Radioman (A 2/19th Spinoff) - Complete

Brianna

When the EMTs burst in I was sitting next to Aine. I couldn't put a pressure dressing on her head to stop the bleeding in case she had a skull fracture, but I could straighten her out, put a pillow under her head and neck, and sit with her talking.

I'd pulled on my clothes and even though I wanted to dress her, I knew that they'd cut her clothing off as soon as she got inside. Instead, I sat next to her, holding her hand, talking to her, listening to the rain on the roof and the thunder crashing across the Kansas plains.

The ambulance was there within fifteen minutes.

She'd only had two seizures. Both of them small ones. She'd bitten her tongue on one, and I'd tilted her head to the side to keep her airway clear.

The EMT's damn near shouldered me out of the way, quickly getting to work.

"How long has she been unconscious?" One asked, replacing the pillow with a c-collar.

"Fifteen minutes," I told them. "She had a thirty second seizure at the nine minute mark and a forty-five second seizure at the thirteen minute mark."

The EMT's looked at each other, then at me.

"I've got combat lifesaver training," I said lamely. "It's like a medic."

Aine started trembling again. One of them watched his watch as the other got the backboard down.

Her seizure lasted one minute eight seconds.

Every second of it, that hollow feeling in my chest hurt more and more. I looked at the blood smeared note in my hand again.

LEAVE NOW! LAST WARNING!

I didn't recognize the handwriting.

They lifted her up on the gurney, covering her with a blanket, and I followed them outside. The neighbors had gathered up to see why an ambulance was on the street at ten in the evening. Some people were in nightgowns or pajamas, not even the rain forcing them back inside. I stared for a moment, then turned around and locked the door to the house behind me. The lightning flashed, bright enough to cast my shadow on the door.

Aine looked so small, almost like a child, on the gurney. Part of me didn't want to see her like that.

As the thunder rolled I followed them. I happened to glance to my right and saw it clearly as lightning danced among the clouds.

A Trans-Am with bondo on the doors. Three of the junkies I'd seen at the store were leaning against where it was parked against the curb.

As I watched, the one I remembered so clearly reached down, cupped his crotch, and licked his lips, thrusting his hips at me. The one on his left lifted up a pointed forefinger and made a shooting gesture.

It took everything I had to look away and start toward the ambulance.

Mr. Sheldon, a heavyset guy who lived across the street, reached out to me.

"Paul, right?" He asked. I nodded. "Me and my sons, we'll nail up a tarp over the broken window, all right?" I just nodded and he let go of my arm. "Let me know if there's anything else I can do, son."

I just nodded. Lightning again. He backed off and I headed toward the ambulance as the thunder rolled again.

The ambulance crew said they'd let me climb in the back, if I agreed to stay out of the way. I told them I'd meet them at the hospital. They hit the lights and siren and were gone, heading toward the hospital.

I turned away, unlocking the garage door and pulling it open. I pulled the car out in reverse, then got out to close the door. When I looked, the Trans-Am was gone.