Chapter 5: The Color Of Despair
As Tony finished sawing through the metal debris, Ephram let out a bone- chilling shriek of pain as the metal rubbish Wayne was supporting shifted and applied pressure to Ephram's ribcage.
"Hold it. Damn it. Hold it!" Wayne mentioned to Tony to sustain leverage. Tony scrambled to keep the remaining piece from collapsing on the victim.
Ephram coughed as Wayne and Tony exerted themselves in pulling off the metal with all their might. They heaved and grunted. A third man came in through one side of the newly demolished walls of the interior. He joined Wayne and Tony in preventing the debris from further crushing Ephram. Together, they shoved the remaining metal successfully off the boy.
"Don't move him. He may have a spinal injury. Get the medics in here." Wayne instructed as he watched the poor unconscious boy's frail broken body lie there amid the ruin covered in his own blood. Ephram shuddered from the cold air. Wayne covered the boy with the flannel blanket and demanded to know what was taking the medics so long.
A medic attached an extricating collar on Ephram's neck to immobilize his head and keep his neck vertebrae straight until they knew for sure what injuries he sustained. Two other medics slid Ephram carefully onto an orange backboard. Ephram let out a fierce cough and spewed out a small amount of blood. This got all the medics worried. Ephram was covered with so much fresh and dried blood that it was difficult to tell whether he vomited the blood or if the blood was from the deep cut on his lip. Either way they strapped him in a hurry and carefully carried the board to a gurney that was waiting outside. Wayne walked with the medics.
"Dad." Ephram moaned with eyes shut. "Dad." He sobbed weakly as Wayne shook his head in pity.
"Did you give him something for the pain?" Wayne asked one of the medics.
"I gave him 10 mgs of morphine. The dosage should hold him until we get to the hospital." The medic replied. Wayne turned to Ephram.
"It's gonna be alright." Wayne said and took a hold of Ephram's bloody hand in comfort. "Geez, the boy's hand is cold as ice!!" Wayne exclaimed as he wrapped the blanket tighter around Ephram's body. "Hope the kid makes it."
*** Andy's Arrival ***
Flashing red and blue lightbars atop emergency vehicles were parked in hurried disarray. Yellow police line barricade tape blocked the area alerting any non-emergency service personnel to stay away from the contained area. Andy bolted out of his car and headed towards the sounds of shouting men. He came to a halt on top of the cliff and looked down to view the scene. Observing the emergency response teams swarming around the now well-lit area, Andy's heart sank as he took note of the ruins. The shape of the craft had been contorted and reduced to a big scrap of rubbish. He watched the medics rush bodies into ambulances and craned his neck to see if his son was anywhere. His attention was drawn away from the rolling stretchers to a car with thick black bold letters etched on the side. It read "Coroner". He saw several zipped up black body bags being dragged into the vehicle.
'Oh dear God no. Please don't let Ephram be in one of those bags.' Andy prayed with tears welling in his eyes from fear. He frantically looked around for anyone to inquire about his son. Apparently, everyone was busy doing intricate duties, so Andy ducked under the yellow tape and approached the first policeman he saw.
"Sir, you can't come here. You're going to have to step behind the tape." The young police officer commanded.
"I'm looking for my son. He was in there. I have to know where he is." Andy stammered. "Have you seen him? He's 15 years old, about 5'6", short dark hair. His name's Ephram."
"Sorry. I'm not certain about anyone matching that description. But I'm going to have to ask you again to step behind the tape. This is a disaster area. No civilians allowed here." The officer ordered.
"Please, I have to know if my son is alright. If you can't help me, please direct me to someone who can." Andy begged. "I just want to know if he's alive." His voice shook in desperation.
Upon seeing the despair of this father searching for his son, the police officer softened up. "Hey Anderson!" The officer called to his colleague a few feet away. "You know if a 15 year old boy was found in that rubbish?" He asked as Anderson walked over.
"No. Not that I know of." Anderson shrugged.
