Back from the Brink

“Get up Ian! Dyrke’s been hit!”

Ian fought to clear the fog from his brain. His body was bone tired and his mind was a complete blank. Oh the man now standing over him, handing him his tool kits, was loud enough – but he could not quite wrap his mind around who was yelling at him or where he currently was. As he stood up Ian took the offered tool kits.

“Come on kid!”

The caller was spattered with blood. His name… what is his name? Katan, his name is Katan.

“Wh…where is he?,” was all Ian could manage to say.

Katan darted out of the room and Ian jogged after him. It was all coming back to him. Dyrke, the trials, his completion of the test… he had become a member of one of the gangs. Ian picked up his pace.

As Ian turned the last corner he ran into the back of Boanerges nearly barreling him over. As he slipped in between the Van Saar heavy and Katan he saw Dyrke sitting on the edge of a table holding a bandage over his left shoulder. His bodysuit was covered in blood but he seemed alert. Ian dropped his tool kit on the table next to his new leader and reached for the bandage.

“Not me kid. I’ll be ok. Go take care of Rogers over there.”

Ian turned around. Lying on top of the table was Rogers, obviously in pain. Cacee struggled to calm the man down. Blood was everywhere and for all the man’s struggles it only made it worse.

As he stepped up next to the table Ian could see that Roger’s lips were a light shade of blue. If he could not get adequate air flow restored the man would die. When Roger’s arched his back trying to draw a breath Ian noticed the bullet wound. An ugly hole, with white foam, was evident on the left side of the chest.

“I need a sheet of plastic!”

Nobody moved.

“Katan! Run back to my room. There’s a small pack of food. Get it and bring it back! Go!”

Turning back to Rogers Ian calmly stepped between Cacee and the patient. With help the two men sat Rogers up and cut off the rest of the fabric around the wound.

Katan returned with the meal pack and handed it to Ian. He cut open the pack and let the contents spill to the floor. Pulling a small bottle of antiseptic from his tool kit he handed the items to Cacee.

“Cut the plastic so that it is one flat sheet and then clean it with this,” was all he said to his helper. “Rogers, I need you to calm down. All you’re doing right now is bleeding… calm down… that’s it. Look at me… focus.”

When Cacee handed the plastic back to Ian he immediately laid it over the wound site. Rogers winced in pain but sat still.

“Tape!”

Cacee fumbled through the tool kit, the contents of which now lay everywhere, and handed the tape over.

As the Ian taped the piece of plastic in place Roger’s countenance improved and he took a deep breath.

“Easy… lay back down. Can you roll over on your left?”

Rogers moved to roll over but growled in pain. Sending Katan back to his room once more, this time for a pillow or sheets, Ian continued to try and make Rogers comfortable.

“Can you talk?” Ian asked.

“Yea,” Rogers replied in a raspy voice.

“Are you hit anywhere else?”

Rogers just shook his head and took another breath. His lips were now returning to a normal shade.

Katan returned with the sheets and Ian used them to prop up Rogers’ feet, head, and right shoulder.

“I’m all out of pain killers, but you should be ok.”

Turning back to Dyrke, “he needs something more than a band aid.”

Dyrke shook his head, “you’re it kid. Just do the best you can.”

Ian frowned. He was no doctor, and his little tool kit was not even an adequate first aid kit.

“Let me look at your shoulder.”

“Don’t worry about me kid. I’ll be fine.” And with that Dyrke hopped off the table and turned to leave.

“You did good out there kid… and in here. Welcome to the team.” With that Dyrke walked on out.

The fatigue threatened to overtake him once again. “What have I gotten myself into,” Ian asked himself. The rest of the team had followed Dyrke out of the room. Looking back at his patient Ian noticed that he had passed out, but he was breathing ok.

He couldn’t help himself. Clearing off the other table Ian just laid down and fell fast asleep once more.