A Man in Uniform (A Narlie Story)

D

Everything around me was silent and all I can see is the cloud that are slowly floating past me above in the sky. Some dark clouds start to float by as well.

I can see the firetruck beside me and I know where I am. But what I don't know - is what is happening because within seconds of seeing my crew at one side of the street to the next that I am watching the ground become my friend as I hit it HARD.

My body isn't aching but I am somehow on the ground, I don't understand why.

I see Lowe rush to my side with Med Kit in hand, he falls to his knees and starts undoing my jacket, races into his Kit for the clothing scissors. I'm confused as to why he would need them but they went to the bottom of my t-shirt and cut it within 2 seconds as Mack and Cas are positioning themselves at the bottom of my legs and the other behind my head.

I see the world move to the left by a couple of centimetres.

I'm on a backboard? The crew straps me in and Lowe applies a gauze just below my shoulder. Cap reaches over to me once I'm inside the ambulance and places the oxygen mask over my face.

I see them moving their lips but there is no sounds coming through.

Did I burst my eardrums falling to the ground?

Once Lowe put an IV into my arm, flicking at the tubing to get it started, it was then I looked down at the gauze just next to my chest and saw the blood seeping through the material.

I WAS SHOT?

My hearing was slowly returning as the sound of the ambulance siren seeped into my brain, I was now registering sounds in my brain. This is a good sign.

"What happened?" Lowe looked at me.

"Cap, his vitals are returning to normal and he's speaking now" I must've looked so confused, he placed his helmet on the bench next to him.

"Lowe, what happened...? Why am I in the ambulance, was I shot?" He slowly looks at me, almost like he's considering whether or not to assure me that everything is going to be okay or just be honest with me and tell me that I have indeed been shot.

"You were shot but we got to you before you started to bleed out, that's why you're suddenly our patient" I lift my hands to gesture to the inside of the vehicle.

"Clearly man, I can't believe I got shot" He shakes his own head.

"Neither can any of us, we thought you would've made it but as soon as you made a run for it, it's almost like they were waiting for you... I fear you would've gotten shot either way unless someone found them before they did... but - that wasn't the case" I nod, closing my eyes.

"This isn't fair man..." He leaned over and patted my other shoulder.

A couple of moments later, the ambulance comes to a stop.

The back doors are swung open by the Cap and Mack and Cas are wheeling the gurney out and rolling me into the hospital.

"Late 20's was shot in the shoulder, his vitals and organs look good" The nurses and doctors nodded before wheeling me away... this was going to be the worst time ever. Not being with my crew for heck knows how long.

I widened my eyes as I realised something... Charlie.

"Who's going to tell Charlie that I am here?" One of the doctors turn to my attention, confused.

"Who's that sir?" I swallow... who was he to me? What was he to me?

"He's someone I met... but he doesn't know I've been hurt" He nods, takes his clipboard out and clicks his pen.