INTO THE WILD
By Emom
These good fellows don't belong to me, but I promise when I'm done to pick um up, dust um off and with a kiss on the cheek return them safely home.
Nobody has ever measured, even poets, how much a heart can hold. ~Zelda Fitzgerald
A/N: Thanks for all the support and encouragement. I love the messages too! And big thanks for my guests with whom I can't reply to. Also, if you tell me of issues, I strive to go back and make corrections. I do listen :) This one was harder than expected to write. So here you go.
CHAPTER 9
The waiting room was quiet and only held a handful of family members who huddled in their private worlds of grief and worry. Chet had paced the floors until pure exhaustion took over, and he collapsed unwillingly into a hard and uncomfortable hospital chair. The gentle tapping on his shoulder didn't rouse him quickly and became more intent in its actions causing him to jump to wakefulness in the blink of an eye. The young nurse almost spilt the coffee in her hand when he jumped to his feet. She was beautiful and at any other time would have caught his full attention. Right now though, his only thoughts were of his friend.
"Roy?" He said with concern.
She passed the hot coffee to him. "I thought you might could use this," she said softly.
He appreciated the warmth in his hand, but now that he was awake he just wanted to hear some news, good if possible. "Thanks, any news on Roy?"
She gestured for him to sit down beside her. "Do you know when his wife will arrive?"
Glancing at his watch he shrugged. "She should be here anytime. Is anything wrong?"
Lowering her eyes she hesitated.
"The doc said I could get updates until Joanne got here. What's wrong." His internal alarms were now going off full force.
"Mr. DeSoto's condition has worsened."
Chet stood up. "I need to see him."
She stood up beside him. "Oh, I'm sorry, only family is allowed to visit."
He put his coffee cup on the table. "Roy is alone in there and right now I'm the only family he has." Then he softened his tone. "Please don't let him go through this alone," he said trying to ignore the giant knot in his stomach. If Roy wasn't going to make it, by damn, he wasn't going to be alone when it happened. "You don't understand. Roy, well, he's always there for us guys when we are hurt or sick. He needs to know we're here for him. He can't think he's alone."
Chet struggled with his emotions. "Please."
She looked torn. "His doctor is in his room. I'll be right back."
As she disappeared Chet quickly went to the house phone in the corner and dialed.
"Cap, I'm really sorry to wake you up, but Roy, he's not doing well."
"It's okay Pally, what's going on?" Hank answered from his groggy, short-lived sleep.
"The nurse just came out looking for Joanne, says he's doing worse. I'm trying to get in there to see him, but they won't let me."
"Joanne should be there soon. Just keep trying. He needs to know we're there for him."
"Yes, sir."
"And Chet?"
"Yes?"
"Let me know if," he paused trying to get the words out, "If he doesn't make it."
"I will Cap." He looked up to see the nurse returning. "Gotta go Cap, the nurse is back."
"Keep us posted Pally."
"The doctor said you can come back."
Chet hung up the phone and eagerly followed her while at the same time his inner dread knew it wasn't a good sign to be allowed back. Passing the double doors they emerged in front of a long nurses station which faced rooms with glass fronts and wrapped around the station in a soft arch. Each room was occupied with a patient, various monitors, soft nursing voices, and dimmed peaceful lights.
Roy's room was the opposite.
Chet immediately felt overwhelmed by the level of activity, noise, and to his layman's eyes, chaos. The white walls glistened with the overhead lights as workers rushed around him, hanging IV fluids and responding to endless alarms. The head of Roy's bed was against the back wall, now lined with rows of monitors and IV pumps. On the far side of his bed was a large white machine that he had never seen before with wheels that turned around tubing full of darkened blood that led back to Roy. Two white coated doctors stood at the foot of his bed while nurses appeared to be working on starting an IV while someone else was drawing blood.
"Hello."
Chet turned to find the older doctor from earlier. "What's going on?" His voice was shaking.
"Would you like to stand closer?" Dr. Dasanti's eyes were kind.
"I want him to know I'm here," Chet replied.
The doctor led him to the head of Roy's bed. Chet thought he was prepared for seeing his friend until he was at his side. His color was pale, washed out, the bruises now more prominent on his face, chest, and arms. His eyelids were swollen and tapped shut as his chest rose only when the whoosh of the ventilator forced air into his lungs. The cut on his arm had been re-bandaged, but Chet could still see the angry red skin around it and his chest was covered in EKG leads. Gauze was wrapped around his hands and feet leaving the degree of frostbite damage to Chet's imagination.
