Return of the Mockingjay

Chapter 8

I run to follow Steph out the door but as I reach the corridor I can see her already bounding up the steps to the landing pad.

"Steph wait!" I shout.

I follow her up the steps and emerge to see Steph stood motionless at the edge of the landing pad. I stand beside her and look across at the wreckage. We're both getting a soaking from some sort of sprinkler system that's spraying water from the edge of the pad over the crash site. Already there are firefighters and medics entering the wreck to bring out the injured or, the dead. As I look I feel my heart sink at the possibility that people could of died in the crash. Some of these people I consider as my friends. The Rapiers, Gibbs, Gomez and then there's Alek too. How did he fair sitting up front on the flight deck?

The drop ship lies on its right side with both wings torn off in the crash. As I look further back toward the woods I can just about make out small fires in the distance and it's now clear to me that the drop ship was burning long before it crashed.

After a few minutes some walking wounded start to emerge from the wreck. I can see Gibbs coming toward us with a bad gash in her arm. One of her squad clutches to her other shoulder limping as they struggle away from the crash. I rush forward and help her carry her team member to a group of medics waiting off to one side with some stretchers. Gibbs flops herself down onto a stretcher and I can now see the extent of her injuries. Her right arm is broken and my stomach turns slightly at the sight of a bone poking out through the broken skin. More medics arrive and board the wreck bringing out injured on stretchers. I see Ellie's parents being brought out and they seem to be uninjured in the crash although I know they both need urgent medical attention from the torture they've suffered. A few more make their way out but I'm looking for Lyndon, the Rapiers and Alek. My friends.
Steph steps forward into the crash zone and a firefighter attempts to stop her but I hold my hand up to him and he recognizes me and allows us both to enter. We enter the mangled fuselage and I hear Steph sigh in relief as we both see Alek and Lyndon helping someone who's trapped in the wreckage. I rush forward to help whilst Steph just stands back in silence watching on, probably shocked by the injuries I think to myself. I crouch down between the two men to see Gomez pinned to his seat by a steel beam that's resting on his abdomen. I can see a pool of blood building by his feet and the look of agony on his face.

He see's me and winks trying to lighten the mood, but then he winces in pain and grits his teeth. I take his hand in mine and he grips it causing me pain which I ignore.

"Hang on Luke, we'll get you out" I say smiling.

He nods weakly and I know by his pale skin that he doesn't have long. Two firefighters come in with some special jacking tool which they place under one end of the beam. One of the guys presses a button on the side of the jack and it starts to raise the beam off of Gomez's body. I hear him groan as the weight is lifted and Alek and Lyndon pull him clear and carry him to a waiting stretcher. I follow them back outside onto the landing pad and we all stand clear as the other firefighters get to work on putting out the remaining fires dotted around the landing pad. I turn to Lyndon and give him a hug.

"I'm so glad you guys made it out, when we saw the crash I really thought I'd lost all of you"

"I'm okay Katniss, I've got a hell of a headache but other than that I'm fine" Lyndon says smiling.

I turn to Alek to talk to him but he's looking at the drop ship. I follow his gaze and see a body bag being brought out on a stretcher and my heart sinks at the realisation that someone's died in the crash. Lyndon rushes forward and opens the body bag, catches a quick glimpse of the occupants face and closes it. He nods at the two medics solemnly to take the body away then walks off toward the woods, lost in thought. I glance at Alek and we both follow on at a distance giving Lyndon space whilst he comes to terms with whoever it is that's been killed. I look around the crash site for Steph, I cant see her, come to think of it I haven't seen her since we first entered the drop ship. As we follow Lyndon I start to shiver as I'm only dressed in jeans and a wool sweater which is now soaked through from the water sprinklers. Alek notices and places an arm around my shoulder and pulls me close to try to keep me warm. Lyndon stops just short of the woods and turns to face us. Alek and I say nothing.