Author's Notes: Just wanted to thank the readers and reviewers. I really appreciate the feedback; it makes me want to work extra hard at the story. I am going to try to finish this story by the middle of next week, but who knows what RL with throw at me.
Also, for the medical know-how, I searched the internet, I dredged up 4 years of high school health classes, and I reviewed my Biology 101/2 books. I wrote what I thought sounded good, and then sucked in my gut and called Doctor Dad to help. I was able to get him to approve my chosen BP and injuries, but that was as far as he went before he started in on the whole "Why don't you write something you can actually make money on?" party line. UGH! So, I apologize if the medical stuff is a little far-fetched. If there is anyone out there that can help me, please let me know!
Anyway, here ya go... :)
"Charlie!" Amita screamed. She was almost out the door when the shots were fired. She saw Charlie push Don toward the line of trees on their right, and then she saw Charlie stumble back and drop bonelessly to the ground – coming to rest on his side. Before she could run toward his collapsed form, Larry grabbed her and pulled her back inside; he tried to get her to hide farther in the building, but she fought him off. She moved next to a small window and kept her eyes on Charlie's still form. From her vantage point, she couldn't tell if he was breathing. As soon as she saw Don make a move toward him, she was out the door in a dead run.
"Charlie?" Amita was the first to reach him. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to have trouble breathing. "Hey, can you hear me?" She grabbed one of his hands and was taken back by how cold it was. "Charlie, squeeze my hand if you can hear me." She breathed a sigh of hope when she felt his fingers slightly move. "Don't worry, help is coming."
Amita wondered where Don was. She needed help, and Charlie was in desparate need of his older brother. Looking up, she was stunned to see him watching from a few feet away. Fear was evident in every part of his body. He stood tall and rigid, eyes open wide in his drawn, pale face. Amita could tell Don was afraid to come closer; afraid at what he would find, but Charlie needed him. "Don, get over here!" She spat - trying to sound in control.
"How," Don swallowed sharply. "How is he?"
"He's alive, but he needs help now!" Amita looked over her shoulder; she noticed Larry closing his cell phone. "Did you call 911?" Please say you did! Charlie can't wait much longer!
"Yes, apparently, somebody already called; ETA is less than 10." He knelt next to Amita. "Charles?" His hushed tone made him sound like he was at a funeral. God, I hope not. Don fervently prayed.
"Alright, let's roll him over." Don directed; together, they gently rolled Charlie onto his back. The blue pi shirt was soaked in blood, and Larry felt his stomach trying to reject his lunch at the sight. "Damn, Buddy." Don whispered more to himself than anyone near. "I'm sorry, but this has to be done." Don ground out as he ripped the shirt. All three emited sharp gasps at the first look at Charlie's chest.
"Dear, G-d!" Amita whispered. Charlie had been hit twice, and each wound seemed to be losing blood at an alarming rate.
One wound was placed in his upper right shoulder; it appeared to have gone straight through - which meant Charlie was experiencing blood loss from both an entrance wound and an exit wound. As if that wasn't bad enough, the second bullet entered just left of his sternum, but it was still lodged somewhere within his chest cavity. Don feared that some part of Charlie's lung was compromised. He immediately applied pressure to the wound using his hands.
"Hey, Buddy, you with me?" Charlie's quietness urked Don. The pain of pressure on the wound should have caused some kind of response, and Don was concerned when his brother didn't emit any kind of sound. Shit, Shit, SHIIIITTT! Charlie was losing too much blood.
"Larry, you need to try and stop the bleeding from his shoulder!" Don tried to get Larry's attention, but he was kept staring wide eyed at his young friend. To him, Charlie was already dead. Someone who lost that much blood surely couldn't survive. "Larry!"
"I'll do it." Amita gently pushed Larry aside. "Why don't you call Megan?" She addressed him, slightly shaking his shoulder before applying pressure to Charlie's right shoulder.
"Don," Amita nodded toward Charlie's open eyes.
"Hey, Buddy," keeping pressure on the wound, Don moved into Charlie's line of sight. "Help is on the way, don't worry." Charlie's eyes began to flutter closed. "Hey, you gotta stay with me. Come on, Buddy. Keep your eyes open for me." The cold knot tightened in his stomach when Charlie began to tremble.
"D'n...I'm...sry..." Charlie rasped out. "T'll...Da...I 'ove 'im..."
