Hatchetfield Stories

By Her Side

Hey it's me and my helicopter crash fics again!
I write too many of those but I'll never stop it's my brand

TRIGGER WARNINGS:
-Injury
-Blood
-Guns
-Hospitals
-Needles

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"Okay, Emma, we have to get out of here," Paul said as his hands hovered above her thigh. The blood was gushing out way too fast and Paul knew they didn't have much time.

"No shit," Emma said, wiping some blood from her chin. Her breaths were becoming more labored and Paul looked at her. He grabbed her hand.

"I'm going to carry you and we'll find a boat or something and we'll go to Clivesdale." Paul untied his tie. "I'm going to make a tourniquet. Don't scream, okay? We don't stand a chance if they find us."

Paul lifted her leg slightly so he could get the tie around it, and that was enough to have her scream in pain. "Fuck!" She bit down on her lip and nodded to let Paul know he could continue. He tied the tie tightly around Emma's leg. By the time he was done, his hands were covered in blood.

"Okay. Let's go. Are you ready?"

Emma nodded, gritting her teeth as Paul lifted her in his arms. She let out a scream when he jostled her leg.

"Shh, Em, it's okay. You just have to stay awake, okay? You've lost a lot of blood."

Paul walked to the Hatchetfield Boating Society, which was luckily only a mile away. He tried to keep Emma talking, so she told him what happened at the professor's bunker.

They could see the boats now and Paul started walking faster. Singing, explosions, and gunshots sounded downtown. Paul looked at Emma. "Hold on, we're almost there."

He put Emma down in one of the boats and gave her the gun. "I'll get the keys, stay here."

"I don't have much of a choice, Paul. Because there's a fucking metal bar sticking out of my leg, ya know?"

Paul rolled his eyes. "I'm serious. Just hold on, stay awake."

Paul walked to the little building and opened the door. He grabbed some keys labeled 'Boat 132', which was the boat he put Emma in, and some snacks from the basket on the counter before he returned to Emma.

He jumped into the boat. Emma winced at the movements. "Let's go," she said. "Let's go to fucking Clivesdale."

Paul started the boat and sailed away. The lights of their hometown became little dots on the horizon, and for the first time since he walked into Beanies that morning, he felt safe.

But that feeling disappeared as soon as they heard the helicopter above them. "Put your hands where I can see them!" someone shouted. Paul and Emma put their hands up in the air. "No one is allowed to get off the island!"

"Please!" Paul shouted back, "She's severely injured, we need to get to Clivesdale!" He pointed at Emma. "See?! She's bleeding red blood! We're human!"

"Someone is coming down! Don't move!" A ladder fell down from the helicopter and a soldier climbed down.

He bent over to look at Emma's leg, pointing a flashlight at it. "It's safe," he said into a mic. He turned to Paul. "You two can come with us."

Emma tensed up. "I don't think-"

"Emma," Paul interrupted. "We'll get to a hospital sooner. I don't like the idea of another helicopter either but keeping you alive is kind of my priority here."

Emma hesitated for a few seconds, before nodding.

"Okay," the soldier said. "You can climb up. And you..." he turned to Emma, "I'll carry you."

Paul climbed into the chopper, where five other soldiers were sitting. All of them were armed and some had smears of blood on their uniforms. Two of them started pulling the ladder up while the first soldier held Emma in one arm and the ladder with his free hand.

Soon enough Emma and Paul were both sitting in the helicopter, wearing their seatbelts of course. Emma held Paul's hand tightly, he could tell she really didn't like being in a helicopter again. It was a miracle she hadn't passed out yet, knowing how much blood she's lost. The adrenalin kept her going, but Paul could tell she was fighting to keep her eyes open.

As soon as they were on the ground and the door of the helicopter opened, medical staff stepped into the helicopter. They lifted Emma onto a stretcher and carried her inside. Paul stood up, following them. A nurse stopped him. "She's going into surgery, you have to stay here. We'd like to ask you some questions."

Paul looked at Emma, who looked at him helplessly. "I have to be with her. I have to stay with her until she's asleep."

"You really can't-"

"You don't know what she's been through!" Paul sighed, "She really needs me."

The nurse nodded. "You can be there until we've put her under, but after that, you have to come with us immediately."

Paul agreed and ran after Emma, who just entered a hospital room. He threw the door open and sat down next to Emma.

Emma looked at him. He could tell she was scared and in pain.

"I'm here," he said, cupping her cheek to comfort her, but also so she wouldn't see the doctor approaching them, holding a syringe.

Emma's eyes widened as soon as the doctor pushed the needle into the back of her hand. She turned to see what was happening, but Paul's hand kept her in place. "Hey, it's okay... Don't look at what he's doing, look at me. It'll be over soon. I'll be there when you wake up."

Emma opened her mouth to say something, but her jaw went slack and her eyes closed.

"Good luck, Em," Paul whispered, kissing her forehead. She was asleep anyway. He stood up and walked away.

*** *** ***

"Paul?" Emma groaned softly.

Paul immediately put the book he was reading away. He took her hand in both of his, careful to not touch the IV that was sticking out of her skin. "Yes. I'm right here."

"My leg hurts."

Paul chuckled awkwardly. "I'm not surprised. You're on a lot of medication though, you'll have to stay here for a while."

"What happened to Hatchetfield?"

"The entire island is destroyed. They managed to kill the infected. We're the only survivors."

Emma sighed. "Thank you for staying with me."

Paul squeezed her hand softly. "You're stuck with me for the rest of your life, they're planning on letting us live in the same house. I think they- how does the youth say that? They 'ship' us?"

Emma laughed, "Do you ship us?"

Paul's cheeks flushed red. "I- I think I do."

Emma pulled him towards her, and their lips met. After they pulled back, Emma had a wide grin on her face. "I ship us too."