In Omnia Paratus Book 3

The Fall.

"Jenna." Tom said as he was getting Lilliana changed and put into her vest, a tshirt, a jumper and her coat as it was a particularly cold day.

"Hi, we just came by to see you. This is my boyfriend Richard." I nodded at him as we walked into this old tiny bedroom with just enough room for a matress on the old floor and then a tiny bit of room around it to stand.

"Nice to meet you." Richard offered his hand out and Tom took it and shook it.

"This is Lily, well Lilliana she's my little girl say hi." Tom said rubbing Lilys back.

"Hello." She said quietly. Because she just about spoke to me but she was clearly nervous to speak to me and another guest.

"Hiya." Richard smiled. "Shes got wet hair, she'll freeze like this no?"

"That's why I need your help." I insisted. "Your dad, could you convice him to give a job to Tom."

"It doesn't have to be great just enough to prove I can support my daughter if we were given some sort of accomodation by the council." Tom begged.

"I'll try my best mate. I can't promise anything with my dad but for now..." Richard got his wallet out and fished everything he had out of it and handed it to Tom. "Take this, make sure she's warm."

"I can't take any more." Tom looked guilty and sad.

"Please mate, I'll help you but you've got to look after your little one at the end of the day." He smiled.

"Well thank you so much." Tom said as richard forced the money into his hand.

"You didn't have to do that." I whispered to Richard. He usually carried a lot of cash with him so I knew he was giving away a lot of money here.

"I wanted to." He smiled.

"Ill chat with my dad and let you know ok?" Richard said.

"Of course. Thank you so much again and you Jenna you must be our lucky charm or something." Tom smiled as he held Lily's hand.

"Ha I'm just trying. I really want you guys to be ok." I smiled. "We'd better get going though.." I said taking a step back without really looking.

"Jenna watch out that's not stable--" Tom shouted.

But it was too late. The inevitable had happened. It all happened too fast one minute I'm stood up holding Richards hand smiling away and the next I've slipped backward down the stairs, and i remember thinking that falling down the stairs isn't too bad and they weren't very high.

Then half way down, the stairs gave way with the weight of me falling and Richard falling over trying to grab me.

I screamed at the top of my voice as i fell through that staircase and felt Richards arm slip from around me as I landed on the hard wood floor below and I felt awful.

In fact I had been knocked out. I didn't remember the initial panic.

"Jenna! Jen, fuck..." Richard said as he was pulled down with Jenna because he had tried his best to catch her when she fell back but instead went through the floor with her but landed a lot more stable.

"Are you ok?" Tom asked.

"Uh—" Richard began before Tom yelled and ran back as more of the floor and the beams fell down on top of them both.

Tom freaked out and picked up Lilliana.

"Tom! You need to call 999 Jenna is out and we're both trapped." Richard yelled but could see Jenna nor could he see Tom now because the rubble had barricaded them in. "Tom!" He yelled again.

"I'm sorry Jenna." Tom yelled down and then he picked up Lilliana and climbed out the window. Jumped down onto the roof of the conservatory and then someone helped Lilliana down before Tom jumped down and they ran off.

He called 999 but all the homeless ran off before they could get there.

I started to stir a little but I couldn't open my eyes or speak like my body was in shock so I started to freak out. I could hear calls.

"Hello? Is anybody here? This is the ambulance service we were called... Hello?" They repeated over and over before they tried to go upstairs and noticed the huge hole in the floor.

"Alright ok, we need fire service. Hello is anyone there?" I heard again.

"Yes!" Suddenly came out but not from me, from Richard. I couldn't see him but he was there and calling out. "We're down here."

"Who's we?" The woman said. I didn't even know he was down here with me.

"Me and my girlfriend Jenna." He called up.

"I'm going down." The man said.

"No, we have to wait for fire service." The woman demanded.

"They're seriously injured I am going down ok?" I heard. Then I blacked out again and basically fainted.

- - - - -

I woke up all of a sudden to a male paramedic leaning over my face and talking to me. "Hiya darling, can you tell me your name?" He said and I recognised that voice.

"Jenna." I admitted actually able to get word out this time.

"Is she ok?" Richard yelled all of a sudden.

"Let just focus on you." A woman said to Richard but I couldn't see them. It was almost pitch black and I was covered in dirt and dust from this house and all I could see was Joe above me with his paramedic hard hat light on.

Joe picked me up when I went into labour all those years ago. God knows if he remembers me.

"Right so Jenna can you tell me what day of the week it is." Joe asked.

"I don't know, I don't know. Could you leave me alone my head is bursting and I can't quite make sense of anything." I moaned.

"Okay darling." Joe said as he started to mess around in his bag and give me a minute to collect myself.

"Where's Richard?" I asked Suddenly.

"Jen I'm here, I'm on your left but I can't see you ok?" I heard Richard call out.

"OK, Richard but where is my Mum?" I asked him and he went silent.

"Your Mum isn't here sweetie." The woman called for Richard.

"But Mum said she'd be here Richard! Where is she?" I freaked out trying to move but I couldn't. 

"There's something wrong." Richard whispered.

"She's fine." The paramedic said. "People get confused all the time." This woman said. 

"Listen her mums been dead since she was 12. This is just weird." Richard snapped. "She never mentions her let alone now... let me out I need to see her, check she's ok."

"We have to wait for the fire service. You're both seriously trapped here and moving either of you could lead to fatal injuries." She explained. 

I was starting to come around a little and realising what I was saying, I remember being really confused. I had Joe leaning over me at one point and I just whispered to him that something was wrong. 

"You're fine Jenna, I promise." He said rolling his eyes as he could clearly see I was being delusional.

"No I can't remember what it is but something..." I snapped. 

"Alright darling we're going to give you something for the pain and you might calm down a little okay?" Joe smiled. 

"Olivia, how long on the fire team?" Joe called.

"Uh, ETA 5 mins." She called back. "Why? Everything ok?" 

"Not really, she's loosing consciousness." 

"I need to get to her. Something's wrong!" Richard yelled.