Hollywood What If Chapter 538
Christian hesitated for a second. He thought Kazir was just overreacting. However, Kazir was the director, and Christian usually followed his instructions, so he instinctively nodded.
"O-Okay."
The look on Kazir's face told him everything. Something was wrong. Perhaps it was just intuition or maybe a false prediction.
Besides, if they broke the door, the worst thing that could happen would be paying for the damages and being blacklisted from the hotel.
Christian took a deep breath. He stood next to Kazir and nodded.
"On three."
Kazir counted down. Together, they kicked the door with all of their strength.
The doorknob shook but held.
Again.
The two kicked the door.
This time, the doorknob snapped. The door swung open. The room was dimly lit. Their eyes were adjusting to the dark. Kazir found the light switch and turned the lights on.
"Oh God..." Christian muttered.
They saw him.
Heath Ledger was lying on the bed.
His skin was pale. His lips were slightly blue.
On the nightstand, there were bottles of prescription pills.
"Heath!"
Christian rushed forward, grabbing his friend by the shoulders.
"Come on, man, wake up!"
Kazir was also shocked, but he kinda expected it... He hated himself for acting normal in this situation. But at the same time, he was thankful. At least he could think straight.
Kazir quickly assessed the situation. Heath was breathing, but barely. His pupils were dilated and he was unresponsive.
"Call 911. Now!" Kazir said.
"Okay!"
Christian fumbled for his phone. His hands were shaking as he dialed the emergency number.
"Hello? Yes, yes, 911!"
Perhaps because of the situation, Christian started speaking in a British accent.
Kazir wasted no time. He knew basic first aid. After what happened to him last time, he decided to attend some first aid lessons.
If the patient was unconscious but breathing, place him in a recovery position, which meant putting him on his side with his head slightly tilted back.
He rolled Heath onto his side to prevent him from choking.
"Heath, can you hear me? Stay with me, man." Kazir checked his pulse. It was weak, but there was a pulse. Fortunately.
"Yes, Room 305. The New Place Hotel. He's breathing but barely! Just send someone fast! Please!"
Christian was talking to the emergency operator, telling them their location.
Kazir checked the pill bottles. He recognized painkillers, sleeping pills, and anti-anxiety medication. A dangerous mix.
Scarlett appeared at the doorway.
"The manager is coming with security. Oh my God… Oh my God!"
She started tearing up as she witnessed the situation.
"He's alive," Kazir said firmly, "but we need paramedics here as soon as possible."
He grabbed a wet towel from the bathroom and pressed it to Heath's forehead, trying to cool him down.
"Stay strong, Heath."
Minutes felt like hours, but finally, they heard the sirens wailing outside. Kazir and the others sighed in relief when they heard the approaching medics.
Christian and Scarlett were still in shock and had a hard time adapting to the situation.
Hotel security arrived first, followed by paramedics who rushed into the room with their medical gear.
Kazir stepped back as they worked. He watched as they administered oxygen and checked Heath's vitals.
"He's overdosed," one of the paramedics confirmed.
"We're taking him to the hospital now."
"Jesus Christ…"
Christian ran a hand down his face, exhaling deeply.
Scarlett held Kazir's arm tightly.
"If we hadn't checked on him…" her lips trembled.
Kazir nodded grimly. "Yeah. He'd be dead."
"Kazir, thank you. If you didn't force me to help you break the door, perhaps it would've been too late."
Christian sat down, like an inflated balloon... He was still talking in his British accent.
They watched as Heath was carefully placed onto a stretcher and wheeled out of the room. He was still unconscious but breathing.
Kazir exchanged a glance with Christian and Scarlett. All of them were in shambles.
They couldn't attend the charity event today.
Today was something that all of them could never forget.
....
....
...
The television screen turned on. A news anchor appeared in the newsroom. Her expression was somber yet focused.
"Good evening, everyone. This is Stain Tune with breaking news. In a shocking turn of events today, actor Heath Ledger, known for his iconic roles as the Joker in The Dark Knight and Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain, was found unresponsive in his hotel room earlier this morning."
"The actor, who had been in New York for promotional work ahead of the movie's release, was discovered by co-stars Christian Bale and director Kazir Grey."
The screen switched to footage of the New Place Hotel. The cameras zoomed in on the hotel where the incident had occurred. Police cars and ambulances were visible in the background.
"Sources reported that Heath Ledger was found in his hotel room around 11 a.m. He was exhibiting symptoms of an overdose. His co-stars and close friends, Christian Bale and Kazir Grey, arrived at the scene and found Heath Ledger unconscious with symptoms of overdose."
"We've learned that Kazir, a renowned director, took immediate action to save Ledger. He administered first aid until paramedics arrived."
The footage then cut to an interview with an unnamed witness, an onlooker from the hallway.
"I saw two people kicking the door. I didn't recognize them at first. I thought they were thieves or something. They started kicking the door. I called the reception and told them that something was going on in Room 305. Then paramedics showed up. That's the moment I realized that the people in Room 305 were actually celebrities! Kazir Grey, Christian Bale, and even Scarlett Johansson! Man, I wanted to ask for autographs, but I knew the situation wasn't right, so I returned to my room."
The screen now showed a clip of Kazir walking out of the hotel, his face tense and tired, followed by Christian Bale and Scarlett Johansson. The camera zoomed in on them as they exited the building.
"Both Kazir and Bale have not made any public statements. But sources close to the situation indicate that Kazir and Christian, who had worked closely with Ledger during filming, were deeply shaken by the incident."
The camera returned to the reporter in the studio, her expression serious but normal. She had seen so many kinds of tragedies, so this was just a Tuesday for her.
The screen faded to black.
++++
[Author's Note: I am not a fan of the NBA, but trading Luka Dončić to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Mavericks is so fucking wild. Man, I'm not even into the NBA that much, but that trade is fucked up from any angle. Dallas Mavericks' franchise is over.]
[Edit: This chapter is a few months ago, but I want to know your opinion regarding the trade between Luka and Anthony. Is it a good trade?]