Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
As always, thank you all so much for the support and the heartwarming and sometimes chuckling reviews! I look forward to your thoughts each chapter! Brightens my day for sure.
On that note, I'm going to plug a very short snippet I recently wrote a few weeks ago called Unsteady. If you haven't checked it out, I'd greatly appreciate it! A different style of writing than what I'm used to but I think it turned out okay :D
Alright, where were we again? Oh yeah, I left a gun pointing at Alan…hehe
Enjoy!
Not Going According To Plan
"I'd watch who you call crazy," a voice spoke, entering the smoke-filled hall.
Alan turned to see Aaron Edwards, sneering with rage. The sophomore had a gun pointed right at him.
-0-
Alan stared at Aaron Edwards, being ever mindful of the gun pointed right at him. "So quick to judge," Aaron sneered, waving the gun.
Virgil's heart seized as he watched the Wharton sophomore pointing the gun at his younger brother. Older brother instincts on overload, the chestnut-haired Tracy made a move forward.
"I wouldn't move if I were you," Aaron glowered, facing the group in the hall.
"What do you want?" Alan asked, his voice full of venom. He knew he had to keep his temper in check. He wouldn't risk his family and friends. The senior stole a glance toward his father and brother, seeing their fear.
"Isn't it obvious, Tracy? For you all to burn," Aaron jeered. "You had to ruin it, didn't you?" The dark-haired teen returned his aim toward Alan. "Had to play the hero and save everyone."
"If you were expecting everyone to be as hateful as you, then you were destined for failure," Alan said, shaking his head. He tried to stifle the coughs that threatened to consume his body as smoke continued to darken the chaotic hall.
"Aaron, the gun wasn't part of the deal," Tommy's shaky voice broke, eyeing his roommate cautiously. "C'mon man. I think they've gotten the point. Let's get out of here."
"NO!" Aaron screamed. "People like him are why we suffer! Always reaping the benefits of Mommy and Daddy," the sophomore scoffed, staring Alan down. "You used to be different, Tracy. I thought you understood what it was like. Then you suddenly changed. You sucked up to the track team and became a teacher's pet! You live your rich life and enjoy everything handed down to you. Just like everyone else, you're following in Daddy's footsteps."
"I changed?" Alan derided. "You want to know what changed, Aaron? I stopped comparing myself to everyone else. I stopped being a selfish brat. I could've easily been you a couple of years ago. I was drowning in the constant comparisons that were always thrown my way. I was never as good as my brothers in anything. I was always the trouble maker. Like you, I resented the fact that I was sent away to Wharton Academy – thousands of miles away from my family. I was the spare to the perfect heir. Never anything special. Do you want to know what changed all that? One enormous magnifying scare. In an instant, everything I had could've been taken away from me. Everything my selfish mind thought was a nuisance could've been pulled out of my life so fast, I could've had whiplash," Alan seethed, glaring at the younger teen in front of him. "You have no idea how trivial your grievances really are."
Aaron chuckled. "Let me guess, everything worked out like a fairytale for the Tracy baby, didn't it? We don't all live that perfect life. Especially one that is laid out perfectly for us."
"Nothing has been laid out for me. I've worked for everything! Being the youngest of five isn't a cakewalk, Aaron. You have to make the best of it. Just because you have older siblings who happen to be successful and want to follow in your parent's footsteps doesn't mean you have to. You have to be willing to embrace the differences you bring to the table, and then in time, everyone else will accept who you are. Rebelling and fighting won't get you anywhere. Look where it's gotten you so far! It's not about who has come before you," Alan coughed, his breathing beginning to sound wheezy. The senior fought through it and continued speaking. "It doesn't matter how much money you have or who your parents are. It's about you."
"There you go, sounding like the choir boy you are," Aaron mocked. "You never did get it did you?"
"You'll never get it unless you're willing to try."
"All I've done is try, and it didn't get me anywhere!" Aaron screamed, waving the gun once more. "I think the road I've chosen has gotten me much farther. Better than what you sold yourself out for."
"Aaron, c'mon, let's go!" Tommy pleaded, coughing. "This is pointless!"
"I said NO!" Aaron shouted and fired the gun toward his roommate.
Seeing Aaron distracted, Alan took the only chance he knew he'd get. Rushing toward the teen, he tackled him to the ground fighting for control of the gun.
Jeff and Virgil each rushed toward the students. Their stomachs plummeted as the sound of the gun went off for a second time.
"Alan!" Jeff screamed, rushing to his son's side – ignoring the commotion next to him.