"This here is the kid's father." The police officer said thumbing Andy. Anderson glanced over and saw the solemn look on Andy's face.
"Let me ask D'Angelis. He was working the interior. Maybe he's heard something." Anderson suggested. "I'll be right back."
Andy watched Anderson converse with D'Angelis impatiently. A few other men joined the twosome and they all seemed to glance back in Andy's direction occasionally as they talked. Andy wished he could hear what they were saying. Eventually, Anderson came back to Andy's spot.
"They haven't heard anything about a 15 year old boy. But I told them to ask around. We'll know something soon." Anderson said.
"You don't understand. I have to know where he is." Andy looked alternately at the police officer and Anderson. They just stood there not knowing what to say. He wasn't going to wait or let these people stand in his way of finding Ephram. Tears enveloped him.
"Ephram!!!! Ephram!!!!!!!" Andy hollered sprinting passed the two men. "Where are you Ephram??? Ephram!!!" His voice echoed.
"Sir!! Please. You mustn't go there. We have orders." The young officer called and ran after Andy.
Andy stopped running as he approached the front of the craft. He spotted something shiny in the dirt. It appeared to be a silver compact flat-shaped device. Recognizing it, he dropped down on his knees and picked it up. It was Ephram's MP3 player. Noticing dried bloodstains speckled on the cover, he burst out sobbing as he cradled the broken machine in his arms.
"No. Ephram. No. It can't be this way. No." Andy mumbled thru heavy sighs. The police officer and Anderson finally caught up with Andy. Instead of escorting Andy out of the area immediately, they decided to let him have a few moments seeing how emotional Andy had become. They were dedicated men of authority but they were also human. Sympathy was something all normal humans possess.
"Excuse me, sir?" A voice said. Andy looked up and noticed a yellow-haired man with a curly mustache addressing him. The man was wiping his bloody fingers off on an already blood-soaked cloth. "My name's Wayne Frasier. I hear you're looking for a 15 year old boy?"
Andy's ears perked up and he quickly got up from the ground. "Yes, my son."
"I'm not sure if he's your boy. But we found a 15 year old male that fits the description - green-gray eyes, about 5'6", dark hair, a skinny kid. Does the name Epron or F-ram mean anything to you?" Wayne began.
"Ephram! That's him. My son's name is Ephram." Andy interrupted. "Where is he? Is he alright?"
"He left in an ambulance about 10 minutes ago. He was pinned under heavy debris. It took us some time, but we got him out." Wayne continued.
"He's alive, right?" Andy pressed.
"Yea. He was when we got him out." Wayne tried to be positive but his frown gave him away.
"How bad is it?" Andy asked with skepticism. Seeing Wayne's grim expression. "Please, I need to know."
"Well, I'm no doctor but it looked pretty bad." Wayne kept it short. No need to go into details.
"What kind of injuries?" Andy pushed on. "Tell me the truth. I'm a doctor. I can handle it."
"Trauma to the head, deep laceration on the arm, possible spinal injury, broken ribs." Wayne replied after a moment of hesitation. "Honestly, it doesn't look good. The kid was spitting up blood last I saw. See, this?" Wayne showed the bloody cloth to Andy. "It's the kid's blood."
"Oh my God." Andy said under his breath. "I-I have to go." Andy stuttered.
"Look, he's hung on this far. The kid's a fighter." Wayne comforted. "He asked for you."
"Thanks." Andy sobbed into the palm of his hand. "I really got to go." He turned away and headed for his car.
"You gonna be alright?" Wayne called. Andy didn't turn around. He wasn't alright. He was never going to be alright.
Stepping hard on the gas pedal, he drove at top speed to the hospital as hot tears blurred his vision. The night was pitch black. His car's headlights and an occasional lamppost along the road were the only forms of light guiding his way. He knew how dangerous it was to drive while bawling his eyes out but he couldn't control it anymore. His son was lying somewhere alone on the brink of death and he wasn't able to help him. He sobbed.
