Salvation
~prelude~
-Author's notes- I understand I closed "Overburdened " without answering the big question, and to raise further questions... I do this to establish ambiance and to raise those important question. Overburdened closed the first half of the story and I ended it the way I did intentionally so I can answer those questions in the second half. Thank you so much for your support and please keep reading, we'll close out Lynn's story with a spiritual quest a trial that could prove far more challenging than what she experienced in reality as she seeks to find herself again. -t0x
The city was filled with the sound of sirens, steady traffic moved aside for the emergency vehicle and some escorted by police interceptor. One was a black and green 2009 Dodge Challenger inside the back seat was Luna, in Sam's comforting embrace, the passenger Lincoln, staring out the window aimlessly only thinking of Lynn. The driver, Sam and Luna's friend Corey, his eyes focused on the vehicles in front of him, ready to follow any change in direction."
The car ahead was a 2016 Ford Focus driven by Lori and in the passenger seat was Luan eyes a washed with tears, using the car's phone feature they called their mother's cell phone .
"Yes mom, we're on our way to the hospital right now!"
*Hospital!? Lori what's going on!?* Rita frantically asked.
Unable to keep strong Lori's tears flowed profusely taking long, heavy inhales through her nose.
"Lynn literally tried killing herself!" Those grim words instantly made Luan's sobs resume.
*Oh dear God no!* Rita exclaimed in absolute disbelief.
"We seen the whole thing, she jumped from the roof of the mall! Please hurry and get to the hospital! We need everyone there!"
*Don't worry! We're on our way!* Their mother exclaimed, trying to keep up the appearance of strength only to be that of false bravery.
Brosco took command of the interceptor in front of the Louds, remaining silent and thinking only of the girl inside the ambulance. Remembering the reason why he helped the Louds in the first place. As the Ambulance pulled up to the emergency room entrance, nurses and a physician assistant stood ready to assist EMTs ascertain the situation.
Quickly, they unloaded the gurney with Lynn lying on it, teetering between consciousness and unconsciousness. An EMT tried to rouse her attention to no avail.
Within seconds her siblings rushed to her side frantic and desperate they tried reaching out to her only to receive a weakened glance.
"Lynn! I'm sorry about what I said! Please don't die!" Luna exclaimed as she held on to Lynn's left hand in an emotional heap. "I was a terrible sister! Please forgive me!"
"For God's sake get her out of here!" The nurse exclaimed as Lori grabbed the rocker girl.
"No one needs to be in here until the doctor has examined her!"
Inside the examination room the nurses and pa prepared the room to begin Lynn's treatment. As the emergency room doctor stepped in and seen Lynn lying on the bed, he sighed at the sight, as he remembered her from the event that unfolded months prior.
In the waiting room, the siblings watched as their family flooded in, instantly they ran to their mother with abundance of tears and embraces. Even the families of the Loud children's friends came to give their support. Mr and Mrs Sharp Sam's parents, even Corey's sisters Sylvia, Amy, and Kate. Bobby and Ronnie Anne arrived with Rita, Lynn sr and the remaining brood and Haiku. But standing on the sidelines avoiding the crowd, the skateboarding boy a look of distress sketched across on his face.
Brosco walked up to the ER doctor as he exited the room Lynn occupied, he handed him the empty baggie and the doctor nodded then entered the room again. He walked up to Rita and Lynn sr, both in tears and in the comfort of their children.
"Mr and Mrs Loud..." He said in a comforting tone.
"Officer Brosco? Is Lynn going to be ok?" Rita asked.
"They're running blood tests and x-rays on her now. When she fell her right arm cushioned her fall, there is one bone obviously broken, but they want to look for additional breaks or fractures, and she has a mild concussion." He explained the status to them as he recalled from the doctor.
"Why blood tests?" Lynn sr asked. Brosco looked at Lisa believing she had any comments of the situation, only to see her writing in her notepad.
"Because Lynn was recently pregnant, they wanted to check hormone levels, and for any current pregnancy. The additional test is for any drugs in her system."
"Drugs!?" Leni exclaimed her eyes red from crying.
"She attempted suicide, and when I found her she was obviously under the influence. But this is standard in any treatment. Failed suicide, scraped knee or anything in-between." He explained.
"Could you blame her? That poor baby didn't get a chance at life... And in regards to the father... He's a prick!" Luna said with bitterness.
"If I see that little asshole come in here I'll literally turn him into a human pretzel!" Lori exclaimed.
"I can beat that! I'll turn him into my personal back scratcher!" Lana exclaimed.
"Calm down kids, this isn't the time or place to talk about this!" Rita said calmly.
