𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘- 𝐑𝐀𝐅𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐍

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧- 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭

She couldn't believe her eyes.

The tube had marks from where it had been scrunched up.

Mitra took a thick swallow before nodding. Her sister wasn't in pain anymore.

"I- I need to... just... I need to go and... think..."

Rafe went to grab the girl. "Min, wait."

She shrugged him off, unable to look at him without seeing his father. "Just stop. Please."

She left without another word, back to her car. She asked the receptionist to order Rafe a cab when he was leaving.

Driving into the night alone was a foreign experience, she usually had someone to talk to or someone to look after. Tonight, however, the only place she could think to go was the one place Morello would take her whenever arguments got heated with their parents.

The old wooden tower was peaceful and a good place to think; the wind was the perfect source of cooling air and in the daytime the sun added a comforting warmth to keep the temperature perfect.

But tonight, that was not the case. Mitra had jumped out of the frying pan and into the metaphorical fire.

Pulling up behind the Pogues' van, Mitra was overwhelmed by the sound of screaming. Not wanting to cause herself more stress but knowing she had to offer her help, she hurried out of her car and ran toward the shouting.

"Kie, do something!" A boy shouted.

Kiara Carrera's voice roared back. "What the hell am I supposed to do?!"

Mitra panted as she grabbed onto JJ's shoulder. "What the hell?!"

The blonde boy flinched out of surprise and the built up tension. "Do you know anything about falling from towers?!"

Mitra took a step forward. "Oh my God... Kiara, grab Sarah. Sarah, I need you to breathe, ok? You need to stay calm for John B, because he can still hear you. Kiara!" The girl rushed to do as directed, grabbing Sarah by the shoulders and pulling her away from John B. "JJ, go and get a pillow or a blanket or something! John B, can you hear me?"

The boy's eyes flickered for a moment before opening properly. He groaned, unable to make any other noises.

"Look at my finger, can you follow it?" she waved her finger for a minute; he followed it before laying his head back down. "No, no, no. Don't go to sleep, don't go to sleep. Stay awake, John B, listen to my voice. D'you remember what happened?"

"T... Top... Tower..." John B's eyes didn't open the entire time, his head went to the side.

"Ok, I think he's going into shock, he's cold and sweaty, and his breathing's rapid and shallow. He doesn't seem like he has any spinal trauma because he can feel pain in his legs," Mitra pinched his calf and he flinched slightly, "see?"

JJ returned with a few pillows and a bundle of blankets. He scattered them across the floor. Mitra took a pillow and propped John B's legs up. "Keeping his legs elevated will help with the shock. Has Pope called 911 yet?!"

JJ nodded, "yeah. Yeah, he, uh... he's getting help now."

Mitra nodded. "JJ, I need you to sit on the other side of him, there," she pointed to the other side of John B's limp body and JJ scrambled to his best friend's side. "A lot of people with shock vomit. If he does he's going to choke on it, so you need to watch for him gagging or gargling. If he does, turn his whole body onto the side and let him be sick."

"Got it," JJ nodded his head and wiped his hands on his shorts.

Mitra moved to look over the rest of his body. His arm was bruising at the wrist and looked like the inside was trying to escape the layer of skin; his arm was definitely broken.

"Alright, it's not as bad as it looks. His arm looks like it's broken but his legs seem fine. Did he move them after he fell?"

Sarah nodded, wiping her tears. "Yeah, when I got down here he was moving his legs, like, to the side."

"Sarah, that's good, alright? When do you know a paralysed person moving their legs?"

JJ coughed, "how do we know you're being honest again? At the end of the day you're still a Kook. For all we know you could be trying to kill John B."

"I studied to be a paramedic in college for like two years before I dropped out. Besides, Sarah obviously cares about him and I care about Sarah." JJ nodded, looking thoroughly convinced.

Finally, blue and red lights illuminated the dark space. Mitra took a sigh. JJ did the same. Sarah and Kiara took a step back as the paramedics, followed closely by Pope, arrived on the scene.

❁❁

The Pogues had been in the hospital, waiting for news on John B, for hours. They finally had confirmation that he was going to be fine. They had to wait until tomorrow to see him during visiting hours.

JJ leant his head against the seat of the old camper van. "Where're we goin' now?" he asked, taking a sigh.

"I know where we can go," Pope mumbled, driving out of the parking lot.

❁❁

Ding, dong. Ding, dong. Ding, dong.

Each Pogue pressed the doorbell once.

"Dude, doesn't she have a kid?" JJ asked, pushing his hat over his head of dirty-blonde hair.

Pope groaned. "Do you wanna go home?!" JJ said nothing. "Alright, so stop complaining. She said that if we ever needed a place to stay, we could come here."

The door swung open. Mitra smiled sympathetically and opened the door wider, letting the Pogues slip by her one by one. She had dark circles around her eyes that were swollen and red, her lips matching.

"You alright?" Pope asked, being the last indoors.

"Not great. My sister... she kinda... died."

Pope made an 'o' shape with his mouth and lightly rubbed her arm. "I'm sorry. That probably sucks."

"Yeah, it does," Mitra let out a dry laugh. "Anyway!" she clapped her hands together and attempted to make herself smile. "There's a guest room down here and there's three upstairs. I'll take you up. You can use the shower too. And there's clothes in the drawers that'll probably fit you, Kiara. Pope, JJ, you can borrow something of Rafe's."

The two grimaced but didn't complain.

Mitra showed them each to a room and brought them a clean towel and some fresh pyjamas. She gave Kiara a t-shirt and some shorts, she gave JJ a pair of sweatpants and a plain black t-shirt and she gave Pope some grey shorts with a purple jumper.

The house didn't feel as empty as it had only an hour earlier. The Pogues were cooking food for Mitra and themselves in the kitchen to thank her for letting them stay. Pope was a surprisingly good cook.

It was strange to be in such a big place, filled with happy memories, only to have them taunt you when you need them most. Mitra was grateful for the company.