It was quiet...too quiet. I mean this was a hospital. I was used to seeing
people scurrying about and hearing pages for Dr so-and-so over the
intercom.
Now it was too quiet. I remember familiar faces only when I saw them, they seemed like strangers...strangers wearing the masks of people I knew.
The first one I remember 'seeing' was Carlos. My reaction...well I lost it.
I charged at him as best I could considering my body ached from lying still for what seemed like a long time. He was squatting down beside Bosco, his treatment bag at his side. He pulled out gear only everything he reached for something in the bag, I pushed him away.
Feeling arms around me, I fought; my arms flailing at this intruder. Bosco's life was in danger and he needed medical assistance. I stared at these people, my mind sure they were there to hurt us...to finish the job they'd started. They were smart. I didn't stop to think that they were real...that this really was Carlos. Every time I looked over at Bosco, I saw the hidden faces...the guns aimed....the sound of gunfire.
"Please don't hurt him!" I cried out.
I shrugged off my captor, grabbing Carlos by the shoulder, pushing him away. Kneeling I reached for my partners hand.
"Bos-co" I replied, my voice cracking as I spoke his name.
Another 'familiar' face arrived, this man too trying to pull me from Bosco's side.
"No. no... I won't let them hurt him..." I screamed, my arms again fighting for my release.
I don't remember much after that. The next thing I knew I woke up in a room alone. In my arm was an IV line...my arms immobilized.
That's when Lieu entered the room only it wasn't Lieu. They were smart but I was smarter.
"Where's Bosco?" I demanded to know.
"You need to calm down Faith..." he replied, giving up that I would soon calm down. "He's in surgery."
"Surgery....for what? What'd you do to him?"
Lieu looked at me, shaking his head then turning to leave.
I fought to get out of the bed...to somehow find my partner.
It was then that I heard yet another voice...the voice of my daughter.
"Mom? Mom, please don't....you'll hurt yourself."
"Emily?" my voice was soft, shaky as I struggled to focus on her voice.
"Mom? For a minute there, you had me worried."
"I'm all right baby," I replied almost out of habit. I certainly didn't feel fine. I felt like I was in a haze. "Em...you're okay?" I questioned, studying her from head to toe.
"I'm fine...I just got here a little while ago," she explained meaning she hadn't been there when the shootings had taken place. "They wouldn't let me see you so I waited."
"You're okay? Charlie? Is he okay?"
"He's fine...he's with grandma but he's fine."
"Fred? Where's Fred? Is he here?"
Her face changed and I had my answer.
"You came her alone?"
"I'm fine mom...there's like a million cops swarming the place."
One cop wasn't swarming. I needed to know.
"Bosco?"
"Didn't Lieu tell you? He's in surgery."
"Lieu was here?"
"Yeah he was here right before I came in, don't you remember?"
I didn't tell her the truth 'cause I wasn't sure of it myself. I'd been dreaming only it wasn't a dream; it was a nightmare. She was worried enough; I didn't need to frighten her too.
I t wasn't until later that day that I got the first bit of news on Bosco. I still remember the doctor's exact words.
"He's still in surgery."
I understood this was to be the good news only it wasn't good enough for me. I needed more like what kind of surgery. I didn't even know where Bosco had been shot. He was my partner and I didn't even know. I did know one thing...that I had to hold it together. Bosco would need me to be strong. I didn't want him to hear later that I'd fallen apart. I knew in the back of my mind that he'd hate to hear that he'd worried me.
I got the distinct impression there was more to this...much more. I also felt those who were there including Lieu, Ty, Sully, and several big shots from the 55...they didn't want me to hear whatever it was the doctor was holding back on.
It didn't matter cause I wasn't going anywhere...at least not until I got news on Bosco. I must have had that look on my face 'cause Lieu nodded at the nurse.
"Officer Boscorelli took several shots...three in all."
"Where?" The words were out of my mouth before I had a chance to even think of what to say.
I didn't miss the look on the doctor's face as he glanced at Lieu before continuing.
"One shot entered his upper arm," she said indicating on his arm just where the shot had entered Bosco's arm. "There was minimal damage to the triceps."
"And the other two?" I questioned.
"The second entered just below the ninth rib. It entered his left lung. The lung was punctured. It will be repaired and re-inflated. It's a fairly routine procedure."
This was minor...so far it was minor. The worst was yet to come and in my heart, I felt the worst would more than make up for the minimal damage caused by the first two gunshots.
