Traumatised Tim

Chapter Twenty One

Even Tim had to say that in the end there was little to tell. The minute the soldiers came they used a combination of martial arts and hand to hand combat to knock out most of the wayward pack. Those down but not dead were tied up and sat in the corner - to awake as prisoners whose fates would be decided at a later date.

                What there was a lot to tell about however was the devastation that befell his eyes after everything had ended. Afterwards it was like the world had slowly come to a stand still. Everything seemed to move that little bit slower. Everyone was on auto pilot checking for the dead and laying them gently to one side. The wounded were hastily hurried inside what was left of the buildings but they had needed to have been first checked to ensure they were safe to go in. A lot of buildings were too unstable to be used but a few were salvageable enough to make a temporary medical base. And that was only the start of the problems. They only had field medics, those trained in emergency situations and used to using little or no medication and equipment. Doctors were needed straight away but Tim still had no idea where to get actual doctors from. Humans ones were out of the question as he would expose their entire race and that could be devastating. He hadn’t really thought about the aftermath that much, hell, he hadn’t want a battle in the first place let alone thought they could live through it. Besides, he had always had in mind that there were fully trained emergency medics but on hearing the cries of pain and seeing the amount of blood that one person could bleed out, he realised he had made a very, very, serious mistake.

“Ray!” he called out aloud. “Ray, we need doctors, do you know of any we can send for?!”

Ray lifted his head and looked over at Tim, “I already have some waiting. In the far building I stored a box of fireworks, set them off. I sent ahead requesting aid if it was needed and safe for them. They’re doctors, for survival reasons they aren’t allowed in battle, the fireworks will be a message that it’s safe for them.”

Tim hurried off to see if he could move the debris enough to find this single box that contained their lifeline, while acutely aware that time was running out for the seriously wounded. He hoped the medics had enough training and equipment to do something for now.

The Cicatrices were dotted about turning slowly back to their fully human forms. Many weren’t turning back though, it seemed to be difficult for their bodies to accept the level of damage done to them when they were reduced in size. The wounds that were nothing on their giant sized frames were suddenly gaping holes in their human ones and they were losing too much blood for a normal person to cope with. So most stayed as a hybrid and those that were able to walk were helping to pick up the heavy pieces that had once made up the houses and homes and even compound itself. They carried the wounded to the temporary bay and tried to be as helpful as they could. The Cicatrices had proved to be incredibly useful but it was sad to see such large forms crumpled on the floor. There were those who had not made it. Their legs were mangled and while a couple yelled out that it would be alright and they would heal in time, Tim saw past their reassurances. His eyes lingered on the dead and badly wounded knowing their legs would never heal and their astonishing bodies would end up hidden under the dirt when they was all over.

                Ray found Tendra unconscious, her body draped over Christopher, it seemed she had been trying to protect him. Tim had for one second felt his heart stop in his chest; it was as if he felt his very blood freeze in his veins with no pump to shoot it along his tissues. He had waited anxiously for Ray to tell him it was alright, and the surge of blood that shot along to his fingertips when Ray turned around and nodded, to Tim was a little painful but fully welcome. She had a pulse so she was not dead.

                Infection festered quickly in such dirty conditions and they hurried about cleaning as best as they could but they needed to tidy up first and that only caused more dust and debris to fall everywhere. The gravel was covered in blood and wolves back in human form were already trying hard to hose it down but it didn’t help so they began digging up the stones, shovelling them into a single heap so that they might replace as soon as they could. Inside overturned tables were righted. Slashed, broken, smashed and cracked wreckage was thrown out. Surfaces were bleached, floors were cleaned. Curtains and bed sheets were stripped and the ripped mattresses were put on a bonfire outside.  Everyone who wasn’t seriously wounded was trying to make a hospital out of complete mess and it was only creating more chaos.