Apollo learned later what happened from someone who saw them cross the street and called the ambulance. A drunk driver had run a red light and hit both of them. Apollo was barely clipped but Hyacinthus wasn’t as lucky. Apollo vaguely remembers waking up for the first time in the hospital.
There was another bed next to him, but there was a curtain between them. He tried to move, but he couldn’t. A nurse realized he was awake and came over, she moved her mouth but he couldn’t hear her at first.
“…car crash…driver…woken up…who you are…”
Apollo didn’t care what she was saying. He tried gesturing at the curtain next to him, but she suddenly gave a somber look. He drifted back to sleep.
He later learned that Hyacinthus was there, in a coma. By the time Apollo had woken up fully, they didn’t make it. The bed was empty.
Apollo felt, well, nothing. The police came and showed the footage to him. Hyacinthus was launched much further, their head hit the curb. One of the other nurses told him later that they couldn’t do anything. They had barely kept Hyacinthus alive for a day, no medicine seemed to work.
He was eventually discharged. He stayed home for a long time. His sister and co-workers came by to bring food. He didn’t leave his bed for the first week after being discharged from the hospital. Three weeks later, Heliades slipped a note to him under the door. It was from one of Hyacinthus’ co-workers. It was the date of the funeral. A week from now.
Apollo nearly didn’t go, but he knew he had to. They may have only known each other for a short time, but he felt responsible. He met the co-worker who had given the note, his name was Al. They decided not to go to the burial. Al told him that it would be Hyacinthus’ family, who didn’t approve of his ‘lifestyle’. Apollo got the hint. They waited for a while and eventually the crowd left. Al went up to the grave first without Apollo. He said he had to do something.
By the time Apollo went up after Al, he saw what happened. Al had saved Hyacinthus their dignity, he covered their deadname. Apollo had brought flowers. He left them at the grave. He stood there for a while, not sure what to say. He had felt so empty since the accident and nothing had changed.
The sun peaked out from the clouds and Apollo felt a cold breeze in the air.
He wouldn’t forget Hyacinthus.