The patriarch didn't see the firefighters enter the hall - ushering Fermat, Brains, and the remaining crowd from the hall. He didn't see the firefighters beginning to put out the fire burning near the exit. Jeff didn't see the police enter and quickly help Virgil detain an uninjured Aaron Edwards – well, mostly uninjured if you didn't count the black eye the chestnut-haired Tracy had just given him. The malevolent teen had tried to acquire the gun that had been knocked from his hands by Alan, but Virgil's quick thinking had saved everyone from further harm. The middle Tracy didn't even make a second glance toward the commotion surrounding Tommy Newton, as paramedics tended to him.
Both Tracy's sole focus was on their youngest member and where that stray bullet had gone. "Alan, talk to me!" Jeff called once more.
Alan blinked coughing harshly. "I-I'm okay."
"Are you sure?" Jeff questioned, the panic remaining in his voice. His eyes were scanning Alan's body frantically.
"Yea," the teen coughed, all energy seemingly beginning to ebb away. "I-I'm good. I'm not hit."
"Geez, Sprout! You know how to scare a guy," Virgil sighed with relief, hugging his brother.
"Sorry," Alan coughed and accepted his older brother's hand to stand.
"Shoulder, okay? You took some nasty falls there," Virgil asked with concern.
Alan nodded, wincing. His body was starting to feel the effects of his showdown with Aaron - adrenaline all but spent. "Hurts pretty bad, but I'll survive."
"Let's get you out of here. I want you looked at, and Virgil, your head could use some tending to as well," Jeff spoke, putting an arm around both of his children.
"Dad, I'm fine," Virgil protested.
"No arguments, Virgil."
The trio made their way back through the auditorium, each unable to stop from coughing. The smoke had utterly engulfed every room in close vicinity to the lecture hall. As they neared the last exit, Alan stopped, having to hold onto the wall closest to him. The teen coughed harshly, his breathing sounding more and more strained.
"Alan?" Jeff called in concern, his hold on his son only tightening.
Virgil quickly appeared in front of Alan. "Alan, what's wrong?"
The teen could only cough in response, taking in a ragged breath. "H-hurts to b-breathe," he finally managed to gasp out.
"We need to get you oxygen ASAP," Virgil declared and helped his father usher the baby of the family out of the school.
Approaching a pair of waiting paramedics, Alan collapsed to the ground – wheezing and gasping for breath.
"Alan!" Jeff cried in fear.
A paramedic immediately knelt next to the distressed teen. Placing an oxygen mask over Alan's face, they each guided him toward an empty ambulance. Alan felt himself laid upon a gurney, but all he could do was gasp for breath. He was finding it increasingly harder and harder to breathe. Blinking through the dark spots in his vision, Alan's fearful eyes looked toward his father and brother.
Virgil gripped his leg. "It's going to be okay, Allie. Just breathe."
Another paramedic began listening to Alan's lungs. "Diminished sounds in both lungs. Has he been exposed to smoke inhalation before?"
"Yes, about three weeks ago when Wharton Academy caught fire," Jeff explained to the blonde paramedic.
"He showed early signs of ARDS," Virgil informed.
"Damn, we have to move fast then," the fair-haired paramedic hissed, as they moved to load the gurney into the ambulance. "Father and?" the paramedic questioned, looking toward Virgil.
"Brother," Virgil supplied.
The paramedic nodded. "You both can ride with us, but you have to stay out of my way."
"Where are you taking him?" Jeff asked the paramedic as they piled into the ambulance.
"Mass General. It's the closest level one trauma center," the pre-hospital medic answered and began working on hooking up Alan's vitals.
"If you can, get the ED to page Dr. Amanda Emerson. She's fully aware of Alan's case," Virgil said, eyeing the monitor that began to read his brother's vitals. The IR field medic felt his worry increasing.
"Jim, did you catch that?" the blonde yelled to his partner, who was driving the ambulance and began working on a central line for the seventeen-year-old.
"Loud and clear, Kurt. Notifying now," Jim replied.
"Alan? Can you hear me?" Jeff called, worried at Alan's closed eyes. The teen had slipped into unconsciousness.
Kurt eyed the monitor frowning as he noticed Alan's heart rate climbing and his oxygen level decreasing more. "Step on it, Jim! The patient is becoming hypoxic!" Grabbing a syringe from the cupboard, the paramedic filled it quickly full of a steroid as he heard his partner lay on the horn even heavier.
Jeff watched in a daze as the paramedic worked to keep his youngest son alive. He knew things weren't looking good. Feeling overwhelmed at the words thrown between the two paramedics, the father of five turned to Virgil. "What's going on?"
"It's the smoke, Dad," Virgil stated, not taking his eyes off of Alan and the monitor. "Alan's lungs were fragile from the dorm fire. The toxins are attacking his cells. His lungs aren't keeping up, and he's struggling to get enough oxygen."
Jeff's heart sank, tears falling from his eyes. "Are we losing him?"
