-1The city was bustling with activity even for late night as John Norris and his twin brother Michael Garrison made their way to a local bar. They decided to meet in Dallas for the three year anniversary of their first time they met each other. For most of their lives they never knew that either one existed till they both enlisted in the Marines and wound up at the same base together. In the last few years they have become inseparable.
Michael pulled his coat tighter to his body. "I didn't know Texas got this cold."
John laughed. "I can definitely tell your a Florida boy." He looked around him at the bars that were still open. "So, do you want grudge or edge?"
"Hmm...edge." He began to make his way across the street when movement in an alley, just to his right caught his attention. A girl's blood curdling scream made him sprint into action. "John, do you have your phone on you?"
"Sure do." John began to run to the alley as a hooded man frantically ran out. Swiftly he went to the man, noticing quickly he wouldn't be able to catch him unless he tackled. Taking a deep breath he lunged out hitting the guy square in the back. "Don't move!"
The man began to squirm. "Let go of me!" He began to swing his arms violently almost hitting John a couple of times. "Let me go!"
Without warning another man came charging at John hitting him square in the back, sending him flying forward. All John could do was wait for his body to stop moving before he returned the attack. When he skidded to a stop he quickly rushed at the men with a punch each knocking both out. Looking down at the men while shaking the pain out of his hand he noticed Michael was sprinting towards him.
Michael skidded to a stop. "You're needed in the alley."
Instantly John began to run at a full sprint as his mind clicked to medic mode. As he made his way into the alley he spotted a man sprawled out underneath a faint door light. He can tell by all the blood coming from the victim's head there was a serious head injury involved. When he knelt down he noticed right away the man's face was destroyed with obvious fractures making the face look sunken in. Checking the pulse he noticed that the man was barely alive.
A whimper made him look behind his shoulder. "Ma'am, are you okay?"
A young girl came out of the shadows. "I didn't want to do it!" She cried out. "I didn't mean for this to happen!"
"What happened?" He asked the girl.
She wiped her face. "This gang wanted to rape me and brought me here. This man I guess heard and came to help me." Her voice was shaking as she began to cry. "He was about to win when a rock came out of no where and hit him in the head."
John cursed knowing this man needed a hospital soon. Quickly he dug into his pocket for his phone and dialed 911. While on the phone he began to check the man's injuries disgusted at what he saw. It appeared by the man's wounds the blows to his face and chest were made out of pure anger.
"How is he?" Michael asked as he knelt down.
"Not good." John began to get worried as the man started to go into convulsions. He had to question the 911 operator. "How much longer till an ambulance gets here, the man is going into convulsions? What? Can't ya get a helicopter? Why? The weather is nice what are you talking about?" He looked up at the sky as snow began to fall along with sleet. "Darn it! Hurry up this man won't make it!"
Michael looked around him at the garbage. "We can make a stretcher."
Nodding John began to take off his belt to use it as a strap. "Listen, ma'am I can meet the ambulance. Don't worry I know what I'm doing." He looked up as Michael found a good piece of board and rope. "Ma'am, please calm down. Where is the ambulance going to be coming from?" After the operator told him he nodded to Michael who started to get the man ready to move.
Soon the men had the victim tied to the board and ready to be carried out when the man yet again went into strong convulsions almost shaking the board loose from the brother's grasp. Cursing John and Michael dropped the board softly and checked the man's pulse. He shook his head when he realized the men's breathing and pulse was very weak.
"Michael, let me see your lighter and pen." When Michael handed the items to John, John then took out his pocket knife and began to heat the blade. As he did he noticed a small crowd starting to form. "Get these people away from here!"
Quickly Michael started to wave at the crowd telling them to move away as John made a chest tube with the pen. He took a deep breath as he slowly cut into the man's chest, the hot blade making the man wince loudly. The victim little out a loud grunt as John worked the tube through the cut and into the lung. As he did he can see the man relaxing a lot more as blood slowly came out. He looked up as the sleet began to come down harder.
Michael ran to John. "I don't hear sirens yet!" He went to the man's right side. "You ready?"
"Yeah." John lifted the man and began to slowly walk out of the alley as the crowd departed.
A man ran up to them, his attention quickly going to the man in the stretcher. "I have a truck!"
John nodded, his heart racing. "Where is it?"
"Right there!" The man pointed to a truck just parked by the alley. "Why aren't you waiting for the ambulance?"
"Because this man needs to go to the hospital now!" After the man was placed comfortably in the back of the truck using blankets and coats John called 911 again. "Yes, I'm the gentleman with the man that was badly beaten. Yes, I know they are on their way sir, but it's taking too long! We're going to go in a truck. I know it's dangerous but what…" John paused to listen to the frantic operator. "Sir, we cannot wait fifteen more minutes!" Cursing John pounded on the window signaling for the truck to go.
On the way to the hospital John couldn't help but to check the man again and again hoping they had made the right decision. Suddenly a large bump came making the man moan in pain which made John really happy. The man had shown pain recognition twice now, that was definitely a good sign indeed. Quickly he took hold of the man's hand and he could almost feel the man squeezing back.
After a few minutes of breaking every road law in the book they arrived at a hospital. Quickly John put the tailgate down then started to get the man out with Michael helping him. As they began to carry the man to the door a group of hospital personal came rushing out with a stretcher.
"All right we can take it from here." Said a doctor whose voice trailed once he saw the pen sticking out of the men's chest. "What is that?"
"Chest tube." John watched as the man was carried off then knelt down mentally exhausted at what just happened. He knew he had worse patients then this before, for some reason this man hit him hard. Taking a deep breath he looked at his bloody hands then at Michael. "I'm going to get washed up."
