Here we go, chapter three. It's a little shorter than the last one, but not by much.
You guys don't want me to kill anyone? Gosh, you should have mentioned that before. Just kidding, don't worry.
Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. You guys truly rock. I won't get the next chapter out as quickly as I have these three, but it will more than likely be up by this weekend. I plan on that, anyway. I'll try to not get grounded before then, just for you guys.
I don't have very much medical knowledge, so don't take anything I say here as advice. Not like anyone would or anything, but I just want to be careful. Anything medical-like came from is a very useful site if you ask me. If anyone is out of character here, I'm really sorry. I didn't better with that in the next two chapters, for sure.
Well, that's all I have to say. Please review.
~Cop~
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Soundtrack of Sorrow
Chapter Three: Bittersweet Reunion
After determining that Joan's cuts weren't too serious, Luke and his sister tried to decide the best course of action. He wasn't sure about what to do with Joan's wrist, so they wrapped it up with strips of a blanket Luke had found in the back half of the Trailblazer. They had searched for their suitcases, and for their cooler, but to no avail.
The only thing left for them to do was to find Grace and Adam. Once they were all together they could figure out how to get away from this place. Plus, maybe one of them knew how to set a broken bone.
"So." Joan said as they followed the small stream, "What happened?"
"We crashed," Luke said, not looking back.
"I know that," Joan said, exasperated, "but how'd we pull that off?"
"I don't know," Luke said, "Adam was driving. He'll tell us."
Joan was silent for a few moments. "Do you think that they.you know."
Luke wasn't sure about how to answer that question. "I don't know. I mean, they could have survived it, but.we don't even know what happened to their half of the car. It might have stayed up on the road for all we know."
"Or maybe not," Joan said with a gasp. They had come to a break in the trees, and suddenly the river had come into view. They both gaped at the object that was so clearly out of place in this scene. Flipped over, right in the middle of the rushing waters, was the missing front half of the Trailblazer. As it had been with the back half, all of the windows were smashed in, and the driver's side was crushed beyond recognition. It seemed to be washed up against a large rock that was jutting up, and water filled it up past the windows. But the worst sight of all was what was covering the shards of glass in the windshield, and the steering wheel.
"Blood." Luke whispered. But it was still loud enough for Joan to hear him, and she gasped softly as the sight registered in her mind as well.
"Do you think they're in there?" Joan asked tentatively. Luke peered at the wreckage, but from his vantage point he couldn't see anyone, either alive or dead.
"I'm not sure," Luke said slowly. "Should we go check?"
"Yeah, probably," Joan said dazedly, eyes never moving. When she didn't stir from her spot, Luke spoke up again.
"So you're too nervous to find out, too?"
"Yep."
"Well-"
Luke's statement was cut off by a shout form someone further down the river bank.
"Finally! I thought I'd actually have to go and look for you two."
Both of the Girardi's turned to see Grace Polk standing a few yards away. Both ran up to her, thankful she wasn't trapped in the wreckage.
"Are you hurt?" Luke asked, looking her over.
"Not really," Grace said. "I'm wet, though," she added thoughtfully.
"Have you found Adam?" Joan questioned, watching Grace's face intently.
Grace frowned and seemed hesitant to speak. After a few moments of silence, she worked up the courage to get out her statement.
"Yeah, I found him," she said slowly. "But.he's."
"He's what?" Joan demanded, obviously worried about what kind of answer she would receive.
"He isn't doing too well," Grace explained cautiously. Joan's face fell.
"Where is he?"
Grace sighed. "I'll show you." She led the pair around a group of rocks, and into a small cave that was about ten by fourteen feet in area, and six or seven feet tall. She showed them the unconscious Adam, whom she had propped up against the back wall. He was deathly pale, and his shirt had been removed, revealing a deep wound, whose blood flow was being staunched with a towel.
Joan dropped to her knees beside him and placed a trembling hand on his face. A terrible realization was dawning on Luke as he came to understand that the blood they had seen had been Adam's.
"How...What happened?" Luke managed to choke out. Grace looked at him sadly.
"I had to pull a windshield wiper out of him," she explained. Luke stared at her.
"A *what*?"
"A windshield wiper. You know, the things that-"
"I know what they're for," Luke huffed, "but it was.in.him?"
"Well, didn't I just tell you that I pulled it out?" Grace asked him, shaking her head.
"Just stop it," Joan said suddenly. "Things are already bad enough, do we need you two arguing?"
Luke sighed, and then knelt down by Joan and studied Adam as well. He was cut up pretty badly, not counting the wound on his chest, which was bleeding freely, and his breathing was shallow and uneven. Of course having something piercing your chest could easily cause internal damage, so it was entirely possible that one of Adam's lungs had been punctured. He decided it would be wisest to not mention this to Joan, since she was already so upset, and it wasn't like they could do anything about it anyway.
Joan put her good hand on the towel that was quickly turning red with blood.
"Aren't we supposed to put pressure on it or something?" She asked, not looking up from Adam's face.
"That'll help stop the bleeding," Luke commented, nodding his approval of the idea. He watched as Joan firmly pressed her hand down over the towel. Adam didn't stir.
"What'd you do to your wrist, Girardi?" Grace asked suddenly, noticing Joan's makeshift bandage for the first time. Joan glanced up at her for a second.
"Luke says it's broken."
Grace turned her attention to Luke. "Did you set it?"
"Uhm.no," Luke said, stumbling over his words. "I didn't want to make it any worse, so."
"You hoped that I could do it?"
Luke nodded, and Grace sighed.
"It won't heal right if it isn't set. I really don't want to do this, but."
They ended up finding a few relatively straight sticks, which Grace padded with blankets, and tore another strip off of the blanket to hold the splint in place. Joan had reluctantly left Adam's side, and was now sitting on a rock by the opening of the cave. Luke had taken her previous spot.
"This *will* hurt," Grace warned her friend as she took the swollen hand in her own. Joan didn't answer, just glanced over to where Adam was resting.
Once Grace had actually started, Joan had to struggle to hold back a scream. Even though her eyes were shut tightly, she could still hear and feel the bones shift. Grace worked as quickly as she could, but that didn't make it any less excruciating. When the sticks were in place, and the hand was wrapped tightly, both girls were nearly as pale as Adam.
Grace ran a shaking hand through her hair. "I'm sorry about that.but.I mean, I had to, or else.."
Joan merely nodded, too shaken to do anything more.
*TBC*