"Not on my watch, you won't," Kurt replied and pushed the steroid into Alan's IV. He knew they needed to prevent the teen's airway from closing. Turning behind him, he grabbed two portable oxygen masks and handed them toward the two family members. "I know you both were exposed to the smoke as well for an unknown amount of time. I'm not taking any chances. Put them on."
Jeff and Virgil nodded, and each placed the oxygen masks on their faces. Virgil winced as the strap caught his head wound, but put a hand up to the paramedic as he moved toward him. "I'm fine."
"Let me be the judge of that," Kurt responded, eyeing the wound. Pulling out a pen-light, the blonde checked Virgil's pupil reaction. "Any nausea, lightheadedness, or headache?"
"No nausea, but yes to the other two," Virgil grimaced at the light.
"Looks like you've got yourself a concussion. Nothing major, but we'll have a doctor check to be sure," Kurt answered, missing the look of annoyance from Virgil and the roll of his hazel eyes.
The ambulance quickly came to an abrupt stop, and within seconds the other paramedic ripped open the doors. The medical duo pushed the gurney out of the ambo and was quickly flanked by Jeff and Virgil.
The emergency room was full of commotion. The doctors, nurses, and aids were caring for victims as quickly as possible – as a bulk of those injured at the memorial were transported to the medical facility.
In a corner section of the crisis center, John and Scott waited for the rest of their family. Pulling a hand over his weary face, Scott sighed as they waited for Gordon to return from his emergency MRI. Peeking around the curtain that sectioned off the space, the field commander's eyes widened, and his heart skipped a beat as he saw his baby brother rolled into a trauma room. "John, something's wrong with Alan!" he all but yelled at his sibling and rushed over toward their father. "Dad! What happened?"
Jeff took a calming breath as he tried to gain control of his emotions as he watched a team beginning to work on Alan. "His lungs," he stated at a loss for words.
"The smoke was too much," Virgil supplied, fighting off a nurse who wanted to take him into a neighboring room.
John put a comforting hand on his father's shoulder but wasn't able to shield the pained expression upon his own face. Their baby brother was fighting for his life again. The family watched as Dr. Emerson quickly jogged up to the room, putting on a pair of gloves. The petite brunette nodded toward the family, but immediately immersed herself into her work – quickly taking stock of her patient's condition.
"Heartrate 130, BP 100/60," a nurse rattled off.
"I need intubation - NOW!" Dr. Emerson barked. The doctor quickly accepted the needed equipment and prepared the teen's airway, breathing a sigh of relief of her own as the tube slid into Alan's airline with minimal effort. A nurse took over the bag and began manually pumping the much-needed oxygen into Alan's lungs. Watching the teen's vitals, she nodded, seeming satisfied as Alan's vitals began to stabilize. "I want labs stat and a chest CT."
Amanda pulled off her gloves and approached her patient's anxious and worried family. "I know it seems scary right now," she started, stepping back as they wheeled Alan out of the room. "Alan responded well to the bag and drugs. I'm sending him to x-ray right now, and I'll know more once I get his labs back. Don't panic. He'll be moved right to the ICU once he's done with his tests."
"Oh no - Gordon," John interrupted. "He'll see Alan and panic if they're there at the same time. They sent him for an MRI of his back and ribs."
"I'm headed there in a few minutes. Did he hurt his back again?" Dr. Emerson inquired.
"When he fell due to the explosion," Virgil provided, wincing as the nurse began dabbing his head wound with gauze.
Amanda eyed the middle Tracy. "Nancy," she said, turning to the nurse. "Call up to x-ray and let them know I'll be up in a few after I check out this head wound. Also, add me to Gordon Tracy's case. If Dr. Alexander has any qualms, he can see me," she smirked and turned to Virgil. "You - take a seat."
Virgil reluctantly obliged, allowing the doctor to check his pupil reactions with the pen-light. "It's nothing."
"I always hear that response before it suddenly turns into something," Amanda remarked as she put on a new pair of gloves and inspected the gash. "Cut isn't too deep, but it still looks like you have a minor concussion. I'll want a CT just to be sure."
"Is it really necessary?" Virgil huffed, as a CNA began cleaning and dressing the wound.
"Yes. Once CT is free, I'll have someone come get you," the doctor replied firmly and turned to address the rest of the family. "I'll have Gordon placed in a room with Alan like before. You can wait here until they take Virgil to CT. By then, one if not both of them should be settled in ICU."
Jeff nodded as he took in all the information Dr. Emerson had said. "Thank you."
Amanda looked at the father of five with sympathy. "I'm sorry this happened. I know this is not how you had planned today to go. Someone will be in with paperwork, and I will report back to you as soon as I know anything on each case."
No, this was not how they had planned their day to go.
TBC…
Well, there you have it. Everyone is still alive :D