Let Art Be Our Weapon: Frerard/Killjoys Epic

Coming Home to the Hospital

          As we approach the valley, I know that the smoke is coming from the engine. Ray and I start shooting the white suits. After a few fall to the ground, the rest know we are here. Ray and I duck out of the way as the other Draculoids and Bounty Hunters fire at us. We take cover behind a large boulder. Every few seconds, we take a few rogue shots. I can tell the difference between the blast hitting a person or not clearly. The person's body absorbs the blast and the sound while a miss lets the blast resonate the sound. We lean against the boulder ducking down for half a minute. We might have hit two or three on our surprise attack before they could respond. Maybe we killed four-five in total. They will eventually all get shot. I am not going to let it happen any other way. I peak my head out briefly and fire. I hit a Draculoid in the shoulder. I take a moment before firing again. When I turn to shoot, I immediately pull back behind cover as a blast flies passed me.
In my peripheral vision, I see the white uniform on my right. They aim the gun at Ray. I instinctively grab his jacket and throw him to the side out of the way. The Draculoid still fires and I become the new target. I roll out of the way but I'm too close to avoid getting hit entirely. The blast hits my side and burns me. It burns so painfully. I forgot how excruciating it felt to be shot. I haven't taken a blast since I was 10. After 8 years, I still haven't gotten over the pain.
While I lie on the ground, the Draculoid raises his gun again but he doesn't fire the next shots. Ray hits him dead. He looks over the rock, dodges a blast then fires twice. He doesn't fire again and no one returns shots.
Ray looks at me. "Are you hit?" he asks.
I remember the yelling. Frank and Woody are down there. "No," I lie, "let's go." My heart pounds in my chest. We were going to the base today. We were going to be safe. I start panicking. Frank and Woody could be dead. Frank screamed. I heard his voice. Adrenaline covers up the pain. I crawl towards the edge. I see many white uniforms on the ground. Woody is alive and for the most part well. Ray jumps down and runs over to him. Woody mutters something. He stands and sides steps towards the blazing car. He and Ray are covered in the thick smoke and I can't see what they are doing? I look for Frank. I scan the white uniforms but that's all I see. No Fun Ghoul.
Ray and Woody start coughing. They wouldn't be in the smoke without a reason. I refuse to believe it. No. No. He's not in the car. I drag myself further over the ledge. Woody falls back out of the smoke and coughs out. He takes a breath and helps Ray. Ray falls back and wheezes. No. Please, no.
Covered in black soot, I recognize Frankie. Underneath the black, he is bleeding out. He's bleeding out. Pain strikes me at the sight of Frank wounded so badly and I slip off the ledge and fall into the ditch. I crawl over to the others as they carry Frank away from Kemia. My vision blurs. They set him down and I grab his shoulders. "Fun Ghoul?" I shake him but his head bobs around. I feel the hot tears spill and I quickly wipe my eyes frantically. I wipe the soot off his face. I put my finger to his neck searching for a pulse. I can't find anything. My hands tremble and I hold him. "Please!" I beg. "Please, don't be dead. I need you." Ray checks his airways. He knows what he needs to do. I do too but I can't function.
"Party, set him down." I gently lie him on the ground. Ray opens his eyelids and he opens his mouth looking for a clear airway. The look on his face said they weren't. I start shaking. Frank, please this can't be happening. I would never have let you guys go if I knew this would happen. I wasn't freaking out then. I was calm when they were missing. I should have been looking. If we got to the car sooner, we could have protected them.
I slump over and feel extremely dizzy. I hold my side. My hands submerge in a warm sticky substance.
Woody slides over near me. "Move your hands, Party Poison," he orders. I do my best to release pressure off my side. I clench my jaw tightly and hold back screams. The adrenaline no longer hides the pain. "You need medical attention. We need to get back to the base."
Ray snaps his head over. "I asked if you were hit? You lied!"
"We needed to help them. Frank screamed out. I needed to get to him," I say through my teeth.
"You won't last long with the wound open. I need to cauterize it."
My hands fumble to a pocket and Woody takes out my knife. He holds it out and points his blaster at the blade. Holding it at an angle, he shoots the blade a few times. The blasts reflect off and shoot away. Woody kneels at my side and looks at me sternly. He speaks slowly. "Five. Four. Three. T..." He presses it against my wound and I scream out. My fingers dig into the dirt and my feet kick around. He kneels on my arm and I can't move away. The pressure is applied harder and I can't take it anymore. With my free hand, I grab Frank's arm and pass out from the pain.