Joshua's Grace

Chapter 18(2)

The boot unlocked easily enough. With a great deal of physical wrenching they were able to pull the boot open.

"Grace." Joshua whispered as he took in the blood around her head. Blood that was smeared down her face. "Grace." She was quietly still. Deathly still. He began to reach into the boot, but one man restrained him while another reached forward to touch her. They all held their breath.

"She has a pulse." He said with elation, "Radio." The man ordered, "faint pulse." He grinned in relief at Joshua. "She's alive. Where the hell is that ambulance?"

They all heard the wail of the sirens getting closer. Joshua reached into the mangled car. His fingers touched her cheek, brushed gently at the blood matted hair that lay against her face. "Grace. Hang in there sweetheart. Hang in there." He willed her. Grace remained unconscious. 

The medics took her vital signs, stabilised her by hooking her up to all sorts of drips and organised her removal from the car onto a stretcher, then directed the team of carriers and arranged the steady climb back to the road side, the fire crew helped. Joshua staggered up the hill.

Joshua clambered into the ambulance automatically. He wasn't going to leave her side, not for one second. Not ever. Then he remembered his car. He handed his keys to the nearest policeman.

"Can you park it off the road?"

"I'll take it to the station." He was told. Joshua nodded absently at the man. They could have told him they would push it over the side and he wouldn't have cared.

"Thanks." He nodded, keeping his eyes on Grace lying on the stretcher, "Thanks."

The man nodded. "She'll make it." He added comfortingly.

Joshua nodded as tears trickled down his cheek.

The ambulance doors were shut firmly.

Grace awoke to a splitting headache. Her eyes gradually drifted open. She peered into the dimly lit room, wondering if she was in a hotel. It felt pretty plush. She turned her head and moaned aloud, in an instance Joshua raised his head off the bed and looked straight at her.

"Grace?" He whispered gently. She could hear relief in his voice. "My head hurts."

Joshua released her fingers, reached past her and pressed on a bell. "Ok hon." He whispered. "They'll give you something in a second."

"I'm in hospital." She finally deduced.

"Yes."

Slowly she lifted her arm, it felt as if someone had squeezed and wrenched it. Pain hammered. "Ohhh." She groaned as her body throbbed into awareness.

"Lie still Grace."

"I thought I was going to die." She muttered as everything came back with shocking vividness. Joshua squeezed her hand gently, brushed at her hair and leaned in close.

"Grace."

The doors were pushed open and two nurses and a doctor came rushing in.

"She's awake."
The doctor smiled at Grace. "How do you feel?"
"Like I've rolled around in the boot of a car." She replied feebly.

He smiled. "Came through pretty well." She was told, even though her body was telling her otherwise. "Let's double check." He came closer, "Perhaps you'd like to tell her family she's awake." He suggested to Joshua. "I won't be long."

Joshua squeezed her hand, brushed his lips lightly against her cheek, smiled tearfully and then left.