FF_11/26/2008

Remember My Name

Pain… Confusion… He gasped and moaned with the pain. His eyes wouldn't open. He tried to move but agony flared through him and he cried out.

Voices cut through some of the confusion.

"Did you hear that?" "Where did it come from?" "Careful! We don't know how unstable this is."

He cried out again, when the voices began moving away.

"Back this way." "Can you see him?" "I can't see shit." "Nick, where are you?"

Was he Nick? He didn't know. It hurt too much to think about. He tried to put his hand to his head and screamed when agony flared through him again.

"There!" "We've got to be getting closer." "Nick, hold on, man. We're coming." "Nick, call out again so we can follow your voice."

He still didn't know if he was Nick, but he didn't want them to leave him here. So he cried out again wordlessly. He tried again to open his eyes, but the lids still wouldn't lift. The pain was building and he didn't try to stop the moans. He figured any noise he made would help lead the searchers to him.

"We're coming!" "We hear you!" "Hang on!" Three different voices called out over his moans. He tried to move again and screamed again when the agony flared. "Nick, don't move!" "Stay still! You're buried under debris!" "Let us get you out."

He stopped trying to move. He could hear them moving debris trying to reach him. He felt the wetness on his cheeks. He tried to beg them to hurry, but no words would come. He cried out in pain when the stuff on top of him shifted. His cries became screams when the debris continued to shift; a searing shaft of agony stabbing through his left arm and right thigh, as well as crushing agony from his waist down to his toes.

He couldn't control his screams, the pain flaring higher and higher. He yearned for the blackness of oblivion. It didn't come. The stuff around him shifted again. Some of the crushing pressure eased and he sobbed with relief. Again he tried to call out with words and again they wouldn't come. So he cried out wordlessly.

His three unknown rescuers replied with their encouragement. "Hold on Nick!" "We're almost there!" "Just hold on!"

More of the pressure was lifted. He couldn't hold back his sobs of relief. He focused his hope on the chatter of his rescuers.

"I see him!" "Nick, hang on!" "Move that carefully!" "We need a medic here!"

There was a couple of minutes of silence before a fourth voice joined the others. "Nick, can you hear me?"

He tried to answer, he really did, but no words would come out. His mouth opened and closed several times as he struggled to speak. Finally he let out another wordless cry. He must be Nick.

"Nick, I need you to answer yes or now," the voice sounded closer.

He struggled again to speak. Still no words would come. He cried out twice, struggling to communicate his inability to speak. Tears of frustration joined the tears of pain on his face.

He jerked with surprise then screamed in pain when the voice spoke right next to him. "I'm gonna need some help here!" He felt a gentle touch on his face. "Shh! Shh! I'm sorry. I'm right here. I'm gonna help you, ok?"

He tried to speak, he really did. Why couldn't he speak? He started to move his head, frustration driving him past the agony.

Hands quickly grasped his head and held it still. "Nick, don't move, ok? I need you to stay as still as possible. Just answer once for yes and twice for no. Do you understand?"

He cried out softly once, tears of relief flowing at finally being able to communicate somehow.

"Are you having trouble speaking?"

He let out another soft cry. He felt some more things being moved away from him.

"Can you feel your right arm?"

He struggled to think where his right arm should be. The pain in his head made any effort to think agony.

A new voice quietly asked, "Can you feel this, Nick?" He moaned with pain as he felt a part of him move. He cried out softly, once in answer.

"Nick, I'm going to start an IV, ok? Just stay still. Let me know if you understand."

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AN: Ok, this is my first submission. I've read and reviewed quite a bit, but I'm extremely nervous about submitting. I've never actually let anyone read any of my stuff in almost never! So please, be gentle.