Again

Chapter 30

6 hours had passed since the accident and Zac was still in a state of shock.  He sat in the waiting room at Saint Francis Hospital, waiting for someone to give them an update on Kayla's condition.  His mind kept flashing back to the moments after the crash.  

Zac reached his front door less than a second after he'd heard the screeching of tires outside.  When he opened his door, it was over.  He couldn't believe how one minute Kayla's car was backing out of their driveway and what seemed like less than a second later, her entire car was pinned between a tree and another vehicle.  He tried aimlessly to get her out but there was no use; the door wouldn't budge and he didn't want to break the window in since Kayla was leaned up against it.  Not moving.

It didn't take long for help to get there.  While everyone else ran to do the scene, Natalie had stayed behind and called the police.  She wasn't sure what had happened, all she knew was that it was bad and someone would eventually be needing help.

The police, fire department and paramedics all arrived within minutes of each other and after a few more, Kayla was freed from her car and being strapped onto a stretcher.

"Are you two her parents?" an EMT asked as he walked up to Walker and Diana.

"She doesn't have parents," Walker replied.  "We helped raise her; her grandmother died a couple of years ago and we had guardianship then, but she's since been emancipated.  She has no other legal guardians."

"Okay.  Thanks, I'll let my commander know.  Is anyone going to ride with her?"

Everyone was quiet, waiting for Zac to speak up.  When he didn't, everyone turned to look at him, but he remained still. Slumped over, all signs of life draining out of his face, and what felt like to him, his body. 

"Zac?" Taylor asked, trying to bring his brother back to reality, "You have to go with her."

Zac looked Taylor in the eyes, words still not able to escape his mouth.  

"Can I go with him?" Taylor asked, turning back to the EMT.  He turned to look at his partner who exchanged brief glances with the two boys before nodding his head.

"That's fine but we have to go now, we can't keep her conscious for more than a couple of minutes at a time!" he finished, as he turned and began to make room in the rig.

Taylor turned to his brother, willing him to move for a few more seconds before grabbing him by his arm and beginning to pull him towards the rig.

"We're following you guys.  We'll see you as soon as we get there!" Isaac called out behind his brothers.  He gathered Natalie, handing her the keys and telling her to get in before turning to his parents.

"Are you guys coming?" he asked anxiously.

Walker turned to look at his wife.  The horrible expression she'd been wearing since seeing Kayla's car, still present on her face, no doubt, she was in a state of shock.

"I think we're going to get the others settled first; let the girls and the little kids what's going on. Call us once you know something," his father replied.  Isaac looked at his mother again, pausing for a moment as he bit back his words, then nodded, before turning and joining Natalie in his car and beginning the drive to the hospital.

As soon as Zac and Taylor were secured into the rig with Kayla and the EMT they'd just been talking to, Zac broke down.  The rumble of the engine and the hiss of the breaks muffling his sobs.  Taylor held onto his brother with all of his might and let him cry until Zac began to quiet down.  By the time they'd arrived at the hospital, he felt like he was dying himself.