There were a million questions running through his mind as he stood there, yet, he couldn't form one sentence to ask. It was overwhelming to him. But, was he really ready to hear the answers to those questions? If the choice was to focus on the words that Roy was dying or tune the world out he would chose the latter. As he paused words he didn't understand filtered in one ear and out the other; cardiomyopathy, ARDS, hyponatremia, and prolonged QT.
He turned to the doctor. There was only one clear thought, "Is he going to die?"
The man's features softened, his brow pressed together. "We're doing everything we can, but he's not responding. I'm sorry, yes, your friend is dying."
Chet moved between the nurse, IV pole and the wall, until he was right at Roy's pillow. He wasn't a touchy-feely kinda guy and besides Roy's hands were bandaged anyway. Instead he placed his hand on his shoulder and leaned in closer to him. "Roy, you have to fight this pally. You can't give up. We're here for you, Joanne's on the way. And Jenny and Chris, you have to fight for them. We got you out, you're not in that plane anymore buddy. You're here at the hospital, you're safe now. Fight this man, you have to fight. You have to come back and help us find Johnny. Johnny needs you too. Don't give up Roy, please God, don't give up."
"Mr. Kelly, his wife has just arrived."
Chet looked up with tears in his eyes. "Where is she?"
"We've put her in a conference room. I need to update her before she comes in."
"Can I be there with her when she hears all this?"
Dasanti nodded. "Of course."
Johnny woke up feeling like a pretzel tangled in a jar of peanut butter, legs cramped up under him, his arm almost out of socket tied to the furniture and his neck in a direction that was anything but normal.
"Ughhh," he groaned as he untangled and swung his feet to the floor. Pushing his hair out of his face with his other hand he realized it was still dark.
"You okay?" Mark whispered to him.
"Yea," he mumbled. "Bad dream. Go back to sleep."
Mark closed his eyes and grew quiet again. Truth be told it was a nightmare that had stirred him. Something was wrong and his gut screamed it was Roy. He'd played the options over and over in his head. Was it right to leave them behind? Did he make the right decision? Could Roy hold on another three days at this point? In the end it was too late now to change his mind, to head back or do anything but keep moving forward. Changing the play at this stage of the game wasn't an option. On the other side of the coffee table, Jason slept on an old mattress. The fire was long gone with an intense chill in the air and Johnny figured it must not be too long til sunrise. He pulled on the rope, but apparently Mark learned his rope skills along with lock picking. He stretched his leg out and kicked the mattress corner.
"Hey!"
Jason reached for his gun before his eyes even opened. "What?" The annoyance not hidden.
"I gotta go." He mentally kicked himself for sounding like a four-year old.
"It's too damn cold to get up," he grumbled.
"Just let me up. It's almost sunrise anyway and we have a lot to do before leaving."
Jason grumbled and slowly drug himself to an upright position. "Can I assume you're not going to shut up about it?"
Johnny smiled and shrugged. "It's one of my best loved qualities."
Jason got up and untied him then moved to the chair while Johnny ambled down the hall to the bathroom. There was no plumbing out this far; it was more of a makeshift inside out house. Once finished he quickly looked in the cabinets for anything he might could use later. Unfortunately, they were bare, just like the rest of the place.
"Wanna get that fire going again while I try the radio?" Johnny asked as he continued to walk past them heading straight to the radio room.
Jason picked up a book off the table and tossed it at Mark's head.
"What the," Mark exclaimed as the book bounced off him and to the floor. He sat up to see Jason staring at him.
"Well, princess, if I don't get to sleep, neither do you. Here," he tossed him the small keys, "get us a fire started."
Chet followed the doctor past the nurse's station to a small room that held a couch and a couple of chairs. The window in the room revealed a beautiful sunrise over the city. As soon as Joanne saw him she jumped up into this arms as if he was a lighthouse in a terrible storm. She couldn't even speak, couldn't stop shaking, and no words could express how afraid she was at that moment. It was very clear to him and for that couple of moments he just held her. He couldn't rescue her with reassurances, platitudes, or false promises. All he could do was be there for her and try to help her through this nightmare.
"Mrs. DeSoto?" The doctor took a chair and gestured for them to take the couch.
Chet sat right beside her and continued to hold her hand as she squeezed his for some grip with reality.
"How is he?" Her voice was shaky.
"He doesn't seem to have suffered any severe injuries from the crash itself. There are some bruised ribs, cuts and abrasions, but nothing very serious. His chest x-ray does look like pneumonia." He took a deep breath. "The complications we are seeing are related to the effects of the prolonged exposure to the cold, which have caused his body to shut down."