The family and their friends talked as they waited for an hour waiting on the doctor, passing the time anyway they could, trying to distract themselves from sorrow and to be thankful that Lynn was alive.
Inside the room the nurses, removed Lynn's shoes and stored them away, then began cutting away her clothing, from top to bottom until her nude, under weight body was exposed, they covered her with a blanket then worked on resetting the bone which they fused together with steel rods and screws, they then applied the cast to her forearm then elevated it. After this the doctor left to check for lab results. And the nurse began to dress her in a gray gown.
After a long wait, the pa walked out to meet with the Louds.
"She is stabilized, so if you want some of you can go in and see her." She said in an assuring tone. With that, Rita, Lynn sr, Lincoln and Leni quickly walked followed her to the room.
They looked in to see her, lying in the bed, connected to a machine that continuously monitored her vital signs, sedated and unable to move. The sight was too much for them to bare for Lynn was the most active of the family, seeing her on the opposite end was something they never wanted to have happened.
"She looks so terrible..." Leni said as her chin trembled sorrowfully.
Rita walked over to her side and stroked her thick and silky brown hair, and kissed her paled freckle peppered cheek. her eyelids fluttered open then closed back.
"Lynn sweetie? It's mom... Can you hear me?"
Hearing her warm comforting voice, Lynn attempted to speak only able to get out a hoarse and weak delivery of syllables.
"...M,mom.. I-I.." she struggled to speak as Rita stroked her bangs.
"Don't worry about talking, just as long as I know you're still with us..."
"Mr and Mrs Loud?" A monotonous voice projected from the doorway gaining their attention quickly. "I'm Dr. Ranney. Can I see you both outside for a moment please?"
"Of course..." Lynn sr replied. "Honey..."
"I'll be right back."
Leni then moved beside Lynn as their parents exited the room.
"Hey little sis..." She said with a scratchy voice.
Outside the room, the doctor met with the parents regarding her status.
"We have her on an antihistamine to act as a sedative, but it won't last." The doctor said in a serious tone.
"The test results regarding her hormones were normal, and a negative pregnancy test. But what was the cause for concern was the drug screening."
Both Rita and her husband consumed with suspense listened to what the doctor had to say.
"We found a combination of Alprasolam, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Sertraline and Phencyclidine. All in moderate to high dosages."
The revelation made it clear that Lynn's life was still hanging in the balance. And both parents felt helpless against the obstacle now in front of them.
"All of those are in a cocktail that's become popular with teens lately." Brosco added.
"Mr Loud, Mrs Loud... The only thing left we can do is to begin detox, but with the levels of meds in her system, the only way that is safe involves inducing her into a coma..."
Both parents faced with a difficult decision, they looked at each other and Rita began trembling, and her face began to grimace. All he could do was comfort his frightened wife.
"If she was to detox in the conventional method... The combination of these narcotics would result in withdrawals so severe that it could throw her into cardiac arrest, and most likely would kill her by the end of the night, this is the safest way... She will be given medication intravenously and she will sleep through the withdrawals, then we will slowly pull her out of sedation."
Rita and Lynn sr looked at each other once more, this time Rita nodded in agreement, both parents seeking only what was best for her.
"Ok, just please! Save my little girl!"
"Absolutely, she's in excellent hands." The doctor said as he patted their shoulders.
Dr. Ranney began the procedure with the aid of his assistant. Two smaller bags for her iv fluids where brought in, each containing medication used for the detoxification process. And one syringe filled with a strong sedative and anesthetic.
"Miss Loud? We're about to give you some anesthetic for pain, and a sedative, it shouldn't take long to take effect." He talked to her gently as he began to administer the injection. As the fluid ran through the tube it made it's way to her bloodstream, she felt the warmth radiate through her left arm, quickly she felt the effects of the anesthetic. Her vision blurred as her mind drifted to a state of calm, memories of her family, her friends, her accomplishments in sports, even moments with her past love, and the painful memories that led to her state of degradation.
Her eyelids fell heavily, her mind finally slowed enough for sleep though forced by a chemically induced coma.
"She's sedated and stable doctor." Ranney's assistant relayed as she read Lynn's vital signs.
"Ok, start an NG tube, and begin the first round of medication, then move her to ICU." He ordered as he looked at the girl laying still on the hospital bed.
"Yes doctor..."
"Fourteen... She's only fourteen... And she's been through so much..." The pa said with some sadness in her voice.
"I know... My oldest daughter goes to school with her."
"My baby sister is a grade behind her." She said as she shook her head.
"To lose a child so soon at such a young age... I could never imagine losing any of mine... We just need to hope for the best... For her and her family..."