The Way to Love (Camren)

Chapter 17: Seared With Scars

XVII. 

"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars." - Kahlil Gibran

Trigger Warning - Self harm

The next little while was very much a blur. The panic, the paramedics, the twin blue and red lights, the sound of the ambulance. All definitive lines were blurred, as if the events of the night had been broken into fragments that couldn't quite find a way to fit together. For some ungodly reason, Camila was dry-eyed on the outside, but sobbing on the inside, and was blaming it on the fact that she was so horrified that her body had just shut down.

"How did this happen?" One of the paramedics asked as Lauren was given an oxygen mask, and a gently lifted onto a stretcher. They hadn't taken long to get to the house, begin a series of controlled chest compressions, and establish a small open airway to get her heart going again. They then began feeding oxygen into her body, making it clear to the girls that her pulse could stop at any time, and that she needed immediate attention at the hospital. "Was she in your care?"

"She was out with friends tonight and just delivered home to us. My roommates are on the phone now with the others to find out the details." Ally explained to the man calmly before gesturing over to where Dinah and Normani were on their phones. "All we were told was that she had too much, it had to have been binge drinking."

"Okay." The man nodded as Lauren was removed from the house and situated into the back of the ambulance. A few of the neighbours had popped their heads out of front doors and windows due to the commotion. Ally took Camila's arm and led her outside behind the other two who were just finishing up their respective conversations.

"Can one of us ride to the hospital with her?" Normani asked as the doors of the ambulance were closed. "I assume you're headed to the one on the university campus, right?"

"That's right." The man whipped out a small pad of paper and a pen. "Unfortunately due to the severity of the case, we aren't able to allow anyone to accompany her on the ride over." After scribbling down an address and a phone number, he handed the page to Normani. "But we are going to need a few of you to head over as soon as possible so we can give the team over there details, and get in contact with her guardians for insurance information."

"We will." Normani agreed as she folded the paper up neatly and pressed it into her pants pocket. "Thank you."

Camila stood with one arm circling her waist, and the other drawn to her mouth so she could gnaw mercilessly on the side of her thumbnail. "Wait." She spoke, her voice shaking for more reasons than one.

"Yes?" The man looked impatient.

"Is she going to be alright?" The brunette asked timidly, praying to god that she was going to get the answer she needed

"There's nothing I can say for sure." The man replied solemnly. "Unfortunately, most alcohol poisoning cases we get aren't ever this severe, especially to the point where the patient's heart physically stops. That's not to say it isn't possible, but she's definitely still in danger. Please come to the hospital and you'll be able to learn more after some initial testing and treatment."

"Right." Camila backed up into Dinah, who placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her. The man nodded kindly, then rounded the ambulance to jump into the passenger seat, start the siren, and then take off down the street.

"By the looks of the sky, it's going to start raining soon." Dinah spoke softly, taking Camila's arm and pulling her backwards gently. "Come on, let's go inside for now and we can figure out how we're going to do this."