She began to softly cry and leaned against Chet's shoulder.
"Right now we are having trouble stabilizing his vital signs and oxygen levels."
"But, but he's going to be okay, right? I mean with time he can come back from this."
Chet could hear the pleading in her voice, the desperate need to hear something positive.
"Mrs. DeSoto, right now your husband is failing to respond to our treatments. If we don't see an improvement soon, he won't survive the day."
She straightened up, smoothed out the wrinkles in her cotton dress and looked at him. "I need to see my husband now."
The doctor nodded. "Of course. Follow me, please."
Daylight was slowly creeping into the small office as Johnny turned the dials and flipped the switches without any luck. Twenty minutes of trying to get the radio to work had yielded zero results and a load of frustration. Yesterday no signal and today not even power. He knew that last night's storm was the most likely culprit. Resigning himself to the utter impossibility of getting help here, he was ready to be on the way. Back in the living area Mark had a small fire going and Jason was shoving the last of his supplies into his pack. Standing in front of the wood burning stove Johnny worked at warming up his own cold and aching hands.
"Still nothing in there?" Mark nudged his head towards the office.
"Radio's dead this morning. Storm I guess."
Mark glanced around them, seeing Jason in the kitchen area and out of direct earshot.
"He went in there last night, after you fell asleep."
Johnny frowned. "For what?"
"Have no idea, but that radio worked before we went to bed."
This was not what he needed to hear first thing in the morning. He turned around and headed back to the office.
"Where you going?" Jason barked.
"Grabbing the maps," Johnny replied without slowing his determined stride.
Once in the office he glanced back to make sure he was alone then quickly looked behind the desk to see if the radio had been disconnected. He grabbed a handful of wires and pulled up to trace them. What caught him off guard was when his hand returned with severed wires.
"What the hell?" He leaned back over the desk and saw where everything had been cut in half.
Hearing movement in the other room, he dropped them and sat in the chair. Jason stepped in the doorway.
"Problem?"
Johnny didn't look back. "No, it seems dead this morning, guess the storm got to it last night. "
"Well, get what you need and let's get going."
Johnny held down the rising panic that was stirring in his gut. Jason had sabotaged any hopes they had of rescue on purpose. He knew now that the man had no intentions of being found which meant as soon as Johnny found them safe passage, him and Mark would be liabilities.
He had to alter plans and fast.
He shoved the maps into the outer pocket of the larger backpack they had found in their rummaging. It held more supplies which now included a tent, plenty of rope and blankets. Within an hour, they had two small packs and the big one ready to go. Johnny put out the fire and looked back into the only safe haven they had seen in a week. Outside the sun was coming up and they were instantly greeted with harsh winds, blowing snow and bitter cold. At least they had a little bit of sleep under their belts although it barely put a dent in what their bodies needed for recovery. It was a moot point now as they headed down the stairs and back into the wilderness.
Joanne entered the busy room and ignored the crowd that milled around him, going straight to Roy's side. Leaning in beside him, she whispered into to his ear softly and privately. Chet watched the tears flow down her cheeks only to imagine the love that she poured out to him at that moment. Everyone seemed to still around her, their rushed movements slowed, the monitors quickly silenced. It was like they understood the importance of this moment, for both husband and wife.
Chet stayed in the back of the room, out of the way, and just observed until Dasanti approached him.
"We're going to have to take him off the heart bypass now," he said.
"Why, I thought he needed it?" Chet said puzzled as Joanne joined them.
"He's not tolerating the medications needed to help the machine work."
"Will it help him or hurt him?" Joanne asked.
"We will know in the next couple of hours if he can survive without it. I'll keep you posted."
The nurse escorted them out of the room and back to the waiting area where strangers faces looked up with worries of their own. Joanne walked strong though Chet kept his hand under her arm for support. He was amazed at her strength through seeing Roy for the first time. The room had been warmed by the sunshine was coming through the window now, taking the night chill out of the air. The smell of fresh coffee lingered in the room.
"I'll get us some coffee," he told her as she sat down.
She grabbed his hand. "Thank you Chet, for being here for me and Roy."
"My pleasure ma'am," he said with a little smile. "Anything for Roy."
The next hour was endless as they waited patiently and at times, impatiently.
