Disclaimer: The characters from Emergency do not belong to me. I'm only having a little fun with them.
RESCUER BEWARE
By: Vanessa Sgroi
"She's gone."
"NO!"
"I'm sorry, but there was nothing more we could do for her."
Dr. Joe Early's words resonated in the woman's ears as she stared at him in disbelief. Something darker than grief shifted in her chocolate brown eyes as they filled with tears.
"May I see her?"
Early nodded in assent. On the way to the treatment room to say a final goodbye to her grandmother, 18-year-old Cherry LeCroix spotted the two paramedics who had treated the ill woman. Leaving the doctor's side, she pasted a small smile on her face and approached them.
"Sirs? I wanted to thank you for trying to save my grandmother," the lie slid smoothly past her lips. In truth, her palm itched to slap them both for allowing Granny Beulah to die while insisting to Cherry that the old woman would be all right. Since the dark-haired one had done most of the talking, the exotic young lady from New Orleans decided he deserved most of the blame. I know just how to pay you back. Continuing with her act, Cherry enfolded each of the men in a quick hug and then proceeded to the treatment room with Dr. Early. Johnny never felt the slight tug as she clipped off a tiny piece of his hair.
E!--E!--E!
Later that night, Johnny sat at the table nursing a cup of coffee. The rest of the crew lounged across the room watching a program on television, but Johnny just wasn't in the mood. He stared glumly at the deep brown liquid inside the cup. His mind wandered back to the old lady they had lost that afternoon. He had been so sure she was going to be all right. Sadly, she had taken a turn for the worse in the ambulance on the way in and the doctors were unable to bring her back. Johnny felt a hand on his shoulder.
"You okay, John?"
"Yeah, Cap. I was just thinkin' about that bad run we had earlier. You know, it's hard when we lose someone. Doesn't matter how old they are."
"I know, pal. We all feel the same. But, you and Roy have it the hardest of any of us. You did the best you could."
Johnny sighed and ran his fingers through his tousled hair.
"Thanks, Cap. I think I'm gonna turn in now."
Weariness sat heavily upon the paramedic's shoulders as he made his way to the dorm. After arranging his turnout gear, he crawled beneath the covers and drifted off to sleep not long after his head touched the pillow.
E!--E!--E!
Cherry's supple, cocoa-colored hands cradled the small doll made from scraps of blue and tan material. The purloined strands of hair were carefully placed on the head of the doll but its face remained blank. I guess it's time for me to have some fun, Mr. Paramedic. With a satisfied smirk, Cherry picked up the white seagull feather and slowly began to rub it over the face of the doll.
E!--E!--E!