Disclaimer see in part 1

Mental (working title, unfinished & unedited)

part 2

Pools of blood.

It was everywhere.

In front of her lay a young man, who, like so many others had become the victim of the non-existing gun laws.

Shaking her head she desperately tried to soak up enough blood to get a clear view at the blood vessels which had been damaged severely. It was more like feeling the vessels than seeing them. The felt the strong flow of blood and the pulse, which was steadily getting weaker.

"Get me more blood. We'll lose him."

Claire shouted, frantically pushing her fingers onto the aorta. Her neck was hurting already, because of her unfavourable body bearings.

Her assistants tried to steady the patients vitals, but seemingly they didn't make any progress. Claire knew, that if she loosened her hold on the injured blood vessel her patient would die within moments. Nobody could compensate such dramatic loss of blood.

"Allison, I need your help. Press onto the opening. Make sure the vein is blocked."

She saw Allison move around the table and watch her expectantly. Claire nodded down onto her fingers.

"I'll take my hands away, so I can start and stitch up the vein. You'll hold it until I'm done with it. You've got to be fast."

Nurse Allison clearly wasn't appalled at the imagination, but she did not complain. Claire pulled her hands back and Allison immediately covered the spot, Claire had released.

Claire sighed and reached for the needle to stitch the vein. One of the other nurses held it to her. Claire took a very deep breath and started sewing. It took her nearly half an hour to close the hole. Allison had sweat on her forehead but she kept holding onto the spot Claire had shown her.

The patient man was still alive, when Claire finished her sewing and so she gave Allison a little smile. The other assistants now took over from them. Allison straightened her back and returned the smile.

"He will make it."

She stated but Claire shook her head.

"We can only guess at this point."

Claire really didn't know. Never before had she seen someone survive with more than half of his blood gone. Allisons smile faded slightly. They silently cleaned their hands in the sink just outside the ER.

When they came back in the other nurses had cleaned the patient as far as possible. Now Claire could examine him thoroughly for other injuries. She cleaned some small cuts and bruises. Other than the life-threatening injury at his throat she had found nothing, nothing but a number of scars and some freshly healed wounds.

"What's his name? Did he have an ID with him?"

The nurse responsible for signing the reception forms stepped next to Claire. Claire shrugged. When she had first seen the patient he had been naked, covered only by a sterile hospital blanket. She shot nurse Allison a questioning gaze. But the other woman just shook her head.

"As far as I know he was found nearly naked. All he wore were some torn underpants. The police assume that he was attacked by one of the gangs. He had no personal belongings with him."

Allison shrugged. She then hesitated because she saw Claires thoughtful expression.

"What is it?"

Claire was startled and forced her attention back to the nurse. She had studied the surroundings of the wound.

"Was he reported missing?"

Claire asked and again, Allison shrugged.

"No, the police didn't mention anything like that. Why do you ask?"

Allison leant back on to a cupboard and yawned. Claire sighed resignedly.

"I'm positive that the attack has taken place more than ten to fourteen hours ago..."

Now she all the nurses' attention.

"That's impossible! He would have bled to death hours ago...!"

tbc