"You know," Joanne started talking again. "As a wife you picture all the horrible ways your husband can be killed as a firefighter. I mean, you prepare yourself for falls, burns, smoke inhalation, being trapped, even buried." She gave a sideways smile. "This? A fluke storm on a routine trip? Not even on duty?" Her brow furrowed as she closed her eyes to keep the tears at bay. "Never, this."
She shifted in her seat, gracefully crossing her legs and leaning over the steaming hot cup in her hands.
"Were you there? When they found him?"
"Yea, it was me, Cap and Tom."
"What was it like? Did anyone else make it?"
"It was like nothing I've seen before. I mean it was bad, but they had found supplies and set up a shelter. Heck, Roy even made a traction device for the girl with a broken leg. She's here somewhere too."
Her eyes lightened up some. "That's my Roy."
"As soon as they can they're going to find Johnny and the others too."
She turned pale and nearly dropped her cup. "Oh God." Tears started to run down her face.
Chet was afraid he had told her too much and put her into more shock. "Joanne?"
"Johnny, how could I have forgotten to ask about Johnny?" She said crying.
"Hey, hey, it's okay. You've had a few things on your mind. It's okay," he held her hand and tried to reassure her.
"Johnny's still out there?"
"He wasn't in the plane. We found several maps and think he went for help."
"He's out there alone?" She had stopped crying as she worried about their friend.
"Well, we don't know that either. Several passengers were missing from the plane, so we don't really know if he was alone or not."
She nodded. "But he left? He left Roy behind?"
Chet shifted in his own seat since he really didn't know the story. It was all really just speculation and guesswork. "The doc thinks Roy was sick and maybe that's why he stayed behind, and to take care of the others. He took care of the girl, we do know that much."
Again, she nodded. "Yea, he would have done that. And Johnny is the adventurer so it makes sense he would go for help. But now he's still missing. Do you think they'll find him today?"
"Nobody is going to stop looking until we find him. Johnny's tough, he'll get through this."
Her face crumpled again. "And Roy?"
"We're not going to lose Roy today," Chet said without hesitation.
They didn't speak as they walked. The visibility actually wasn't too bad since the snowfall wasn't very heavy, but the winds forced a lot of energy out of them to just keep balance and not fall. Johnny knew it would mean no air rescue support today, at least until the winds improved. They could still do a foot search. The problem was they would be limited in their search area due to this weather. The terrain around them wasn't too strenuous for the time being, mostly gentle hills and peaks, though the path was rocky. Towering mountains surrounded them on all sides lending to an awe-inspiring view of white mountains and rocky valleys. Pausing, he pulled out the map and knelt to the ground, having to press down to keep it from blowing away.
"Isn't that Saddle point over there?" Mark asked as he looked over his shoulder.
Johnny glanced back to see Jason busy getting a water bottle and a drink. "Just follow my lead and don't mention landmarks." He stood back up.
Mark stood beside him, the look of unanswered questions on his face. "Johnny?"
Jason started walking back and a quick shake of his head let Mark know the conversation was over for the time being. "Problem fella's?"
"No," said Johnny. "Just reviewing the path with Mark here. We have some rough terrain coming up before dark and just wanted to be on the same page."
"You just lead and we will follow."
Johnny shoved the map back into this coat and started walking again. He needed some time to warn Mark about what his plan entailed. It wasn't essential he knew, but it would be helpful for them both. In the meantime, he would just keep moving forward.
The activity in the waiting room remained steady during the morning and afternoon. Joanne's 'we'll let you know' had been agonizingly drawn out and they had stayed too busy with Roy to let them return to the room yet. Chet had shed his jacket as the afternoon sun had driven the temperature up in the small area and he passed it to Joanne to lean against.
It was difficult in this small space to not notice what other people were going through. Families and friends holding hands, praying, crying, and often just staring at the walls that surrounded them. He was sure they saw the same from him and Joanne. The elevator opened and a young woman, probably around mid twenties emerged while holding the arm of a slightly graying man, somewhere in his fifty's Chet guessed. They were new faces to the room of grief and clearly had already shed many tears before arriving. The gentleman was quiet as the lady helped him sit then went to the phone to check on the person important to them. He watched her intently. She was petite, brunette, her hair falling on her shoulders with bangs that fell across her face. Her features were distinct with chiseled cheeks and a dimple on the right side. He just kept staring at her.
"Not a good pick up place hon."
He turned to see Joanne watching him. He smiled. "She just seems real, I don't know, familiar."
"You know people up this way?"
Shaking his head. "No, not at all. Actually, this is the first time I've been in Fresno." He watched her walk back to the older gentleman. "Still," he muttered.
