A/N: Now back to Jack and that scream …
Chapter Seven: The Accident
The scream was shattering. Hearing and responding to it came naturally.
The frantic sound flew from a small converted barn less than ten yards from the road, sitting just behind a low, neatly painted fence. The door to the wooden structure had been left open, and on this clear day, sound carried on the breeze.
Jack had no doubt it was a child's cry for help.
Shrill, high pitched and panicky, he'd heard enough of these cries over his years in the field. Screams of agony from men injured in battle, screams of terror from women watching their loved ones murdered, screams of innocent horror from those too young to defend themselves.
This was the horrified scream of a child.
Jack didn't think twice; he reacted. Instinctively, he swung himself over the two and half foot fence and ran to the barn door.
Inside were perhaps a dozen stalls converted to milking platforms on either side of the central aisle. And the place smelled of cow manure. That's all Jack had a chance to notice before the source of the screaming collided with him at full speed.
The terrified, crying screamer was a girl no more than five or six years old, dressed in worn coveralls and a short sleeved pink t-shirt. Her blond hair was in pig-tails. Jack was convinced she'd stopped screaming merely from the shock of seeing him standing there.
To her credit, she recovered quickly.
"Help Aaron!" she all but commanded, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the stall at the far end of the barn.
In a matter of seconds Jack knew this was a life or death situation. On the floor of the end stall lay the inert body of a small child. Even from the entrance of the stall, Jack could see darkened hay beneath the boy's head. He'd been injured, possible stomped or kicked, and there was a lot of blood.
Standing over "Aaron" was one of the milking cows, an impressive, large animal. Jack knew little about farm animals, but this one did not look happy. Though the likely source of her consternation was no longer a threat, she continued to sputter and paw the ground near the child. Behind her was a much smaller animal, so much smaller, Jack realized it was her calf. He knew enough to realize the calf's presence explained a lot about momma's behavior. Most likely Aaron wanted to play with the calf and momma hadn't taken to the idea. Of course, the little girl's screaming probably didn't help much either. The animal was simply protecting her young.
He needed to get the boy out of there without further injury. After telling the little girl to go for her parents, he proceeded to distract the animal, first getting its attention with a series of odd, vintage Jack O'Neill techniques and then coaxing it out of its stall with the tempting offer of an early dinner. Once distracted, the cow crept the necessary distance to obtain her treat, the calf following dutifully behind her. While mother and child ate, Jack ran into the stall and scooped up the little boy in his arms.
The child's body was limp, his head bleeding profusely. Calmly carrying him out of the barn to avoid further agitating the cow, Jack listened intently for the sound of the child's breathing. He was too still. Once outside in the sunlight, Jack was relieved to see the shallow rise and fall of the boy's chest. That much is good news, he thought.
Before Jack could lay the child down, he was startled by the little girl's presence directly in front of him. She was alone. She wasn't screaming, but she looked scared.
"He'll be okay," Jack assured her, nodding toward the boy in his arms. "But we need to get him to a doctor. Where are your mom and dad?"
The girl shook her head silently.
Jack laid the injured child down in the back of a pick up truck parked outside the barn. Then he pulled out his cell and dialed 911. While making the call he pulled an extra shirt out of his pack and began to apply pressure to the child's head wound. Help will be here soon, he thought.
Looking up from the boy, Jack could see the farmhouse about thirty yards away, up a small hill.
"Come on, let's get him to your house."
The girl led the way, running the few yards to her front door. The door was open, Jack assumed she'd left it that way.
"Anyone home?" he called when no one appeared. "The boy's been injured. I've called an ambulance."
By now, Jack's newest friend had opened his eyes. He took one look at Jack and started to cry.
"Hey, it's okay buddy," Jack said. "I know that head hurts, but I'll take care of you. Besides your little friend's right here."
Jack nodded in the little girl's direction
The boy lifted his head slightly and looked at the girl who'd brought Jack to him.
"That's Cindy," the boy said simply. "Not friend, big sister," the smaller child added with a smile.
"Ah, Cindy," Jack said. He was grateful to have a name for now silent little girl.
OoOoOo
Paramedics arrived from the nearest town a full twenty minutes later. By then, both children were comfortable with Jack, acting as if they'd known him all their lives. Aaron was sitting up laughing at Jack's comedic antics. Cindy was talking again and showed no signs of stopping.
Waiting for the ambulance, Cindy and Aaron told Jack how their father had left home almost a week ago. They weren't sure if he was coming back. Neither child knew where to find their mother. Cindy was sure she'd been in the kitchen when they went out to the barn, but wasn't able to find her when Aaron was hurt.
As the paramedic examined Aaron, a young, thirty-something woman ran into the house. She'd panicked at the sight of the ambulance in front of her door and seeing strangers in her house with her children was only making it worse.
"What's going on?" she demanded. Her voice was strained and strident. "Aaron? Cindy? Seeing the ambulance crew tending to Aaron, her alarm escalated. "Oh, my God! What happened?"
"Mommy!" Aaron called as he squirmed away from the attentive workers.
Aaron's mother shoved her way past the paramedics to her son. While inspecting the boy's fresh head wound, she looked up at Jack. Her expression was hostile, full of accusation. He was clearly not with the ambulance crew.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" she demanded.
"I'm Jack O'Neill, Ma'am," he replied calmly. "Just let the medics do their jobs and I'll be happy to tell you all about it."
"He saved Aaron," Cindy piped up.
"I was walking by, heard the kids screaming," Jack began to explain. The children's mother pulled back, giving the emergency workers access to their patient.
"Aaron tried to play with Bessie's baby," Cindy interrupted excitedly. "I told him not to. Bessie didn't like it. She knocked him down and kicked him!"
"Kicked him in the head, I'm afraid," Jack added. "I carried him out and here we are."
"Bessie was really mad, Mom," Cindy added.
The woman was clearly shaken and smelled of alcohol. But at least now she was assured Jack wasn't the cause of the problem.
"Thank God you were here," she said. "I'm Jessica, Jessica Keller. I went over to the next farm for a minute. I thought they'd be alright. They're very responsible children."
Right then, one of the EMTs interrupted.
"Mrs. Keller, your boy needs more thorough medical evaluation," the man said. "Mankato's got the nearest emergency room. They'll want X-rays and probably keep him overnight for observation. If we leave now, we can be there in thirty minutes tops. Recommend you follow us so you have a way home."
"Okay," Jessica replied. She seemed befuddled, clearly a bit shocked by the unexpected situation and worried about her son. Maybe even a little drunk, Jack thought.
"I want mommy," Aaron screamed as the paramedics attempted to move him out to the ambulance. "Come …" the frightened boy screamed, reaching out for his mom.
"Do you have anyone to come with you?" Jack asked Jessica Keller. A small inner voice told him he was getting himself in over his head, but he ignored it.
Moments later, there were car keys in his hand.
TBC
A/N: Please review!