* end of chapter 5 *
As Tony finished sawing through the metal debris, Ephram let out a bone- chilling shriek of pain as the metal rubbish Wayne was supporting shifted and applied pressure to Ephram's ribcage.
"Hold it. Damn it. Hold it!" Wayne mentioned to Tony to sustain leverage. Tony scrambled to keep the remaining piece from collapsing on the victim.
Ephram coughed as Wayne and Tony exerted themselves in pulling off the metal with all their might. They heaved and grunted. A third man came in through one side of the newly demolished walls of the interior. He joined Wayne and Tony in preventing the debris from further crushing Ephram. Together, they shoved the remaining metal successfully off the boy.
"Don't move him. He may have a spinal injury. Get the medics in here." Wayne instructed as he watched the poor unconscious boy's frail broken body lie there amid the ruin covered in his own blood. Ephram shuddered from the cold air. Wayne covered the boy with the flannel blanket and demanded to know what was taking the medics so long.
A medic attached an extricating collar on Ephram's neck to immobilize his head and keep his neck vertebrae straight until they knew for sure what injuries he sustained. Two other medics slid Ephram carefully onto an orange backboard. Ephram let out a fierce cough and spewed out a small amount of blood. This got all the medics worried. Ephram was covered with so much fresh and dried blood that it was difficult to tell whether he vomited the blood or if the blood was from the deep cut on his lip. Either way they strapped him in a hurry and carefully carried the board to a gurney that was waiting outside. Wayne walked with the medics.
"Dad." Ephram moaned with eyes shut. "Dad." He sobbed weakly as Wayne shook his head in pity.
"Did you give him something for the pain?" Wayne asked one of the medics.
"I gave him 10 mgs of morphine. The dosage should hold him until we get to the hospital." The medic replied. Wayne turned to Ephram.
"It's gonna be alright." Wayne said and took a hold of Ephram's bloody hand in comfort. "Geez, the boy's hand is cold as ice!!" Wayne exclaimed as he wrapped the blanket tighter around Ephram's body. "Hope the kid makes it."
*** Andy's Arrival ***
Flashing red and blue lightbars atop emergency vehicles were parked in hurried disarray. Yellow police line barricade tape blocked the area alerting any non-emergency service personnel to stay away from the contained area. Andy bolted out of his car and headed towards the sounds of shouting men. He came to a halt on top of the cliff and looked down to view the scene. Observing the emergency response teams swarming around the now well-lit area, Andy's heart sank as he took note of the ruins. The shape of the craft had been contorted and reduced to a big scrap of rubbish. He watched the medics rush bodies into ambulances and craned his neck to see if his son was anywhere. His attention was drawn away from the rolling stretchers to a car with thick black bold letters etched on the side. It read "Coroner". He saw several zipped up black body bags being dragged into the vehicle.
'Oh dear God no. Please don't let Ephram be in one of those bags.' Andy prayed with tears welling in his eyes from fear. He frantically looked around for anyone to inquire about his son. Apparently, everyone was busy doing intricate duties, so Andy ducked under the yellow tape and approached the first policeman he saw.
"Sir, you can't come here. You're going to have to step behind the tape." The young police officer commanded.
"I'm looking for my son. He was in there. I have to know where he is." Andy stammered. "Have you seen him? He's 15 years old, about 5'6", short dark hair. His name's Ephram."
"Sorry. I'm not certain about anyone matching that description. But I'm going to have to ask you again to step behind the tape. This is a disaster area. No civilians allowed here." The officer ordered.
"Please, I have to know if my son is alright. If you can't help me, please direct me to someone who can." Andy begged. "I just want to know if he's alive." His voice shook in desperation.
Upon seeing the despair of this father searching for his son, the police officer softened up. "Hey Anderson!" The officer called to his colleague a few feet away. "You know if a 15 year old boy was found in that rubbish?" He asked as Anderson walked over.
"No. Not that I know of." Anderson shrugged.
