¹ 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹𝘀, 𝐝.𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐝

xxxix. just like spider-man

xxxix. just like spider-man
3.16

"Hi. I'm Atlas." Atlas had gotten up with great struggle, but now he was kneeled down beside the little boy that was trapped.

"H-hi. I'm Ben. My-my dad calls me Benny." The six-year-old looking little boy stuttered.

"Benny. How old are you? You look six." Atlas looked around for any one else that could help. There was no one, and that worried him. But he wouldn't let Benny see that.

"I'm six. My sisters nine." Benny lifted up six fingers to show his age.

"Woah! Benny, can you feel this?" Atlas said, attempting to be calm as he lightly pressed a nail into the boy's thigh, not to far from where the metal was trapping the boys leg.

Benny shook her head, tears spilling from his eyes as he whimpered. "No."

The metal was heavy, but Atlas could lift it; that wasn't the problem. The problem was that if he lifted the metal off Benny's leg before the limb was receiving oxygen, the sudden rush of blood may cause the boy's heart to fail completely, and Atlas didn't want that.

Atlas had one option, he needed to perform a bilateral fasciotomy, in order to relieve the pressure in the leg and restore blood flow.

He had done it twice, once in his intern year and once in his fourth year of residency. He really didn't think he could do this now.

"Okay," Atlas said out loud for what seemed like the millionth time. "Benny, I need to make a cut on your leg, otherwise it won't feel any better. It might hurt a little bit at first, and it will be scary, but then it will be all better. Do you understand?"

Benny shook his head and continued to cry, resting her head on Atlas hoodie that had been pulled off. "No."

"Who's you favourite superhero?" Atlas asked.

"Spider-Man. He's so cool in the comics. My daddy reads them to me."

"Benny," Atlas sighed, "I need you to be brave, alright? Like Spider-Man. Can you be brave?"

With tearful doe eyes, Benny looked up at him. "Okay."

Atlas had wouldn't stop shaking as he held the sharp piece of glass between his fingers. The shock had begun to wear off, leaving him with a pounding headache and and a burning sensation in his chest (something that kept coming back).

Atlas finally looked down at himself, nearly jumping at the sight of his state.

Cuts and bruises were visible under his ripped clothing, though they didn't hurt all that badly. What concerned him, was the blood soaking the lower half of his shirt from an unknown source. Probably a deep cut that he hadn't felt yet.

The little boy turned his head to the side, getting a better view of Atlas. "No, I want my daddy."

Atlas sighed. "I know, buddy, but we gotta do this. You're so brave, Benny. I know this is scary, but can you keep being brave for me? Just like Spider-Man."

Atlas took a deep breath, moving the glass closer to Benny's skin. He gave Benny one last reassuring smile.

And then, he made the cut.