Chapter 5 #2
“Cerise?” Her voice sounded scratchy and quiet. She cleared her throat and said her friends name a little louder. “Cerise, are you okay?”
“Nadia?”
“Oh thank goodness. Can you remember what happened?” Even though her head pounded and she wanted to cry with the pain of it, her instincts as a doctor were beginning to kick in.
“Vaguely.”
Another moan sounded and Nadia called out. “Who’s that? Are you in pain?” While she spoke she tried to move her legs, and was able to move them a bit. Not a lot but at least she had movement so her back wasn’t broken.
“It’s Buck and I think my legs are broken. There’s something on them, I could try and move it.”
“No,” Nadia shouted. “Leave whatever it is. If you move, you could end up doing more damage to yourself than if you didn’t.”
A couple of other people called out saying that their arms and legs hurt. “Cerise, what about you?”
“My abdomen really hurts. I fell to the side and a whole lot of cans fell on me.” Somehow in the collapse of the shelves surrounding them she’d lost her grip on Cerise.
A shaft of guilt that she hadn’t been able to protect her friend pierced her gut, but she pushed it aside.
She’d done the best she could and Cerise wouldn’t blame her for their hold breaking so she needn’t either.
Out of everyone in the small cupboard she’d come out of it without any broken bones. Sure, her head hurt like a bitch but she could still move.
“What about you, Nadia? Are you okay?” Cerise asked.
Nadia reached up and felt around her skull.
At the side she had a large goose egg where the can that knocked her out must have hit.
A lump was much better than an indentation.
If the lump hadn’t come out, then there was the chance that she may have fractured her skull and moving wouldn’t be a good idea.
Continuing her examination she could feel the stickiness of blood from a cut.
She took a deep breath and it stung a bit.
Okay, so she may have some bruised ribs from whatever had fallen on her back.
But as she’d previously discovered, she had full movement of her arms and legs.
“I’m good, Cerise, just a bump on the head. Probably some cuts and bruises. I’m going to try and wiggle around enough to get out and see if I can find some help for us.”
As if the mention of help conjured them, she heard the faint, familiar wail of sirens.
How long had they been sounding? Why was she only hearing them now?
Had they just arrived? How long had she and the other occupants of the cupboard been unconscious?
How long since the tornado had ripped through the town?
She slammed the door shut on questions. They didn’t matter, all that mattered was trying to get help.
God knows how the people in the other part of the bar were.
Nadia had no idea where Brad and the others on the trivia team were.
If they were able to get out or if they were pinned under debris like them.
“I’m not sure it’s a good idea to move, Nadia.
What if you moving causes more things to collapse on us?
” Cerise had a valid point, but Nadia couldn’t sit around and wait for help.
She had to do something. If only she could see what the situation was then she might be able to work her way out without causing anyone to get hurt even more.
“My phone.” She blurted out. Reaching down her left side she found her purse, exactly where she remembered placing it when she’d taken up the position to protect her head.
Shifting a little she was able to reach in and pull the phone out.
When she touched the screen it lit up. There was a crack down the middle of it, but she didn’t care, she would be able to use the flashlight function.
Swiping down she pressed the icon and a bright white glow lit up the area.
As she thought there were shelves surrounding them as well as boxes and cans. Turning a little so she could see over her shoulder at what was resting across her back, she winced at the movement.
“Okay there’s a shelf resting on my back, but I don’t think I have any broken bones so I’m going to lift it up. Once I do, I should be able move a little better.”
“Where are you going to put it? We’re all covered here.” This question came from Buck. She hadn’t thought that far ahead but what she did know was she wasn’t going to hurt anyone more than they already were.
“I’ll figure it out.”
Nadia spent the next couple of minutes lifting the board. Fortunately, it wasn’t too heavy and she was able to slide it over her head and down so that it rested on the other piece of wood covering her leg.
She groaned as she straightened her spine, it felt glorious to stretch her cramped muscles.
“I’m okay, just stretching,” she commented before anyone could ask.
“I’ve moved the shelf it’s resting on my legs.
” Nadia picked up the phone again and shone it around the room.
To her left she could make out a couple of people lying down.
To her right, Cerise was on her side, her face pale.
Worry for her friend threatened to overwhelm her but she pushed it aside.
It was possible Cerise could be suffering from internal injuries and she needed help fast.
Opposite her was Buck whose lower body was covered with the bulk of the items that had been on the shelves. Nadia looked at the barman, making sure to keep the light from shining right in his eyes. “Buck, how you doing?”
He grimaced. “I’ve been better but I’m okay. Do you think you can get out?”
Nadia cast another look around. If she was careful and kept a hold of both the boards, she should be able to lift them and stand up. She could then put the boards where she sat so they weren’t resting on anyone.
There’s no could about it, Nadia. You have to do it. You have to get help.
Her inner voice was right and gave her the courage to begin the process of freeing herself. As she worked she could hear some shouts from people outside of where they were. Nadia had no idea if the voices belonged to rescue workers or if they were the other people in the building.
Buck started calling out we’re in here while she shifted and contorted her body. First she got one leg free and then the other. As she moved her side ached and it confirmed her suspicion she may have injured her ribs.
After what seemed like forever, but was only about five minutes she was standing. Her head spun and pounded and she closed her eyes, gripping the pieces of shelving as if they could keep her upright.
“You’re not going to fall at my feet, are you?” Buck asked with a hint of humor. “I’d be honored but I’m taken.”