"This here is the kid's father." The police officer said thumbing Andy. Anderson glanced over and saw the solemn look on Andy's face.
"Let me ask D'Angelis. He was working the interior. Maybe he's heard something." Anderson suggested. "I'll be right back."
Andy watched Anderson converse with D'Angelis impatiently. A few other men joined the twosome and they all seemed to glance back in Andy's direction occasionally as they talked. Andy wished he could hear what they were saying. Eventually, Anderson came back to Andy's spot.
"They haven't heard anything about a 15 year old boy. But I told them to ask around. We'll know something soon." Anderson said.
"You don't understand. I have to know where he is." Andy looked alternately at the police officer and Anderson. They just stood there not knowing what to say. He wasn't going to wait or let these people stand in his way of finding Ephram. Tears enveloped him.
"Ephram!!!! Ephram!!!!!!!" Andy hollered sprinting passed the two men. "Where are you Ephram??? Ephram!!!" His voice echoed.
"Sir!! Please. You mustn't go there. We have orders." The young officer called and ran after Andy.
Andy stopped running as he approached the front of the craft. He spotted something shiny in the dirt. It appeared to be a silver compact flat-shaped device. Recognizing it, he dropped down on his knees and picked it up. It was Ephram's MP3 player. Noticing dried bloodstains speckled on the cover, he burst out sobbing as he cradled the broken machine in his arms.
"No. Ephram. No. It can't be this way. No." Andy mumbled thru heavy sighs. The police officer and Anderson finally caught up with Andy. Instead of escorting Andy out of the area immediately, they decided to let him have a few moments seeing how emotional Andy had become. They were dedicated men of authority but they were also human. Sympathy was something all normal humans possess.
"Excuse me, sir?" A voice said. Andy looked up and noticed a yellow-haired man with a curly mustache addressing him. The man was wiping his bloody fingers off on an already blood-soaked cloth. "My name's Wayne Frasier. I hear you're looking for a 15 year old boy?"
Andy's ears perked up and he quickly got up from the ground. "Yes, my son."
"I'm not sure if he's your boy. But we found a 15 year old male that fits the description - green-gray eyes, about 5'6", dark hair, a skinny kid. Does the name Epron or F-ram mean anything to you?" Wayne began.
"Ephram! That's him. My son's name is Ephram." Andy interrupted. "Where is he? Is he alright?"
"He left in an ambulance about 10 minutes ago. He was pinned under heavy debris. It took us some time, but we got him out." Wayne continued.
"He's alive, right?" Andy pressed.
"Yea. He was when we got him out." Wayne tried to be positive but his frown gave him away.
"How bad is it?" Andy asked with skepticism. Seeing Wayne's grim expression. "Please, I need to know."
"Well, I'm no doctor but it looked pretty bad." Wayne kept it short. No need to go into details.
"What kind of injuries?" Andy pushed on. "Tell me the truth. I'm a doctor. I can handle it."
"Trauma to the head, deep laceration on the arm, possible spinal injury, broken ribs." Wayne replied after a moment of hesitation. "Honestly, it doesn't look good. The kid was spitting up blood last I saw. See, this?" Wayne showed the bloody cloth to Andy. "It's the kid's blood."
"Oh my God." Andy said under his breath. "I-I have to go." Andy stuttered.
"Look, he's hung on this far. The kid's a fighter." Wayne comforted. "He asked for you."
"Thanks." Andy sobbed into the palm of his hand. "I really got to go." He turned away and headed for his car.
"You gonna be alright?" Wayne called. Andy didn't turn around. He wasn't alright. He was never going to be alright.
Stepping hard on the gas pedal, he drove at top speed to the hospital as hot tears blurred his vision. The night was pitch black. His car's headlights and an occasional lamppost along the road were the only forms of light guiding his way. He knew how dangerous it was to drive while bawling his eyes out but he couldn't control it anymore. His son was lying somewhere alone on the brink of death and he wasn't able to help him. He sobbed.
* end of chapter 5 *
