Carlisle's Diary

The Shooting

Dear Diary: April 26, 2013

I'm not one to ever panic but this had my head spinning. A million thoughts were racing through my mind. What happened? How many people were involved? Was Nessie alright? Was she hurt? I had to go to that school! Betsy had seen my face and she put her hand on my arm:

"Dr. Cullen, I know your niece is there but we are going to have a lot of students coming into the ER now and we need you here!"

I knew she was right but I had to make a phone call. Who knew how many students were injured. I instantly dialed Esme.

"Esme, did you hear?"

"Oh Carlisle, yes I did! I'm horrified! Edward and the others are on their way to the school. I was shopping on the other side of town for some food for the sick kids at home and am on my way there too."

She sounded like she was almost crying. I knew she was worried sick about Nessie. That would make two of us.

"They need me here at the hospital because of the influx of students from the school. I'm praying it's not that bad. Otherwise, I'd be there in a heartbeat."

"I understand. No you need to stay and take care of the patients. They need the best and you're it, honey. I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything."

"Thank you sweetheart. I love you! Please give my love to the others."

With that we hung up. For the first time in a very long time, my hands were shaking. I had to get it together. There was already a broadcast that a bunch of ambulances with injured kids were on their way. We were about to be inundated. I took a deep breath to center myself, said a little prayer for Nessie, and got my triage unit ready for the first arrival. All Areas (bays or rooms) in the ER as they were called, were emptied and we were just holding our breaths.

Then suddenly the ER doors flung open and a bunch of paramedics wheeled in the first student. One of the paramedics was sitting on top of the boy doing CPR. That is when I knew it was going to be a bad one. I rushed to them and moved them quickly into the 1st Area. Myself, Betsy, and a few other nurses converged on this boy. We were determined to save this child! Right on his heels came two more gurneys with more children with varies injuries. All were gun shots but to different parts of the body. Thankfully a call had gone out to all of the off duty doctors and nurses and the ER was filled with very capable people.

I was still trying to stabilize my first patient. The other doctors and nurses were running from one Area to another. It was shear pandemonium. Parents were arriving and screaming for their children; one woman took a look at her daughter and fainted. The girl had 4 bullet holes in her body and had lost so much blood, the probability of saving her was slim. In all 40 students were brought to the ER. To say the place looked grim was an understatement. Even the FBI had arrived in the hospital. We pushed them into the waiting area so they wouldn't be underfoot. I understand they had to do their job but so did we and ours took precedence!

Unfortunately, neither my first patient nor the girl whose mother fainted survived. Both died within an hour of each other. Their wounds were just too severe. Even I, with all of my centuries of expertise couldn't save them. They were after all only human and their small bodies couldn't endure the brutality that was done to them. I then had the grim task of telling both sets of parents that their children didn't make it. There is nothing like a mother's blood curdling scream and wail when she realizes her beautiful child is gone forever. All I could do was hold the family up as they all but collapsed to the floor.

"WHY???? OH MY GOD!!!! WHY??? CINDY WHY???? MY BEAUTIFUL CHILD!! NO NO NO NO NO!!!!! GOD PLEASE NO!!!"

I shuddered. I couldn't even imagine what that felt like. I still had no idea what happened to Nessie. But I had to think that she was ok. But none of us knew what it would be like if she was shot. How would her body react to it? She was after all half human. So much was going on in my mind I needed to relax. I still had more patients to take care of. I couldn't leave until everyone was stable.