"This is a busy place. Guess it's easy to see someone who reminds you of someone else. Maybe, another lovely face you've dated?" Her eyebrow raised at him. Yes, she knew some of the stories.
However, he wasn't really listening anymore. Standing up he moved towards them and stopped just in front of her.
"I'm really sorry to bother you miss, but do I know you from somewhere? You seem very familiar to me." He was entirely sincere in his question.
She shook her head. "I don't think so. But, we're not from here. We're from L.A."
"Mattie," the man chastised her.
The woman smiled. "He seems harmless daddy."
Chet shrugged. "I'm from L.A. too. Maybe, I've just seen you there at some point. Are you here for family?"
"Yes, my sister."
He looked sad again. "Really sorry to hear that. My friend is here too, he was in a plane crash."
The girl froze. "Did you say plane crash?"
Chet nodded.
"A lost flight from Reno?"
Now Chet froze and he instantly understood why he recognized the face. She was a mirror image of the girl they pulled from the plane. "Yes, you are the spitting image of your sister."
"We're twins," she said. "How, wait, what do you mean I look like her. How would you now that." Her and her father were now standing.
He extended his hand to the father. "I'm Chet Kelly, a fireman from L.A. My friend," he turned and pointed to the doors, "he's a fireman too. I was one of the men that found your daughter sir."
The man took his hand with a firm grasp as the tears ran down his face. Within seconds he had pulled Chet into a full hug, patting him on the back. "I can never repay you for what you did. You saved my daughter's life."
Chet reached up and wiped away his own tears. "I'm just glad they got in touch with you. How's she doing?"
"She's listed as critical condition. We've only been able to see her once," Mattie answered.
"I hope she is better soon. My friend Roy, he's a paramedic and helped her when she was hurt."
"Can you please tell him how grateful we are? And when he's better we hope to thank him ourselves."
Chet couldn't answer to that, so he only nodded.
"Were there any other survivors?" Mattie asked cautiously.
"Just your sister and Roy, but other passengers were missing. We think they went for help."
The man sat down, weighted down with grief. "My wife was with Meghan. She had gone to get her and bring her back home. She wasn't there?"
Chet understood the man's pain of not knowing. "No sir. We hope to hear more today. They are still searching."
The two just nodded and leaned into each other for comfort. Behind him, the doors opened and Chet saw Dasanti head towards Joanne.
"If you'll excuse me," Chet said quickly.
"Of course."
Joanne stayed quiet while Chet talked. She heard enough to know the other survivor had family here too now. Staring at the painting on the wall, of snow-capped mountains, she was lost in her own thoughts.
"Mrs. DeSoto?"
She looked up to see the doctor as Chet joined her side again.
"Yes?" She said anxiously.
"Your husband is off bypass."
She gave him a tentative smile, "really?"
The doctor apparently didn't share her enthusiasm. "I'd like you to come sit with him while you can."
Her face dropped as she glanced over to Chet. "What happened?"
"We had difficulty getting him off the machine because his heart wouldn't beat on its own."
Joanne closed her eyes, squeezing them tight.
"It took longer than expected to stabilize him enough to complete the process. For now, his heart is beating on its own."
"For now?" Chet asked.
"Mrs. DeSoto, he might not have much time left. If you like, you can stay with him."
She turned to Chet and fought back the tears as she took his hand. "Can you please let Hank know for me?" Reaching into her purse she pulled out a small piece of paper. "This is my mom's number, she has the kids, oh and my sister too." Her breathing hitched. "If you can tell my mom I want the kids up here as soon as she can."
He nodded, unable to speak as she patted his hand. "Thank you. Stay strong for me, I'm going to need it."
He reached out and hugged her feeling the tears wet his shoulder. After a moment, they let go and she disappeared behind the double doors. As Chet realized then he had probably seen Roy for the last time, he headed down the hall, needing his own moment of solitude before making the phone calls.
They had remained silent through the mid-day break for a bite of nourishment which comprised of frozen dried up berries Johnny had dug up and some broken crackers. Mostly, it was a much-needed physical rest that their bodies demanded. The weather had held out with minimal to absent snow fall, good visibility, but steady, strong winds. Johnny had been keeping an eye out in the skies for any sign of plane or chopper. He doubted to see a helicopter search this far out and there had been no sight or sound of aircraft. So they trudged on moving closer and closer to the tree line before them.
There were no paths or trails here, just dense forest and a temporary reprieve from the harsh winds that so easily knocked them around. None of the climbs would be dramatic in elevation, just tiring to work your way up then carefully inch your way down the other side. The downfall to the shelter of the forest was the quicker loss of daylight as the setting sun would be upon them soon, ending any further progress for the day.
