‘Move!’ I shout, pushing him out of the way. Kellen is lifeless, his skin ashen.

Pressing my hands to his chest, I frantically start giving him CPR, exactly as he taught me.

‘Call a fucking ambulance!’ I yell at Rhys, who is still just frozen to the spot.

I know it’ll take too long to get here, but what else am I supposed to do? I continue the compressions on his chest, but he isn’t responding.

‘Kellen!’ I bawl, pushing harder now.

You’re better off breaking a rib than having them die on you …

I hear his words clear in my mind.

‘Ah, ah, ah, ah … stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.’

My voice is fraught as I push harder and harder.

‘There’s no service!’ I hear Chase in the corridor, trying to make the phone call.

‘Ah, ah, ah, ah – Someone get Madzikanda!’

Kellen, wake up … Wake the fuck up!

I think of us driving along the road, me in the passenger seat, the summer air breezing through the open window; us lying on the roof; him struggling with the rowing boat; the birthday cake; the way he smiles from one side of his mouth; the way he brings light to every room he walks into.

The thought of waking up every day without him dawns on me now. The thought of never again seeing the light in those deep brown eyes …

Kellen! Please wake up!

Ah, ah, ah, ah … Don’t you fucking die on me!

Ah, ah, ah, ah … Don’t leave me here alone in this!

Ah, ah, ah, ah … And I’m crying now because it’s not working.

He’s not waking up.

‘Kellen …’

‘He needs air,’ Rhys says, finally snapping out of his daze and pulling me off Kellen. ‘You’re not doing it right.’

I watch helplessly as Rhys leans down to breathe into his mouth, then continues the compressions.

Please be OK, Kellen. I need you to be OK.

But nothing. It doesn’t work. His heart has stopped. He’s completely lifeless.

Rhys’s shoulders slump. I can see him giving up. But then I remember Kellen’s words:

‘Even if you think they’re gone, don’t stop until the ambulance gets there.’

‘Keep going!’

‘He’s gone, Zach …’

‘He’s not gone!’

I push Rhys out of the way and climb back on top of Kellen. I keep the compressions going, desperately pushing on his chest, willing him to take a breath.

Come on, Kellen. Wake up! Please, just wake up!

This time, I lean down to breathe into him myself and, the moment my lips touch his, I feel an electric shock that jolts me backwards. A weird feeling. Something I’ve felt before. Kellen lies still for a moment. Everything is silent.

And then, suddenly, he starts gasping for air.

‘Kellen!’ I choke through tears as I grab him and pull him into me.

His whole body is trembling.

‘Zach …?’