FIRE & BLOOD • EVAN 'BUCK' BUCKLEY / 9-1-1

45.

Stella:

Nothing in life could have prepared me for such events that tend to unfold one after the other in my life. For all the trials and tribulations. For all the pain that comes and makes it's home inside of me with no intent of leaving anytime soon.

I knew this lifestyle would not be easy, but I never expected any of this or what's to come.

____________________________________

"Dr. May, we need to call it" Victor backs away from the lifeless body of the 10 year old girl. She was brought in almost an hour ago with a gunshot wound to the neck. The girl has been under for almost 40 minutes now. No activity, no sign of life.

My hands tremble by my side but I try to hide it as Victors eyes shift over to me with concern. I hate showing any sign of emotions on the job. I need to hold it together.

His look tells me she can't keep going.

Dr. May continues compressions, her hands working fast as she shakes her head but does not look up at any of us, ignoring the long noise indicating there is no longer any activity coming from the child's heart.

"Dr. May, she's gone. There's nothing else we can do. Please" I clear my throat, swallowing back the tears.

I watch as her movements come to a stopping point and she takes in a deep breathe, her shoulders shaking. Then in a blur she's cursing and storming off.

"Damn it!" Dr. May shouts.

I look over to Victor who is staring up at the clock, a look of defeat written on his face.

"Time of death, 18:21"

Leah. An innocent girl who went out on her bike  earlier this evening thinking it would be just another normal day, riding to her friends house a couple houses down. Not thinking she would be caught in the middle of a drive by.

This is what the world has come to. A world where a 10 year old can lose her life just by doing something simple as going for a bike ride and ending up in the middle of the road.

Leah was brought in by another parent, the mother of the friend she went to visit. Michelle was her name. Says Leah came over to drop off a book to her daughter, Heather. The woman says she watched Leah ride back for a couple seconds before walking back inside her house. Not even a second later she heard the gunshots. That's when she ran back outside and saw Leah laying in the middle of the road, a car speeding off around the corner which she didn't get a good look at because she was too worried to getting to Leah on time before she bled out.

Leah's mother hasn't even arrived yet and I can hear my heart slowly breaking into pieces for her and her family as she has to hear how her 10 year old girl is gone.

"Hey" Victor places a firm hand on my shoulder. "I know it's been a rough night for all of us. Take a minute if you need to."

I shake my head. There's too many patients being rushed through those doors and I cannot afford even a second to lose. There are lives that still need to be saved.

"I'm okay, I will be. I just, I'm so mad Victor."
"I know you are"
"That little girl, she didn't deserve this. She should've been able to ride her bike in her own neighborhood safely. But instead she is laying in that room dead and her mother is on her way here hoping her daughter is still alive only to come and find her daughter dead" the anger inside of me intensifies.

I feel Victors chest as he pulls me in closer, rubbing my back softly. I'm too caught up in my rage to process what is happening. It only lasts a second before he steps back and looks at me.