"Shhh, Charlie, none of that. You're going to be fine." Absolute raw fear consumed Don. "Hey, why don't you tell me all those M-thingy Prime numbers."
"too...es'y." Charlie offered a weak smile at the request.
"Hmm alrighty, genius, name all seven dwarfs." Don attempted light-hearted humor, feeling sick and twisted for doing so.
"Thaa...ww'sss..yourrr...f-fav'ite...n.n't...'ine." Charlie joked back even attempting a small laugh which ended in a sharp coughing spasm producing bloody froth. "'irst rule...dddon't...don't...'augh.." he sputtered between breaths.
"WRONG, genius!" Don bantered back cussing himself for not protecting his baby brother.
"Wha...tis...it...ttthh..en?" Charlie's voice was growing fainter.
"I'll tell you later when you are better." Don was hoping Charlie's brain wouldn't let him give up without knowing the answer.
"Cccome...oonn..'ell...me...nnnnoow." Charlie's teeth began to chatter, and non stop spasms pulsed through his limbs. "'Ss..cccolldd...'ig 'rother..."
"I know, Buddy, help is coming, I promise." Don put his rumpled jacket over his brother's torso and borrowed a nearby student's full backpack to prop his brother's legs up. "You'll be okay; you just have to hang with me." Surely it's been 10 freaking minutes by now! Fear gripped Don's heart. How am I going to tell Dad? Fk!
"I...I..I'll...tttrrry." Charlie gasped out. Suddenly his eyes opened wide, and their distant stare was replaced with clear focus. He struggled to pull in adequate breaths. The veins in his neck were enlarged, and his fear of suffocating made him attempt to sit up.
"Hey, where're you going, Buddy?" Don gently restrained his brother. "You gotta stay with me."
"C..c'nt..."Charlie whispered still struggling. His breaths were little more than small hiccups in rapid succession, and his skin was tinged blue.
"Hey, come on, you are not a quitter. You have to keep fighting." Don's heart was threatening to beat out of his chest. "Come on, now. You are going to hurt yourself worse!" His brother was growing more frantic by the second , and Don feared Charlie would aggravate his injuries or worse, damage his heart. Don was just about to yell for someone's help when Charlie suddenly grew still. His breaths still coming in short, painful gasps. He reached a shaking hand to Don's shirt and gripped it with surprising strength.
"L.L.L've youu.." He offered a ghost of a smile before shifting his gaze over to Amita. "L've...you..t.too..alw'ys 'ave.." His eyes wandered over her shoulder, and a beautiful smile that reached his eyes spread across his face. A soft peace settled over his features as he whispered one last word, "Mom." And then Charlie Eppes went slack.
"HE'S NOT BREATHING! DON, HE'S NOT BREATHING!" Amita's anguished cries threatened to splinter Don's already weakened self control.
"NO! NO, MOM YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM! PLEEEEEEAAAAASSSSE...DON'T DO THIS, CHARLIE!" Don's heart lept up his throat when he couldn't find a pulse. He was about to start CPR when he felt himself being pulled away. "NO! I can't leave him!"
"Don, let the paramedics work." Larry tugged on Don's arm and was grateful when Don relented and scooted over to Charlie's head.
"I'm still here, Buddy." Don reached out to touch his brother's pale face, but wrenched his hand away when he saw the blood on it. He backed farther away, but he couldn't turn away from the gruesome scene.
"He's back," one of the paramedics announced after they succesfully revived Charlie. "Call it in." He turned to the other EMT who picked up the radio.
"Patient was coded on arrival - revival took under 1. Sustained 1 PCT - upper right quadrant; 1 PCT - Left quadrant. Patient is cyanotic, BP is 70/40, pulse is now rapid and thready. possible pneumothorax or hemothorax." He paused waiting for instructions.
"Copy, scoop and run." A female voice could be heard through the radio.
"Gotcha." The two EMTS made short work of getting Charlie on the ambulance.
"Sir, you can't go with them. You need to be checked over." A blonde EMT with LUKE stenciled on his jacket stepped in front of Don who was struggling to get up to follow the paramedics with Charlie. Don used his hand to push himself up, but this time when he noticed the blood, he began to waver. Charlie's blood...if I'm covered in his blood, how does he have enough left? The weight of the situation pressed down on him, and he sagged back to the ground.
TBC - This is when Chapter 1 takes place.
