I hear the shock plates rub at each other. without looking back, I grab the plates form Dr. Osborne hands and shout, ”clear!” his body jumps up . I stare at the monitor…nothing.
Come on. Wake up. My arms start burning from how fast I m rubbing the plates together for a second time. “Clear” I say and pound it to his chest. His body looks pale already as nothing but a small twitch occurs. I growl low at him doing it one more time this time putting as much force as I possibly can, his chest sinks into the mattress then comes back into place when I let go. He doesn’t even move.
Dr. Osborne lays a hand on my shoulder and whispers “you have to call it doctor”
I shake my head no in disbelief. He can’t be dead. He has a family to take care of; his daughter won’t even know what her dad looks like!
I look around and see all the other nurses stare at me with sympathetic yet patient eyes. As I slide my gloves off then slide the mask off my face I get the strength to whisper, “time of death…4:09 pm”
I look into the now dead man’s face one last time before the nurses covered him up. I had to look away; my heart ached for the family. He didn’t ask for this, he was a victim. Now he was gone.
“Doctor waits. I will got tell the family” says Dr. Osborne as he stands in front of me and the door.
“No I will. I owe it to her” I reply to him as clearly as I can, not making any eye contact with him.
He just moves out of my way. What I said to Dr. Osborne was true; I did owe it to her. I told her I would try my best. Not showing my face to tell her that she would now become, not only a single mother of 2, but a widow as well will just make me look like a coward. I did take out the bullet I called the time of death; she deserved to hear it from me.
The hallway to the waiting room seems like an infinite dark alley. That never ends and the walls slowly close in on you with each step that you take. I tuck my hands in my pockets taking deep breaths trying to figure out the right words to say to her. I try to prepare myself emotionally so I don’t cry looking into her kid’s eyes.
I almost back out as I see the bid sign that says: WAITING ROOM in big letters. Yet, I know it has to be done. I peek into the corner and see her with her kids clutched to her side and what seemed to be her mother or mother in law, rubbing her back with tears in her eyes.
“Mrs. Jones?” I say as I walk to her. She stands up fast, she looks so exhausted. The other lady gets up but slower because of her age.
“Hello doctor. Is he ok? Please tell me he is ok, oh please!” she says to me as tears slowly start to form in her eyes.
My throat tightens as the little boy looks at me confused. I look at the baby girl in her stroller sleeping like an angel. So innocently.
I whisper as best as I can “Mrs. Jones, I …I m sorry. But...”
She gasps loud, “oh god!” she shouts in tears now. She shakes her head repeatedly no, trying to shake what is going on away. The lady next to her walks away to the window and sobs holding her chest tightly.
“I m sorry. The bullet was just too close to his heart. Whether I left it in or took it out, there was still a 75% chance that he was not going to make it. I am sorry.” I tell her one last time. The tears that slide down her cheeks are enough to fill up a pool.
Her son tugs at my arm roughly but shyly. I look down at him and smile slightly waiting for him to say something.
“When can daddy come home? We have baseball tomorrow!” he asks me with excitement in his voice. The mother stares at me in pain. I can’t take it. I look at her and mouth “
YOU ARE READING
The Animal Inside
RomanceA girl who lives a life full of sin and hate. She meets the mysterious man who is there to help. But since he came alone everything has been going wrong. Is he the person he says he is?
