"It hurts. God… it fucking hurts."

The words, coughed out in a deep crimson sputter. Blood, staining his vision, all around. Anthony could barely see through his tear swollen eyes but he felt it slick on his hands.

"Why?"

Anthony had no answer. No reply that could ever explain his actions. He fell to the ground, onto his knees in a pool, the red, still warm soaking into his jeans.

He was trembling, convulsing. His breaths short as he brought a hand over his mouth.

He dared to lift his eyes to what he wrought.

"I'm s-,"

He lifted a shaky hand to him, grazing over the open wound, heat still emanating from it.

"I-I didn't mean to…"

But it was he who had done this. The words stung as they left his quivering lips.

Light azure eyes, the only thing visible in an otherwise sea of red, haunted him as they watched.

Fading, fast.

He tries to pull rational thought together, his still trembling hand gripping the small device as a finger glided over three numbers he never thought he would dial.

He hears words, but doesn't fully register what was being said.

"M-my friend, Ian… he… he's d-dying…"

"P-please, Anthony…" his ears picked up from beneath him. His terror-stricken blue eyes pierced through him, the light slowly dying. Never in all his life had he felt more guilt consuming him.

He somehow was, almost subconsciously, able to answer the probing questions from the tiny, concerned voice and dropped the phone when he finished. It fell with a dull half thud, half splash into the crimson pool.

His world was tearing apart.

Anthony pressed himself over the wound, attempting to slow the bleeding.

Panic began to accelerate through him as Ian's eyes began to flicker closed, his head dropping to the side.

"N-No! Stay with me!"

His hand held up a stubbed cheek as the other could feel his essence, soaking through the pressed fingers, dripping down to the fabric of his sleeve.

The hand migrated to his neck. The faint feel of a pulse, a heart desperately working with what little was left.

It wasn't enough.

He felt the moment his world came to an end, every agonizing second as the beat slowed dangerously close before its final descent into nothingness.