JP Part 2

The Endless Nightmare

Warning, graphic descriptions of injuries

"Incoming!"

 Ava screams at the top of her lungs as the ambulances pull up to the entrance and EMS medical drones roll out stretchers one by one. The people on them are blurred through the windows. 

The doctors and nurses around us scramble and Parker, Soren, mama, and papa come in first wearing plain clothes. 

They look somber as they stroll past us at a quickened pace. 

Papa is the only one who stops while the others continue walking, unable to face us. 

Our father looks at each of us and before the stretchers come in. He gathers the strength and says, 

"No one is dead, the kids are unharmed but..." 

He is unable to finish his sentence.

 Six doctors run with a stretcher, "We have a female, age 33, with child!" One doctor with a small tablet informs the others and Jonathan stands. 

Papa puts his arm around Jonathan's shoulder and holds him as Linda passes by. 

She was covered head to toe in blood and moaning in pain. Her blond hair was caked with blood and her eyes were squeezed shut. The doctors rush her past.

Jonathan with his back to the wall, he slides out of papa's arm, down the wall, slowly until he hits the floor, covering his face with his hands and lets out a guttural cry that was full of so much pain, tears started to well up in my eyes and the next stretcher is rushed in.

"Male, 26, multiple wounds from gunshots and stabbings." 

The nurse says but it was as if time had come to a slow singular motion, the stretcher rolls past and I finally see him, then instantly wish I hadn't.

 If the nurse had not described the patient I would have never guessed it was my beautiful Joseph. 

My Joseph was mangled, his hair was shaved, he was beaten, he was cut, he was stabbed, he was shot, he was missing fingers and there were deep gashes running up and down his legs and arms.

 My heart was shattered and I have to choke back the vomit rising in my throat as I feel an uncontrollable anger and fear. Without thinking, I run after the stretcher unable to cry or make a sound. 

I feel myself being pulled back and look back to see Pierce and Parker holding my arms and I fall back. 

Pierce pulls me close and holds me to his chest, cooing gently. I finally let out a cry but I can't even recognize it as my own because the pain is so deep, my heart has shattered to pieces, I cry into Pierce's shoulder like I never have before and my legs feel weak as he pulls me close to a wall as I start to shake with grief. I feel like my lungs are going to give out as I start to hyperventilate. 

"Breathe, breathe, breathe, you're going to pass out. He's going into surgery. Peter stop hyper..."

 Two small sets of footsteps approach and I rub the tears from my eyes to see my precious little toddlers make their way. 

Parker tries to pull them back but I gently push Pierce aside and grab both of them up into my arms and hold them tight.

 "Daddy!"

 They shout and squeal and I try to stop my tears. I had to be strong for our children because soon they might be the only thing I have left of him.

 I kiss both of their little heads and cheeks and they stay quiet as they put their little heads on my shoulders.  Ella looks up at me with eyes identical to her father's 

"Daddy...Where is papa?" 

She asks and I pull her head close to my chest.

 Wanting nothing more than to shelter them from the storm that was only starting to form. 

"Papa, not feeling well baby girl. That's all my sweetheart."