The Choice

Chapter 33

"Oh my God, Ezra!" I yell. I shake my head, trying to snap out of the blurred trance I feel like I'm in. 

I run down the few steps to Ezra, but it feels as if I'm moving in slow motion. I watch as blood spills out of his chest, but the blood isn't moving in slow motion. "No, Ezra!" I put one hand on his face, and I apply pressure, trying to slow down the bleeding with my other. 

His eyes are glossy, but they're still open. "Jo, what happened?" he asks. His hand finds mine on his chest, and his hand slowly moves in front of his face. "Where did this blood come from?" His eyes widen a little. 

"Ezra, you were shot. I need you to stay calm, and I need you to stay awake." I take a deep breath. "Can you do that for me?" 

Ezra nods slowly. "Yes."

"I'll be right back. You stay awake okay?"

Ezra nods, this time slower than before. 

I run to the door, and I scream for help as loud as I can, hoping someone hears me. I crouch down next to Lucy, and sigh in relief when I feel a pulse. I return to Ezra's side, and I notice his eyes are starting to close. I grab his face, shaking slowly. "Ezra, please. You have to stay awake." I put one hand back on his wound, again trying to stop the bleeding.

Ezra nods his head. "I just feel really tired."

His eyes don't look normal, and I think he may be in shock. A tear runs down my face. "I know you do, but I need you to stay awake. We can take a long nap when we get home," I tell him, hoping it will calm him. 

"You promise?" he asks, a goofy grin plastered on his face. "I think I ate too much."

A teary laugh comes out of my mouth. "Of course I do."

Ezra puts his bloody hand on my cheek. "I love you Josephine," he tells me. 

I kiss his lips, doing my best not to move my hand and to also be gentle. "I love you too."

The door to the stairway opens and in rushes paramedics. "What's going on here?" one of them asks. 

"Please help him! He's been shot!" I scream, even though the paramedics are right in front of me. 

I hold Ezra's hand, squeezing tightly as the paramedics crouch down beside him. I move my other hand from his wound, I watch as they assess him, while another set of paramedics assess Lucy.

"Sir, can you tell us your name?" one of the paramedics asks. She's short, with dark curly hair. Her eyes are wide, but she looks hopeful. 

"Ezra," he says, but his eyes are droopy and he's looking at no one particular. 

"We need to get him to the hospital now," another paramedic says. "He's lost a lot of blood and he looks like he's going into shock."

They carefully, but in a hurry, lift him onto a gurney. I step back and watch as they raise the gurney, my bloody hand covering my mouth. My eyes are wide, and my feet are stuck to the floor. 

"Ma'am, are you alright?" the curly haired paramedic asks me. She's looking at the blood on my hand, and I follow her eyes down to my stomach. "Do you need any help?"

I shake my head. "Can I ride in the ambulance with him?" I ask, but my voice isn't loud at all, so I'm not even sure if she hears me. 

The paramedic hurries to my side. "Everything is going to be alright." She grabs my arm gently. "I need you to remain calm for your sake and for your baby."

She ushers me out of the school, and I see the sirens surrounding the building. We follow the gurney Ezra is on, and she helps me onto the ambulance.