"If she's breathing why won't she open her eyes?" I shout once again between panicked breaths but I'm quickly waved off.
Two paramedics sit on either side of Maggie, both tall brawny men carefully attaching different cords and tubes to her chest and arms. One EMT is mostly silent while the other attempts to reason with me.
His mouth moves but his words seem muted and my mind muddled. I glance at the patch on his uniform and acknowledge his first name and badge number are listed, Mark.
"Mark, please save her." I beg but I choke on the words as the panic takes hold.
"We'll do everything we can for her sir, but her condition is serious." The paramedic warns, his kind eyes evaluate me as if he's determining whether I'll pass out or not.
"Okay." My voice is no louder than a whisper as I begin to comprehend there's absolutely nothing I can do to help, I'm worthless. I just have to trust these men to take care of my girl.
Mark gives me a small nod before turning to the driver, "I need you to haul ass on this one."
My stomach drops and my head falls into the palm of my hands as a dizziness overwhelms me. I can't imagine it's ever a good sign hearing those words.
"Ma'am, can you hear me at all?" Mark begins attempting to speak with Maggie and I raise my head in curiosity. I'm hoping for a nod, mumble, groan, anything at all.
Nothing
"What's her name?" The paramedic asks and I quickly react.
"Maggie." I manage to breathe.
"Maggie if you can hear me, try moving your fingers or making any sound at all." His pointer finger and thumb gently touch pinch her wrist, waiting for any movement.
Nothing
Sounds of the sirens echoing throughout the outside world blare in my ears as our bumpy ride ensues.
Mark seems to give up speaking with her, instead speaks into a walkie-talkie. "Inbound party one, approximately twenty-six year old female involved in a trauma."
I place my head in the palm of my hands and close my eyes, tuning in and out of his conversation. I'm not ready to hear his assessment.
"Unwitnessed by pedestrians, showing a head injury."
Breathe in, breathe out.
"Getting a faint pulse, unresponsive at this time."
Breathe in, breathe out.
"ETA about two minutes."
THE DOORS FLING OPEN and both EMT's fly out with me alongside them. Maggie's wheeled through the emergency room hall directly to a private room followed by two doctors. I stand like a fly on the wall silently watching their every move.
The paramedics start filling in the doctors quickly with broken sentences despite the fact that they've probably already been informed. They certainly seemed prepared for us when we arrived. "Twenty-six-year-old female, car flipped off the road possibly a few times, head trauma, multiple abrasions on her forehead and arms. Unknown speeds, unresponsive the entire time."
Unresponsive.
The word makes my heart sink as I watch one of the doctors help the EMT lift her onto a hospital bed.
The paramedics start to leave but Mark stops and places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. He catches me off guard and I jerk my head back to discover why he's touched me. Mark gives me a sympathetic nod and a pat on the back. My chest clenches and I attempt to offer a thank you smile in return but my attempt is futile although his modest gesture is more appreciated than he probably realizes.
YOU ARE READING
When Our Stories Entwine
Romance"Lust, passion, sex, lies, deceit, all became entangled in our liaison, smothering the real reason we'd grown so attached to one another, love." ---------------------------- Maggie Carpenter grapples with the fact that a ghost from her past has sudd...
