffing himself into a thin white T-shirt.
"DAD! YOU'RE HOME!"
Asmodeus called out to a middle-aged man.
“...”
Vincent turned towards the stairs only to see his son, who once looked like a younger version of him, now too pale.
Like all his colours had been sucked out of him.
Before Vincent could collect himself, Asmodeus launched himself between his parents on the sofa.
"Oh hey puffer fish, you woke up before noon for once."
"Daaad..."
"Well I bought you some ice cream, eat it after breakfast."
"Why not now?"
"Because ice cream isn't breakfast. Also, did you brush your teeth?" Cassandra patted Asmodeus' head.
Asmodeus got up to run back to his room.
"Not yet... I'll be back.”
Just before he could reach the stairs…
“Don't eat it without me—"
*Thud
"ASMO" "ASMO"
"What happened to him?"
"I told you on the phone that he's been fainting a lot lately, didn't I?"
"I didn't think it was this bad..."
—
“Have him carried to his room.”
“Cassy, has he been like this for the last few days?”
“Yes, he has been like this. Nathan, the hematologist, told us the results would be back today. We'll just have to wait.”
Stolen novel; please report.
“Huh… any idea why this happened?”
“No, he himself doesn't know it.”
“I see.”
“Master, Madam. I just got Nathan's call. He believes there is something wrong with the bone marrow itself.”
Both Vincent and Cassandra felt as if air had been sucked out of them.
They looked at each other unable to believe their own ears.
“... the what is wrong, William?” Vincent's voice had gotten incredibly low.
“... his bone marrow, Master… I double-checked with him. He recommends a bone marrow biopsy.”
Vincent had to sit down on the stairs.
“I thought it was just something related to sleep or something. And now you say it's bone marrow?”
“Vincent… It might be a misdiagnosis. Or something very minor.”
“Cassy, do you hear yourself? You think they'd order a biopsy for something minor?”
“But… I… I don't want think of…” Tears replaced Cassandra's words.
Vincent had no choice but to calm himself and comfort his wife.
“William, call Dr. Nathan again. Tell him to reschedule as Asmodeus just fainted. Ask him if we can come after the kid is awake and stable.”
“Understood master.”
William called immediately and explained the situation to Dr. Nathan.
“Put me on the speaker right now.”
“Understood. Master, madam, the doctor wishes to speak to you.”
“Mrs. White, can you tell me when he fainted and whether his breathing and heartbeat are stable?”
“Um… that…”
Cassandra couldn't find her words and that moment, Vincent took over the call.
“This is Vincent White. My son is currently in his room on the bed. He fell unconscious a while ago. We didn't check his heartbeat or breathing in a hurry.”
“Well I would like you to check it. And please rush him to the emergency room. The biopsy can wait, the patient can't.”
“Got it. William you call the ambulance. Cassy stay home and wait. I'll go with him.”
“But…”
“He'll be fine. For now it's better for you to stay here and make sure when we are back Asmodeus has everything he might need.”
“Dr. ? Are you on the line?”
“Yes.”
“I just checked him and both the breathing and pulse appear to be there and moderate.”
“That's good. But it's still better to rush him to the ER.”
The ambulance had hurried all the way to the ER.
Nathan was still on the call. Vincent had handed over the phone to the paramedics and now he had no idea what he was supposed to do.
‘Maybe I shouldn't have taken that trip. Two months. I couldn't see him for two months and now he's here in an ambulance.’
‘What better can I do if I can't save my own son?’
Vincent had his head in his arms, fighting the urge to bang his head at something.
"Patient has severe, undiagnosed pancytopenia. All lines are low. He collapsed. Do not give standard drugs without checking his platelets.” Nathan's voice cut through the speaker.
The paramedics had already started an IV line. The strong smell of alcohol wipes hit Vincent's nose.
‘If it were any other time, Asmo would have absolutely revolted over the IV.’
Vincent couldn't watch his son being poked with needles by strangers.
The plastic bag of saline was hooked to his arm. The cold saline sent shivers down his body.
“Why is he trembling? What did you put in him?”
“Calm down, Sir. His anemia causes his body to be cold. The shivering is just his brain trying to warm his body up.”
“Then what is wrong with him?”
“Lack of oxygen to the brain. Since his blood count is low, less oxygen is reaching it. That's what caused the fainting.”
The paramedics ripped Asmodeus’ shirt open, exposing his bare chest. They slapped 4 patches to his limbs, 6 on his chest.
*Click click click
The patches were connected to the monitor, which came alive showing green lines.
*Beep……beep…… beep……
‘Why does Asmo look like that now? With all those wires and all. He was fine just this morning—’
“His pulses are really low. Sir, does your son have a naturally low heart rate? Is he a marathon runner or an elite athlete?” The paramedic cut through Vincent's thoughts.
Vincent could only manage to shake his head as a no.
The paramedic grabbed a syringe anf screwed it onto the IV port.
“What is that now?”
"I'm pushing Atropine, sir. It's a cardiac stimulant. His heart rate is dropping below 40 beats per minute. If it goes any lower, his brain stops getting oxygen entirely. This drug is supposed to kickstart his heart and force it to speed up.”
*Beep……beep……beep……
The monitor showed no reaction. Both the paramedics and Vincent were staring at it as if waiting for a delayed response.
“No response to the Atropine. Prepare for pacing.”
“You said it'd make his heart beat normally again. Why isn't it working?”
"His body isn't responding to the chemical. I don't know why—his system is completely resisting it. We can't wait. We have to take over his heart manually.”
“What does that mean—”
Before Vincent could ask his question, the paramedics placed a green mask over Asmodeus. Forcing oxygen through what little blood was being pumped by his heart.
They turned Asmodeus to his side. They opened a foil pack which contained giant grey pads. They slapped one at the centre of his chest and other onto his back between the shoulder blades.
‘So many wires. Asmo looks like a CPU right now.’
Every second electricity would pass through him, making his entire body jolt in response, in a rhythmic pattern.
Vincent tried to reach his son, hold his hand.
“Sir, please don't attempt contact with the patient when the machine is active. Else you'll catch the electricity too.”
Vincent quickly moved his hands away.
The driver threw the vehicle into park, and the loud sirens suddenly went quiet.
The back doors burst open and before Vincent could say something the paramedics rushed towards the ER doctors and nurses. And he was pushed to a corner.
He could hear them saying some medical terms but he didn't know what they meant.
“This is a 19-year-old male, unresponsive, profound bradycardia. Baseline heart rate was in the 30s. We gave 1 mg of Atropine IV with zero response. He is currently on 100% oxygen via non-rebreather mask. We have a 16-gauge IV in the left forearm. Pacing pads are on, but we have not turned on the pacer yet. History of severe pancytopenia, scheduled for a bone marrow biopsy today.” shouted the paramedic.
The hospital team took over and started to rush Asmodeus into the Trauma Bay
Vincent followed them nonetheless. He was about to enter the room when a nurse pushed him out.
“Sir, you need to stay in the hallway. We need room to work. Please, wait here.”
“But—”
The heavy doors swung shut in his face. Vincent had no choice but to stay in the lobby.
He tried to look through the window but a nurse had already pulled a privacy screen. He could only see the silhouettes moving around.
He sat down on one of the seats in the lobby. His head resting against his palms.
*Ring, ring.
Vincent picked up his phone
[Cassy]
‘What am I supposed to tell her now? How do I explain this?’ Vincent stared at the privacy screen though the window.