Hatchetfield Stories

Never Question The Scientist

I hate Ted but he's so fun to write

Also I'm surprised I hadn't written this concept yet

Me? Not writing for multiple weeks and then 1000+ words in one sitting 2 days in a row? More likely than you'd think.

TRIGGER WARNINGS:
-Injury
-Blood
-Alcohol (but not being drunk)
-Needles
-Amputation
-Cauterization
-✨Field medicine✨

(No you don't want to see my Google search history)

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"Fuck you, Hatchetfield!" Emma shouted, looking at her hometown below.

"Emma, seatbelts! It's a little bumpy."

"Yeah, we wouldn't want you to get thrown around when we crash," Ted joined in, earning an elbow in his side from Charlotte. "What? It's true!"

Emma flipped him off, sitting down next to Paul. "God, I can't wait to get out of here."

"Hey, mister business, how do you do?"

Emma tensed, looking at the pilot. "Zoey?"

"Can we get a triple for you?"

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as professor Hidgens grabbed Zoey's arm, twisting it away from the group. The gunshot that sounded was barely heard over the rattling engine and screams as the helicopter went down.

Pain spread through Emma's body as the helicopter crashed on the beach. Blood trickled down her leg, and her head was spinning.

Paul was the first one by her side. "Emma!"

"Shiiiit!" Emma cursed, her hands hovering over her thigh. The rebar had stabbed through her entire leg, most likely crushing the bone.

The rest of the group ran towards them. "Well, don't say I didn't warn you," Ted said, getting a dirty glance from both Emma and Paul.

The professor kneeled next to her. "We have to get her to safety. She can't afford to lose that much blood."

"My house is down the street. If you don't mind the mess, we could go there," Ted offered, shrugging.

"Good."

"There's a pharmacy not far from here. If we're quick, we can get some bandages and disinfectant," Bill told them.

"We can't waste that much time," Hidgens told them. "You and Charlotte can go there and then meet us at Ted's house. It's too dangerous to go alone."

Bill and Charlotte nodded, grabbing a gun that fell out of the helicopter and walking away.

"Emma, dear?" Hidgens asked, making eye contact with her. "I'm going to lift you up, okay? Try to stay quiet, they can't hear us."

Emma nodded, squeezing her eyes shut as he carefully scooped her into his arms. "FuckfuckFUCK!" she mumbled, clenching the fabric of his turtleneck into her fists.

Ted led the way and Paul walked next to them, holding the gun, looking very uncomfortable with it.

When they got to Ted's house and he grabbed the key from under a flower pot to unlock the door, they were met with the smell of alcohol.

"Like I said, don't mind the mess, but-"

"Youngman, I think your messy apartment is the least of our problems," professor Hidgens interrupted. "Where is the bedroom?"

"That way," Ted told him. "But don't get blood all over the sheets, I just changed them yesterday."

"Jezus, Ted!" Paul said. "That's what you're worried about?"

"Whatever," Ted mumbled, walking to the kitchen as Hidgens laid Emma on the bed. "I don't think I have any painkillers that aren't expired, but I've got whiskey, do you want a shot?"

"I'll take it," Emma replied.

"Paul, can I talk to you for a minute?" Hidgens asked. Paul nodded and together they left the room, closing the door.

Emma's heart was racing. This wasn't a hospital, and she was scared of what was going to happen. The pain in her leg was already unbearable, what if they made it worse? She didn't think that Hidgens wanted to talk to Paul privately meant much good.

The front door opened and closed, and she heard Bill and Charlotte's voices. The door of the room opened, and Ted came in, handing Emma a shot of whiskey, which she swallowed with a cough.

Bill closed the curtains so they couldn't be seen from the street, while Hidgens looked through the supplies. "Ted, I'm going to need a flat iron and the best knife you own." Ted nodded, leaving to look for them.

"What? What are you going to do?" Emma asked, her voice shaking.

"We'll have to amputate your leg," he said, avoiding her gaze. "We can't get to a hospital for God knows how long, and this is our best chance to keep you alive."

"What? No!"

"I'm sorry, dear. We don't have another choice."

Paul came into the room, carefully climbing onto the bed, sitting on Emma's hips and pinning her arms to the bed.

"Paul, no!"

"Shhh, Emma, it's gonna be okay."

Emma's head rolled from side to side in a weak attempt to free herself. "Paul, I'm scared!"

"Shhh, it's okay, I know you're scared. You're going to be fine," he told her, smiling at her.

"It's going to hurt!"

"I know. But you're tough, you can take it."

Emma nodded slowly, swallowing the lump in her throat when she saw Ted plug the flat iron into the outlet next to the bed.

Hidgens crouched down next to her. "I'm going to cut your leg off just above the injury and then clean the wound and cauterize the stump, okay?"

Emma nodded, flinching as she felt Bill's hands on her legs to hold them in place.

She closed her eyes at the first touch of the cold knife, crying out as it cut through the skin. Her hands were clenched into fists, her eyes were squeezed shut, and her back arched as far as it could. Someone was holding a damp towel to her forehead, wiping away the drops of sweat that formed on her skin, but all she could focus on was the pain. She had dealt with a lot of injuries while hiking through Guatemala, but this had to be the worst pain she'd ever felt. Paul was talking to her, but she couldn't make out the words, instead clinging to the sound of his voice.

Emma's entire body was strained, so when she suddenly didn't feel the strain of her left knee and ankle, she began to panic. She screamed and sobbed, while Charlotte and Paul did everything to keep her as calm as possible.

Her leg was gone, and the cold sting of the disinfectant made her cry out once more.

When she felt the hot metal being pressed onto the fresh wound, she squirmed in Paul's grip, fighting to free herself as the wound was burned shut.

The stinging sensation of disinfectant being poured over the burn made her sigh in relief despite the pain. That meant it was over.

And yes, Paul and Bill let her go, and she rolled onto her side, curling into a ball while she cried. The professor left the room to wash his hand, and she slowly began to calm down, but still whimpering softly.

"I just realized I had a dose of a sedative with me. It might help you sleep a bit."

"Why didn't you think of that before we literally started cutting into her leg?" Paul asked, sitting down on the bed next to Emma's shaking body.

"More importantly," Ted joined in, "Why do you just keep sedative in your pocket."

Hidgens smiled. "Never question the scientist." He kneeled down next to Emma, and Paul tilted her head slightly so her neck was exposed. She barely felt the pinch of the needle and only realized what was happening when Hidgens slowly pressed the plunger down.

"Anyone want booze?" Ted asked, walking towards the door.

"I'd love to, young man," Hidgens replied as he put the syringe back in his pocket.

Charlotte, Bill, and the professor left the room, leaving Ted in the doorframe. "Paul? You comin'?"

"I think I'll stay with her," Paul replied, looking at Emma, who smiled at him as the sedative slowly made her close her eyes and drift off into a dreamless sleep.