[[[the wonderful mess that we've made]]] [[[part iii]]]

29.

She was pale and scared as we sat and waited for help. There were so many people everywhere, all begging for help and nothing I could do. I wished I could trade places with Lily so she didn't have to feel any pain. I knew she was putting on a brave face, but having a steel pipe through your skin and muscle had to be awful.

I held her. Every moment that passed felt like a lifetime. I was trying not to panic, to keep her calm, stroking her blood soaked hair. I could see a wide gash on her crown but I don't think she knew it was there. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her leg and the way the metal was sticking out at an angle from the material of her jeans. There was no blood. Which worried me. What if the pipe was the only thing stopping her from bleeding out?

'I've ruined your hoodie.' She laughed through her tears. I shook my head in disbelief.

'It'll wash.' I told her. How could she be concerned about the hoody? Would help ever arrive? I tried to keep her mind off things, talking about how busy we'd each been, where we'd travelled to recently, what gigs we'd done. I encouraged her to tell me what she'd be having for dinner when we got out of here.

'I want pizza. With lots of cheese.' She said quietly. 'I don't know where Ed is. The record company won't be very impressed with me.' She said suddenly.

'I'm sure he's fine. Don't worry.' But I was sure my fear showed. She rested her head on my lap and I began to worry for her health. She seemed to be slurring her words a little and the silences between talking became longer.

'I'm tired.' She whispered and closed her eyes. I didn't know much about this kind of thing, but I knew she wasn't supposed to go to sleep. 'Lily, stay awake. Lily.' I shook her gently.

'I'm cold.' She muttered. Now I began to panic. That wasn't good. I looked around for help. But everyone was so busy. I could hear sirens in the distance but no medical people near by. The sun was nearly gone. Then I spotted Kyle scrambling across the rubble. 'KYLE! HERE!' I yelled.

He bounded over and took one look at Lily when his eyes filled with tears.

'Get help! Hurry!' I ordered him. He didn't argue.

'Dan?' She whispered in my arms. I barely dared to look at her.

'Its gonna be ok. You're gonna be ok.' But I wasn't too sure.