I couldn't have been more right.
Now it was too quiet. I remember familiar faces only when I saw them, they seemed like strangers...strangers wearing the masks of people I knew.
The first one I remember 'seeing' was Carlos. My reaction...well I lost it.
I charged at him as best I could considering my body ached from lying still for what seemed like a long time. He was squatting down beside Bosco, his treatment bag at his side. He pulled out gear only everything he reached for something in the bag, I pushed him away.
Feeling arms around me, I fought; my arms flailing at this intruder. Bosco's life was in danger and he needed medical assistance. I stared at these people, my mind sure they were there to hurt us...to finish the job they'd started. They were smart. I didn't stop to think that they were real...that this really was Carlos. Every time I looked over at Bosco, I saw the hidden faces...the guns aimed....the sound of gunfire.
"Please don't hurt him!" I cried out.
I shrugged off my captor, grabbing Carlos by the shoulder, pushing him away. Kneeling I reached for my partners hand.
"Bos-co" I replied, my voice cracking as I spoke his name.
Another 'familiar' face arrived, this man too trying to pull me from Bosco's side.
"No. no... I won't let them hurt him..." I screamed, my arms again fighting for my release.
I don't remember much after that. The next thing I knew I woke up in a room alone. In my arm was an IV line...my arms immobilized.
That's when Lieu entered the room only it wasn't Lieu. They were smart but I was smarter.
"Where's Bosco?" I demanded to know.
"You need to calm down Faith..." he replied, giving up that I would soon calm down. "He's in surgery."
"Surgery....for what? What'd you do to him?"
Lieu looked at me, shaking his head then turning to leave.
I fought to get out of the bed...to somehow find my partner.
It was then that I heard yet another voice...the voice of my daughter.
"Mom? Mom, please don't....you'll hurt yourself."
"Emily?" my voice was soft, shaky as I struggled to focus on her voice.
"Mom? For a minute there, you had me worried."
"I'm all right baby," I replied almost out of habit. I certainly didn't feel fine. I felt like I was in a haze. "Em...you're okay?" I questioned, studying her from head to toe.
"I'm fine...I just got here a little while ago," she explained meaning she hadn't been there when the shootings had taken place. "They wouldn't let me see you so I waited."
"You're okay? Charlie? Is he okay?"
"He's fine...he's with grandma but he's fine."
"Fred? Where's Fred? Is he here?"
Her face changed and I had my answer.
"You came her alone?"
"I'm fine mom...there's like a million cops swarming the place."
One cop wasn't swarming. I needed to know.
"Bosco?"
"Didn't Lieu tell you? He's in surgery."
"Lieu was here?"
"Yeah he was here right before I came in, don't you remember?"
I didn't tell her the truth 'cause I wasn't sure of it myself. I'd been dreaming only it wasn't a dream; it was a nightmare. She was worried enough; I didn't need to frighten her too.
I t wasn't until later that day that I got the first bit of news on Bosco. I still remember the doctor's exact words.
"He's still in surgery."
I understood this was to be the good news only it wasn't good enough for me. I needed more like what kind of surgery. I didn't even know where Bosco had been shot. He was my partner and I didn't even know. I did know one thing...that I had to hold it together. Bosco would need me to be strong. I didn't want him to hear later that I'd fallen apart. I knew in the back of my mind that he'd hate to hear that he'd worried me.
I got the distinct impression there was more to this...much more. I also felt those who were there including Lieu, Ty, Sully, and several big shots from the 55...they didn't want me to hear whatever it was the doctor was holding back on.
It didn't matter cause I wasn't going anywhere...at least not until I got news on Bosco. I must have had that look on my face 'cause Lieu nodded at the nurse.
"Officer Boscorelli took several shots...three in all."
"Where?" The words were out of my mouth before I had a chance to even think of what to say.
I didn't miss the look on the doctor's face as he glanced at Lieu before continuing.
"One shot entered his upper arm," she said indicating on his arm just where the shot had entered Bosco's arm. "There was minimal damage to the triceps."
"And the other two?" I questioned.
"The second entered just below the ninth rib. It entered his left lung. The lung was punctured. It will be repaired and re-inflated. It's a fairly routine procedure."
This was minor...so far it was minor. The worst was yet to come and in my heart, I felt the worst would more than make up for the minimal damage caused by the first two gunshots.
I couldn't have been more right.