How Life Changes

The Crash

"What happened," a tall red headed nurse asked as two men wheeled a young man of about nineteen through the double doors of the hospital and past the main desk. "Car crash, car flipped end over end witnesses say. Three in the car all together, this kid, mom, and dad. Lost 'em the parents on the way over," one man said. The red headed nurse followed them along the corridor towards the emergency room quickly, "what are we looking at?" "His face went through the windshield, broken left leg and arm, and he has a fracture on the left of the skull just above the ear," the other of the two men answered.

"Mom! Be careful! The road is icy tonight," Cole said stressfully from the backseat. "Oh please Cole, I've driven this road thousands of times," his mother answered as she rolled her eyes. "Honey, he's not wrong. You are going a bit fast," Cole's father said as he gripped the armrest of the passenger's seat. "Would you two relax? I'm just ready to get home," the woman said slightly irritated at their warnings. "Look mom, all we're saying is we don't want to die tonight," Cole grinned, his honey brown eyes alight with amusement. Cole pulled off his cowboy hat and set it on the seat next to him then leaned back. He had just been at a rodeo for four hours and was tired after competing in bull riding, wild bronco riding, then helping ready the bulls for the other riders. Cole was quite dirty as well. "When you get home you head straight to the shower Cole Williams! You're so dirty you look like your hair is brown instead of blond," his mother said sternly. "Yes ma'am," her son answered in his southern drawl that usually caught the girls' attention.

"How's he doing," the redheaded nurse asked as they attached an IV to the young man's arm. "Not good, he's got traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage to his brain," the doctor who had only moments ago arrived answered. "He needs immediate surgery." The nurse nodded then hurried off to prepare a room to move the boy to and begin surgery. Suddenly the young man on the stretcher began to shake, moderately at first then violently. "He's having a seizure," the nurse said urgently.

"Cole, I'm talking to you," his mother said sternly jolting the boy from his sleep. "Hm," he mumbled as he sat up. "Karin, let him sleep! He's had a rough few hours," his father said. "James I was talking to Cole and as long as he lives in our house he'll listen," Karin snapped back. Cole looked at the arguing couple and shook his head, "I'm going back to sleep." Just as the boy leaned his head against the back of the seat he felt the car swerve. "Mom!" Cole snapped and shoot upright as the car began to spin uncontrollably on the slick, icy ground. "Karin!" James yelled as the car swerved towards the ditch. His mother screamed in pure terror. The car flew off the edge of the road and began rolling end over end down the large hill until it came to rest at the base of the incline.

"He's ready for surgery sir," the redheaded nurse told the doctor. "Thank you nurse. Have you found any family," the man asked as he pulled on his gloves. "No sir, the boy has no surviving relatives." The doctor nodded then once he was ready he walked into the room and began the procedure.