Chapter 7: Discoveries (Josh's POV)
Disclaimer: I do not own Cheaper By The Dozen NOR do I own Josh or Micah as they are based on real people in my life. PS-To people who noticed a slight inconsistency of where the different characters were told to go search and where they actually went, that will be explained in a later chapter. Also this chapter describes the accident and may be graphic for some people. Anyway please read and review!
I had gone to bed with an ear to my emergency radio next to my ear. This was routine as I lived for adventure. Not too many people understand this call, but to those of us who do, they realize that it's in our blood. I am a fireman and I also work other types of disasters. I would love to say that I have been doing this most of my life, but as I am only twenty-two years old, I was relatively new at my calling.
As I slowly drifted off to sleep, I recalled the day's events. Nothing much out of the ordinary, it was the usual type of day teaching my students violin and piano. Oh yeah, I was also a violin and piano instructor. Man I wish some of my students would practice. Suddenly I was in an audience watching a concert featuring my students. Oh great, Betty forgot her music and Ben forgot his violin…Crackle….Crackle…What was that noise? Was someone's violin not tuned correctly? The crackling declined and was replaced by voices... "All units report…"
I woke up with a start. The message played again. "All units report to their stations immediately. Repeat, All units report to their stations immediately!" I jumped out of bed, throwing on the necessary clothing and ran out of the house. As I drove the quick distance to the station, I wondered briefly what the emergency was. I did not have to wait long. The captain was already at one of the ladder engines.
"Good, you're here. The others should be coming soon. There was a plane crash next county over. The first responders said that it was massive. Be prepared, there will probably be a lot of casualties." I nod and headed to the vehicle that the captain pointed to. I noticed the rest of the crew had arrived and were getting the same briefing that I had got. Not even two minutes later we had pulled out of the station and were rushing to the scene of the plane crash. Adrenaline was taking over and I took a couple of quick breathes so that I could be able to my job once arriving.
We got to the scene within a few minutes. I normally have a very strong stomach but it was all I could do to not retch. This was worse than I had expected. I doubted that many if any would be found alive. I said a quick pray as I along with the rest of my station raced to the rescue crew in charge.
After a quick talk, I was told to search a section of what was left of the plane. I nodded and jogged over to the assigned area. The fire was near my area but not directly on it. Following the instructions I had been given, I began to dig through the mess. It did not take long to find the first causality. It appeared to be a woman. I called over to the person dealing with bodies and refocused my attention to finding survivors. I had to shift things around to even be able to move a foot. I hit something as I was trying to move. It did not appear to be metal or other types of wreckage so I crouched down again and begun to dig once more. I quickly uncovered what seemed to be a child's arm. I started digging faster. I prayed that this child would be found alive because the worst type of death is one to a child. Soon I had uncovered a boy with red hair. I heard a jagged noise and realized it was the sound of the boy's breathing. However, I could tell that the child was clinging to life.
"Hi. My name's Josh. My buddies and I going to get you out of this mess. I just need you to be calm." The child seemed to respond via blinking. "You're doing a good job." I had to keep him thinking positively because in truth, the child looked like he was closer to becoming a victim rather than a survivor.
"Josh." The child mumbled. I silently rejoiced and called over to my partner. "Micah come here, I found a survivor, a child. That single statement drew attention from the rest of the crew as EMTs rushed over with a stretcher. The child was gently lifted on. I turned to leave when I heard his voice again.
"Josh…help…friends…please." The child managed to whisper as he struggled to speak around coughing fits. He closed his eyes and was taken to a near-by helicopter.
Renewed by the sight of a survivor, I began to search that area once again. The boy had mentioned friends, so I basically could count on more children being found in that vicinity. Whether they would be found a live was a mystery yet to be seen. I had searched for a good ten minutes when I noticed what seemed to be strands of hair. I dug with more enthusiasm and slowly but surely there was another child, this one seemed to be younger than the first.
"Kid, can you hear me?" I question after I uncovered his face. His glossy blank stare gave me the sinking feeling that this child would not be as blessed as the first one. He, like the first one was bleeding profusely and did not seem to respond to touch. I sighed and began to call the person that handled bodies. As a preliminary measure, I checked his pulse again. To my surprise the child did have a pulse, albeit a very weak one. "Guys we have another survivor, but rush it on this one!" The child and I were immediately swarmed and the little boy was quickly placed on a stretcher and in the air to the nearest hospital within minutes.
Encouraged by the site of the first two surviving children, I resumed my search. The first boy had mentioned friends, as in there was more than one. Knowing that I probably would find another child, I prayed that this one would also be found alive. I did not have to search long before I came to another lump in the mounds of rubble. As I did previously, I quickly but carefully uncovered another boy, this time he seemed to be the age of the first one. At first glance, I had him pegged as causality. He looked as if the life had been sucked out of him. I heard a faint noise and realized that he was beginning to cough up blood. Realizing that the child was alive but like the first two boys, was in grave danger, I quickly called to Micah again.
"Micah, get the others over here. This child needs medical help pronto!" Micah rushed over. Well, rushed as fast he could, he had hurt his knee a few weeks ago and it left him with a bit of a limp. The crew had to struggle to get the last boy out of the mess and when they finally succeeded, they did not waste a minute getting in the air.
Not one to be slow, I turned and went back to my area. It was then I heard a loud noise. I tried to fathom where the noise was coming from. As it turned out, I did not have to wait too long because I was suddenly thrown in the air as a gas explosion occurred. Flying through the air, I could feel pain surrounding my body and realized with alarm that my helmet was coming off. The moment in the air felt like an eternity. Suddenly I fell to the ground in a heap. I felt my eyelids grow heavy and I closed them. My last thoughts were on the three children I had helped find and rescue. I hoped they would all make it. Then I remembered nothing more.