Trauma of the Forest (Meadema)

~ Chapter 24: Stress & Uncertainty ~

Warning: mentions of rape (including its consequences).

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Rachel and Katie immediately rushed into the room, clearly hearing the panic in Beth's voice. Rachel took a seat next to Viv, who was doing all sorts of checks and trying to contact the trauma helicopter through her walkie-talkie to tell them they really had to hurry. Then she contacted her colleague, clearly saying she needed help. 'Ben, do you hear me? The situation around the lady is getting bad. Assistance needed RIGHT NOW'.

'Vivi, please baby. Open your eyes. Please give me a sign that you're still here. Please darling'. Despite her earlier reluctance to touch Viv, to lean on her, now all inhibitions were released. The bruises and blood scratches didn't hold her back anymore, Beth's cheek lightly covered in blood, which lay on a blood scratch next to Viv's heart. She had to lay her head on her chest, feeling the need to hear Viv's heartbeat, her arms wrapped around her. 

Slowly the sound of the trauma helicopter became louder and clearer, the sign that it had started its landing. Beth had never been so grateful to mother nature for creating an open grass field next to the electricity house, where there was enough space to land with the trauma helicopter. Grateful that it gave the opportunity to get help on the spot for Viv as quickly as possible.

Immediately the emergency doctors rushed in, the clinking of glass as they ran through the shed could be clearly heard. They threw all their stuff away to help Viv immediately. Katie and Rachel looked at each other, a silent hint that they had to ensure that Beth was removed from Viv if the emergency doctors wanted to be able to provide proper care to Viv. As hard as it was for them, they had to, knowing that every second counts.

They both grabbed an arm, tears forming in their eyes, especially at katie, less at Rachel, who had had to do this many times before. Full of guilt, that they had to separate Beth from Viv at this moment, just when she had found Viv again, just when Viv seemed to be falling away. Beth struggled, but could do nothing in the firm position in which Katie and Rachel held her. 'Come on Beth. I'm sorry, but you have to let them do their job. I'm so so sorry Beth'. Tears formed wet spots on Katie's shoulder, which had left Beth's eyes at high speed. 'Come on, we have to leave the room for a moment. Let them do their job for a moment'.

The words left Rachel's mouth, but to leave the room? No, they couldn't get Beth to do that. It was hard enough for her not to be allowed to touch Viv, so to leave the room, she absolutely did not. The only sounds in the room were the conversation of the emergency room doctors and Beth's loud sobs, interrupted by words to Viv, which showed her concern.

'Come on, baby. Please open your eyes. Let me know you're still here. Please fight baby, like you've been doing these past few days. I can't lose you. Please, darling. Open your eyes. I love you so much. Too much to lose you already. Please Vivi. Do it for me.'

Painful. The words leaving Beth's mouth, full of worry and fear, where she was again dependent on others and couldn't do anything at all. Katie felt a pain she had never felt before. Beth crying in her arms, in a state of complete panic, who had finally found her Viv again. And now she had to hold her back, keep her apart from Viv. The hardest thing she had ever done in her life.

She was so happy that she had finally found Viv, and now this? Now this happened, no signal from Viv. Viv didn't respond to anything, nothing at all. All the alertness tests had the same result, nothing that opened Viv's eyes. Nothing that they could find a sign of life from.

'She's dead, isn't she? Tell me'. The most painful words Katie ever heard whispered in her ears. The most painful words she ever heard from Beth's mouth. So small, so full of emotion. But Katie didn't know anything herself. Was she dead? Wasn't she dead? She couldn't say anything, not wanting to spread false information to Beth.