Vial #127

Chapter 8: Defenders of Despair

This chapter is VERY intense, if u have a weak stomach, I would make a date with the garbage can :)

Where the biters have gripped and bit at her arm, you can see ripped flesh; the muscle is torn and wrecked. The bone protrudes out at certain spots at the areas that are the worst bit. The veins are already sticking out, turning a deep purple. Blood rises up, filling the spaces between the healthy and non-healthy flesh, then rising up and spilling over, like when you leave the sink on while doing the dishes.

The biters swarm below us, attracted by the smell of blood. "Jackson, give me your jacket," He does and I get Aiden to hold down pressure on the wound. "Will, take off your belt," I place the belt just above the elbow as tightly as I can and get Will to hold it in place.

I turn around and reach into my bag, turning back to Sadie, with a knife in my hand. "Sadie, this is the only way to help you. You'll probably pass out, but it'll be okay." I turn to Jackson, "Hold her down." I command. He swings his legs around her abdomen, placing his arms on her shoulders to hold her down.

Raising my arm, I take one last deep breath and swing it down, above the bite. Sadie screams out, wriggling in pain, "Aiden, help keep her steady. Each time I raise my arm, it connects with the damaged flesh with a steady crunch of the bone. Eventually it slides out through the other side and the portion of her arm that was bit, is removed, sliding down into the infestation below. They all go at it like bait, momentarily distracted from us. "Get something for the blood, she's losing too much," I yell, frantic to save her life. At least the bite was in a spot where we can do something.

I send Will and Aiden to fend of the biters while Jackson and I carry Sadie back outside. We run back down the block, occasionally having to stop and re-grip or shoot a biter that has stumbled out of the store. We lay her down in the back seat. Jackson drives, as quickly as we can back to pick up Aiden, who takes over the job as driver, while Jackson and Will join me in the back to help with Sadie.

"Just keep applying pressure. You're doing great," I say to Will who jumps into the back to help.

"Emma," Jackson whispers.

"Not now, she's losing too much blood." I turn back, taking off my belt and tying it closer to the shoulder. Will changes the towels and for a brief moment, Sadie's bare elbow is shown. The veins are cut unevenly and stick out at unnatural angles. "Will! You can't change towels, just put more on or she'll lose too much blood." He places more towels on the already soaked ones.

"Emma, she's not breathing!" Jackson yells.

The world freezes. I turn back to Sadie. Her chest is frozen in an everlasting exhale. I rip her jacket open to just her bare tank top and start compressions. Thirty presses go by and I lower by mouth to hers, tilting her head backwards and breathing in. Her chest doesn't rise. I retry tilting back her head and this time as I blow inwards, her chest rises and falls. I do it one more time to complete the thirty to two ratio, and begin compressions again. "We're almost there," Jackson yells.

My back is aching from constantly pushing down. "Get me the stethoscope!" I shout to Jackson. He does and throws it to me. I take a listen; there's still no heartbeat so I continue to press down. Each beat that I force is agony for me; she better be holding on or I've done this all for nothing.

Finally, after what seems to be forever, her heart begins to beat on its own. Very faint at first but it's there. We all sigh in relief. "Wait!" her breathing is faint and forced, too forced even for the circumstances. "Jackson, go get a tube, like a straw or something," I say, thinking fast. He returns with a plastic, reusable straw. From the first aid kit, I pour a sterilizer over it. I get my knife and cut through the shirt, exposing her left ribcage. I find her collarbone and measure about two inches down, then make a tiny incision, swiftly placing the straw into the chest, then securing it in place by wrapping it with a small towel. Blood spurts out of the chest tube and her breathing become strong. Her lungs are still under stress from the blood loss but will support her until we get back to camp.

Every few minutes I check her heart beat and add more bandages to make sure that she's going to make it, but in less than two minutes she goes through another towel. She's losing too much and I don't have a blood transfuser kit and even if I did, I don't know what type she is; she's going to drain out.

"Drive faster Aiden, we're losing her!" I yell over the noise of the engine roaring and the wind whizzing past us. I can feel my breath returning to normal after the extreme CPR workout.

I look up; the medical clinic is in sight. Jackson and Will begin to shout out, to draw attention for Darryl and the others to come help. When I look back at Sadie, there's a small trail of blood dribbling from her mouth. I am no professional but I know that is not good. I have no idea what to do next. Ever since I was little I wanted to be a surgeon. Today is the closest I've ever got to applying my knowledge but I've never been properly trained. What do I know?

"Think, just think Emma!" I rack my brain for any information, for a clue of what to do next. "Blood from the mouth... means that's she's losing or has lost too much blood. What I can I do to stop or slow the bleeding? A blood transfusion... but what's her blood type?" I continue to work things through in my mind.

"Does anyone know her blood type?" I ask out loud; Jackson shrugs but Will pipes up, "A negative." I curse; only about seven percent of the population has that type.

"Will, please tell me you're the same," I say.

"I'm not, I'm O neg. but I'm a universal donor; my blood type can be donated to anyone." My system fills with relief as the information sinks in.

"Give me your arm!" I order while grabbing a needle and the IV kit. Finding a vein in Will's arm is hardest but I do and begin to draw out the red liquid and put it into the IV bag. I attach a needle into Sadie's good arm, securing it with a bandage. "Will, I know you're probably feeling light headed but I need you to hold this high so she can receive the blood, can you do that?" Will nods; already his skin is clammy from giving blood.

Aiden pulls into the parking lot, close to the door and Darryl rushes up with a few others who heard our calls. When he sees Sadie, all he can say is, "Jesus, what happened?"