Nadia chuckled. “Well darn, here I thought I might have a chance with you.”
“Sorry darlin, my Marlene is the light of my life and I’m grateful she’s in San Antonio visiting our daughter and not here.
I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to her.
” His voice broke and Nadia carefully placed the boards down so they didn’t disturb anyone.
She reached over and laid her hand over his where they rested on the debris.
“I promise I’m going to get help and get us all out of here.” She stood and looked around at who she could see, especially at Cerise who still had her eyes shut. “I promise.”
“I know you will,” Cerise said as she opened her eyes, the pain she was experiencing plain to see.
Nadia squatted back down and carefully reached through the small gap between the wood and cans piled on her friend. She prodded Cerise’s belly. It was firm a big indicator that her roommate was suffering some internal injuries.
How was it that she was able to stand?
How come she didn’t have any broken bones or internal injuries, but the rest of the people in the room were seriously injured?
It was a question she couldn’t answer and wasn’t meant to.
“I’ll be back as fast as I can. I just have to work out a way to get out of here.”
Nadia shone her flashlight around. Did it seem dimmer than it was only a moment ago? God, how could she see if her battery died.
“Hunt Volunteer Fire Department, anyone in the vicinity?” Nadia recognized that voice. It was the sweetest sound she’d heard in the last hour.
“Mitch! Oh thank God, we’re in here.” She picked her way carefully to where the door used to be, but a collapsed ceiling and doorframe now stood. She banged on the pile, coughing when some dust floated in her face.
“Nadia, is that you? Are you okay? Keep talking so I can get a good handle on where you are? How many people are with you?”
“Yes, it’s me. We’re in the pantry, well what’s left of the pantry. There’s five, including me. I’ve got badly injured people here.” She banged on the wood again and received an answering one. “Mitch?”
“Yeah, Boston, it’s me. I need you to move away from where you’re standing, I know you’re close to me. I’m going to try and get some of this rubble away from you.”
The sound of his voice was a welcome relief and the adrenaline that had been keeping her going began to subside. A shiver rippled through and she wrapped her arms around herself as she willed her body to get itself under control.
They were in the middle of a disaster and although her head and sides ached, she was an able-bodied physician. She would be needed to help and assess everyone. Even treat patients. The first ones she’d assist would be the people in this room.
“Nadia, you still there? Have you moved a safe distance away?” Mitch’s voice sounded so confident and sure, as if she had nothing to worry about.
She shuffled back until she was sitting on the boards that had been on her, keeping hold of her phone tightly in her hand. The light was still working but she didn’t know for how much longer. In the confined space it was comforting. “Yeah, I’m safe.”
“Okay, I’m going to start removing some of the debris. It’s like a game of Jenga, but I’ll let you know that I was good at the game so you’re in safe hands.”
Again, his confidence rang through every word he spoke.
Nadia imagined this was how he sounded when he addressed a patient, before he’d become affected by the sights he’d seen.
The fact Mitch seemed so in control was at odds with how she’d seen him that first day.
Then again, if he couldn’t do his job competently enough, he wouldn’t be a member of the volunteer fire department.
The walls groaned and little bits of plaster and dust sprinkled down on them. “Mitch, be careful we’re getting some stuff drifting down on us.”
“Roger that. I’m almost through.” A second later a large opening appeared and she saw the familiar shape of a firefighters hat poking through the gap. Mitch raised his flashlight and waved it around. The beam was brighter than the small one on her phone and she winced when it hit her.
He breathed in deep and she worried that seeing her and the others may trigger an attack.
God, she had to stop thinking that anything would set him off.
She had to have faith that in this situation Mitch’s training would kick in and override anything bad.
To expect anything he came across would trigger an attack was doing an injustice to him.
He didn’t deserve that. What he deserved was her trust and belief in him.
“How does my bar look, Mitch?” Buck’s voice seemed weaker than it had not long ago. She could imagine the pain level was becoming more than he could deal with.
“Honestly?” Mitch asked and when Buck nodded he continued. “It doesn’t look good.”
“I thought as much. What about everyone else that was here, we were full because of trivia night.”
“From what I understand there are few injuries but nothing serious. Looks like this area suffered the most damage.”
“Okay. This place can be rebuilt, lost lives can’t be replaced.”
For a second Mitch lowered his head and Nadia noticed a slight tremor in the hand holding the flashlight.
She saw the moment Mitch collected himself and looked the barman in the eye.
“You’re right. Now I’m going to go get some of the other guys to help.
Here Nadia, take this.” He lifted a large bag that had a big red cross on the side. Nadia got up and grabbed it off him.
“Thanks.” Everything she would need to help with the injuries to stabilize the occupants of the room enough before they could be transported to hospital, would be in the bag otherwise Mitch wouldn’t have handed it to her.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes. Hang tight.”
“We’ll be waiting.” Nadia said at his retreating back.
She gripped the handles of the bag a little tighter while biting her lip to stop herself from calling Mitch back.
She closed her eyes and counted to ten. With each exhale she pushed out her fears for the situation she found herself in.
For the worry that she wouldn’t be too late to help Cerise.
The same worry for Buck that his legs wouldn’t be able to be saved.
Worrying wouldn’t help her in a situation like this.
People’s lives depended on her and she was going to make sure every single person in this room got out alive.
If Mitch could deal with his demons tonight, then so could she.