The Tattooed Devil Wears Chucks

Chapter 41: The Graduation Party - Part II

Gabby.

"Jax!" I continue to scream as I clutch his EpiPen in my palm. 

"Gabs give me the pen!" My dad runs towards my direction.

"Did he touch one?!"

"He must have." He yanks the pen from my hand and darts in the other direction as I follow.

"Gabby pull out your phone for light and do not step in the trail of blood, do you hear me?!"

Blood?! Whose blood?!

I stop where I'm at and yank my phone from my pocket to turn on the flashlight. Sure enough a few feet in front of me I see a trail that looks like lines in the dirt with dark patches of blood beside it. My dad is running beside it, holding out his own phone, calling out for Jax and Courtney. Neither of them are answering.

"JAX!" I scream as loud as I can, tip-toeing around the trail of lines.

No answer.  But then I see where this is taking us.  The scent of the lake water is getting stronger the closer we get.

"Dad this is taking us to the dock!"

"Fuck" he mutters as if this isn't a good thing.  I'd rather Jax wasn't in the woods.  Or Courtney.

More people begin to call out for my dad, I can only assume those are EMTs and police officers. I frantically follow him, continuing to call out for Jax and my best friend.

"Shit! Gabby! Stay close I need you!"

I run faster as branches break open my exposed skin as I run. When I reach the clearing I can barely see my dad hovered over who I can only assume is Courtney attempting to give her mouth to mouth. She's lying half in the lake and half out. Jax lies beside her, his feet are pushing his chest off the ground as he struggles for air.

I begin to panic looking between the two of them.

"Dad! What do I do?!"

He tosses me back the EpiPen as he keeps counting aloud with his chest compressions. "You have to hit him with it in the outer thigh Gabs! At least three seconds you hold it. Strike hard."

I do as I'm told, kneeling beside Jax. If I wasn't just with him, I would have never recognized him. His eyes and lips are swollen tight.

My phone gives me the light I need to see.  I'm crying so hard that I'm having trouble reading the instructions. I only have one chance to get this right.

"Stay still Jax! I have the pen! Just stay still!"

His legs continue to flail as he fights for a breath. I straddle his knees do keep them down. Then I lift the hem of his shorts and stab him in the thigh just where the picture shows and hold it, counting aloud slowly before I pull back.

I continue crying as I watch him struggle. But after about thirty seconds I hear him finally grasp a breath. My sobbing gets louder as I let up on his knees and put my face next to his ear, gripping is shirt with my fist. "Breathe Jax!"

"Fuck, come on Courtney breathe!" My dad yells and presses his mouth to hers again.

"Dad!" I choke out a sob. I don't know what to do. I don't know if I should stay by Jax or help him with Courtney.

"Take my phone Gabs, 911 is still on the line. Run as fast as you can to the edge of the woods and show the EMT driver how to get here!"

"Okay" I nod in agreement. I bend back down to Jax. "I love you Alfie just hold on a little longer!"