Johnny was ready to stop soon anyway. He had studied the map and knew what lay ahead for the group. Tonight, he had to find a way to talk to Mark.
"This will do," he said as he stopped and dropped his backpack on the ground.
"We still have daylight," Jason complained.
"And we need what's left to set up camp and get a fire going." He turned in a circle. "Over there, by that boulder, it'll give us some protection from the wind."
Mark walked over and dropped his stuff. "I'll start gathering some firewood."
Johnny was already plotting some dinner. "I need to set up some traps, try and catch us something to eat."
Jason chuckled. "Good luck with that Daniel Boone."
Johnny was way too tired to deal with Jason's smart mouth. "See if you can get the tent set up. We're going to need some protection tonight."
He scoffed but moved over to the big pack and began pulling out tent supplies.
Johnny headed into the woods putting some distance between him and the others. This would take quiet to work. Tossing his supplies on the ground he quickly used the rope, small twig tree, a few sticks and a coiled up wire to contrive a snare trap. Pulling out a cracker that he had saved he placed it in the middle of the trap and walked backwards. Now, the hard part. Waiting.
Back at camp Mark had gathered a nice supply of wood and kindling and was working on getting a fire going. They had run out of matches and now had to rely on the flint and steel pack. At least Mark was getting much faster at getting the flames going with all the practice recently. Meanwhile, Jason was behind them and was spending more time cussing at the tent than actually getting it put together. Johnny went to him first and in short order had it up and secured. After tossing all the packs and supplies inside, he helped Mark baby the small flames in hopes of a roaring fire soon.
As the next couple of hours progressed, stomachs began growling and the water from the morning stream was getting used up quickly. Johnny knew how critical nourishment would be before tackling the next days to come. Sitting around the fire no one really felt like trying to hold a conversation so an easy silence settled in. With darkness surrounding them, the silence was finally broken by the rustling of leaves, then the snap of a stick. Mark jumped to his feet as Jason instantly had the gun at the ready.
"Easy fella's," Johnny said as he stood up. "I think dinner just arrived."
Mark's mouth was already salivating at the prospect of some real food. He couldn't even remember the last time he had a full stomach.
"Mark come with me. Jason stay just behind us, you know, in case something else thinks we are the dinner."
Jason started to protest then decided to be quiet at the prospect that something could be stalking them. They moved quietly through the woods. Johnny stayed keen to all noises around them, including Jason in the distance who had no idea how to tip toe in the wilderness.
"Don't talk just listen. We don't have much time," he whispered.
Mark nodded.
"Jason cut the wires of the radio. He has no intentions of being found."
Mark stopped and opened his mouth.
"No, listen." Johnny kept moving. "He has to hear us walking."
Another nod.
"I'm taking us over Bloody pass." He didn't have to wait long for a response.
"What!" Mark exclaimed in a muffled voice. "You said there was no way we could get through that."
"It's only a two to three-day hike. He's expecting at least three days. We'll get close to camp I think a full day ahead of what he thinks. That's going to be our advantage. He won't be thinking about what to do with us yet, but we'll be ready for him."
"If the trip doesn't kill us Johnny."
Johnny nodded in the dark. "I know, but we can do this. We'll push him as hard as we can get away with. This will work."
The rustling of the leaves grew louder as they approached and Johnny stepped forward to cut the snare and pull up the prize.
"Nice," Mark said.
"Hello dinner, nice to make your acquaintance."
The sun had set in a spectacular fashion though Joanne never focused on it. She laid on her side, curled up next to him with her head resting on his shoulder. The room was quiet now. The big heart machine had been removed, the lights dimmed and all the extra faces had disappeared to work with other patients. Alarms had been silenced and for now it was just her and the love of her life.
She cried on him, tears running down his shoulder and onto his chest. She wanted to be strong for the world, but instead the world had betrayed her and crumbled around her.
"How can I explain this to the kids? What do I say? How..."
Her hand rubbed across his chest, the array of EKG leads now removed allowing her to wrap her arm across him. "I can't do this without you baby. I just can't." She cried, her body shaking against his. There were no more words left in her, only a sorrow deeper than she felt humanly possible.
With the exhaustion of ultimate grief, she fell asleep beside him.
A/N: Do not kill me. I'm not done yet! I know you have something to say, so let it out and send me your thoughts. Keep your own tears though, I had my own just writing this.
