Mafia's collateral

Unconscious

>>Seraphina

A backup light got switched on but it barely provided any illumination. It was too dim but the eyes did their work and it got better as the seconds passed. The sound of Azef's coughing reached me from the bathroom in the corridor and Concern gnawed at my insides as I got up and watched him stumble towards the bathroom, a trail of crimson droplets staining the floor in his wake.

What is happening?!? Does he have a serious illness or something?!?! One doesn't just cough out blood!!

Without a second thought, I followed after him, my heart pounding with a mixture of fear and desperation. The sound of his coughing echoed through the narrow hallway, each hacking cough a painful reminder of the danger that lurked within his chest.

The bathroom door was open and I stepped into the room, the sight before me sent a shiver of dread down my spine. Azef stood hunched over the sink, his face contorted in agony as he coughed up blood, his hands trembling with the effort.

"Sir!" I cried out, my voice trembling with fear as I rushed to his side. "What's happening? Are you okay?" I wasn't sure if I should pat his back to ease his body or not but in the end I decided not to do it.

Azef didn't answer me, I could only hear the sound of his ragged breathing and the sickening splatter of blood against the porcelain sink. Panic surged through me as I realized that something was seriously wrong.

What if he's dying??! Oh God! I need to do something!!

"I'll call the emergency services!" I told him, "It's raining outside so it's better if an ambulance comes to pick us up!" I tried to move away when he caught my wrist

"STOP!!!" He yelled

I froze, "But," My voice came out meek

"Don't do anything..." He breathed heavily, "I'm fine," He looked ragged and he was shaking his head, looking like he was getting a headache.

His words hung in the air like a dark cloud, but seeing his condition sent a chill down my spine. Confusion and fear churned within me as the urgency of the situation weighed heavily on my mind.

"But sir," I protested, my voice quivering with emotion. "You need help. We need to call someone before it's too late."

"I said no!" He spat the words as he breathed heavily, "Do you think I can't handle this on my own?" His voice broke, "I said, I'm fine," He let my hand go and turned the water on, letting the blood that came out of him and dyed the sink red dissolve away.

I had no idea what was going on with him but I couldn't just do nothing about it. So I stepped back and opened my phone to dial the emergency services. As the line tried to connect I brought my phone next to my ear waiting for someone to pick up. Azef noticed though and before I knew it grabbed my hair from the behind with one hand, yanking my head back while he snatched the phone from my ear with his other

!!!

I turned around to look at him, "I told you not to do it." His grip was strong, "What part of 'I'm fine', did you not understand?" At first I was shocked, then his next action scared the shit out of me. He threw the phone across the room and it struck against the wall, shattered and the pieces of it scattered across the floor.

Tears welled in my eyes as I recoiled from his actions,

'I-I," I fumbled with my words. I turned my body to Azef, my heart lurching in my chest, "I- I'm just worried-" I didn't get to complete my sentence as I saw him clutching at his chest, his face twisted in agony. He immediately let me go and recoiled back, both of his hands clutching his shirt in pain.