Lone Star Family Values

Chapter 1

9-1-1

"9-1-1, what's your emergency?"

Grace Ryder answered what felt like her millionth call of the day. With no answer on the other end Grace's brows furrowed.

"9-1-1 is anybody there?" She repeated.

"I n-n-need an am-am..." A female voice stuttered but seemed to taper off.

"You need an ambulance. Okay hun, can you tell me your name and an address please." Grace said.

"Bailey W-willi-ah-ms." The girl said.

"Hi Bailey, my name is Grace." Grace said.

"H-h-hi." Bailey said.

The girl sounded younger, maybe 16 or so. Her speech was slow and slurred, not like she was drunk but maybe cold.

"Bailey you're stuttering a lot. Are you cold?" Grace asked.

"Ye-ah." Bailey replied.

Grace nodded, her confusion growing. It was mid-July in Texas where the hell was Bailey that she could be so cold that her speech was so slurred.

"Okay hun where are you?" Grace prompted again.

Bailey could only mutter, trying to get her mouth to form words but having a difficult time.

"Okay Bailey, I'm going to find you one moment." Grace said, rapidly typing trying to triangulate Bailey's position. Finally the computer dinged and Grace nodded to herself.

"I have you at 447 Hawthorne Avenue, give me some indication that that's right Bailey." Grace said hoping that Bailey hadn't passed out.

"Ye-ye." Bailey muttered slowly.

"Okay Bailey, EMTs are on their way and they will be there in five minutes. I need you to stay awake for me Bailey," But there was little movement on the other line before, Grace could hear Bailey's shivers, as unsettling as it was. However, now there was only subtle breathing and even that seemed labored. Grace muted herself and hit her radio. "Engine 126 be advised adolescent female, age unknown, name Bailey Williams now unresponsive due to unknown causes."

"Dispatch this is Engine 126, we are less than a minute out." Captain Strand's voice came over the radio and Grace nodded before switching back to the call.

"Bailey, come on answer me." She pleaded.

✵✵✵

With no answer at the door Captain Owen Strand called for the battering ram and Judd delivered. The small townhome was in a quiet neighborhood, very white picket fence. The moment they stepped into the house they all paused.

"It's freezing in here?" Marjan said, wrapping her turn-out coat tighter around her as she and the rest of the 126 spread out to find their patient.

"Well it's like 104° outside so I guess they like it cold." TK spoke up from behind them.

It'd been four months since TK had made the transition to be an EMT and he couldn't be happier.

"Anybody seen the patient yet?" TK asked.

"I've got her!" Judd yelled from somewhere deeper in the house.

TK, Nanci, and Tommy all ran towards Judd's voice and they found him on the floor of the girl's room, the girl passed out on the floor, her phone sitting next to her. The EMTs kneeled next to her as they took in the situation. She looked fine, no visible signs of distress but when he put the back of his hand against his forehead he recoiled.