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David dragged Seamus onto shore, coughing up water and getting a grip on his surroundings. He laid his friend on the grass, both men drenched from the falls. David saw that Seamus wasn’t breathing. He used his resuscitation technique and managed to get Seamus conscious. Seamus coughed as air filled his lungs, and he spat out some water.
“Seamus, oh thank god, are you alright?” David asked as he untied David’s wrists and ankles. Seamus tried to speak but was still wheezing and coughing.
Seamus tried to sit up but immediately fell back on his back. He winced, and a hand automatically went to his ribs. It was clear at least some were broken. David then noticed some blood come up as Seamus coughed. Seamus was usually so chipper and colourful. But here he was, pale and in pain.
“David—“ Seamus tried between coughs. He covered his mouth with his sleeve, revealing the blood to himself. His eyes widened at the sight.
“Did you hit a rock when you fell or something?” David asked.
Seamus nodded.
“A few.” He choked out.
“I just hope you didn’t puncture a lung,” David said bluntly.
“That’d not be very fun,” Seamus said, wheezing but finally able to stop coughing for the most part. “I don’t think I’d enjoy that much.”
“I think we need to find you an actual doctor, Seamus. I can’t help with that kind of injury.” David said, “Can you stand?”
Seamus tried again to sit up. He got almost upright when a sharp pain went through his rib; he coughed up more blood and collapsed to the grass. He let out a loud cry of pain, something inside him being damaged just from that motion alone. David frantically tried to lift Seamus, but after just a split second of touching him, it was clear Seamus could not be moved without hurting him more, and David couldn’t leave Seamus’ side either.
Seamus felt his vision begin to blur. He felt something wet on the hand he was keeping against his sweater. David’s face paled when he saw the dark stain that had appeared. Seamus was bleeding badly.
“David, not to be a downer, but I think I’m almost out of nice days,” Seamus said with a weak smile. David could see how afraid Seamus was under that happy look.
“No, Seamus, no, you’re not. Okay? You’re going to have a lot more days. You’re going to be okay. You have to be, you’re Seamus Briggs. You can survive this. You can do anything.”
“Thank you, really, but we both know that most of the stuff I did, I did because of you. I think you’ll have to do that stuff for the both of us now.”
“Stop talking like that. I promised that I would find you. I promised Pauline. I promised everyone. They want to see you again. You’re going to be okay. You have to be.” David said frantically, trying to figure out how to help without touching Seamus’ wound.
“But you did find me, and as awful as it is that you have to see me like this, I’m kind of glad not to be alone right now,” Seamus said with a weak laugh that turned into a bloody cough. Despite his condition, his tone still sounded slightly comical. He was trying to stay upbeat. “Since when were you the hopeful one, David? It’s nice to see.” Seamus’ coughing worsened, and David noted how sickly-looking Seamus had suddenly become. David wasn’t being hopeful, he was in denial. But as much as David didn’t want to accept it, he could tell there was nothing he could do. Seamus was going to die very soon.
“I can’t lose you, Seamus. You’re my best friend. You’re the only one who ever sees me anymore. You’re getting out of this. I promise.” David asked, fighting himself using a thin layer of denial to hold in tears.
“Without me in the way, maybe others finally will,” Seamus said. He pulled a wet and ragged piece of paper from his pocket. “Save the school. You can do this.”
“What? The school? I don’t-“ David looked at the paper and immediately got what his friend meant. The paper told him exactly how to find the Ridgevale Fortune. Seamus had somehow found this information. Was this why Seamus was kidnapped? Because someone else wanted this for themself? It was then that David’s denial started breaking down, and it truly began to set in with him that there was very little chance of Seamus surviving the day.
“I will get you back to the school, Seamus. We’ll find that treasure together. We’ll find whoever did this to you and show them what we can do. I promise this will not go unpunished.” David said.
“Just protect our friends, David. Don’t focus on revenge. I don’t think it would get you anywhere that you would be happy.”
“The world needs people like you.” David said, “Ridgevale needs you. I need you.”
“Get that fortune, Ridgevale will be fine. They’d be crazy not to celebrate you after that.” Seamus said, “Leave the past behind; I want you to go on and do everything amazing you were meant to do, okay?” Seamus said, “And when you think of me, smile. King’s to you.”
David understood what Seamus meant. It was a reference to a book he’d borrowed long ago.
“I am no king, and we are not kings of the moment, you are dying,” David said bleakly, finally admitting it aloud.
“We are kings.” Seamus said, trying to comfort them both with imagination, “We’ll live free once again and have a million nice days.” His voice began to fade. Tears finally fell down David’s face as he grabbed his best friend’s bloody hand.
“When we are kings, tomorrow will be brighter,” David weakly smiled as he gave into the fantasy. The injured man’s grip weakened, and his eyes shut, glad to have his best friend beside him in this moment.
Despite Seamus not moving a muscle, David instantly knew when his friend had finally left him.