Out of The Dark

Just Keep Fighting

Edited — 08/10/2020

^Ollie's PoV^

Left, right and centre 2 Section were hammering down the bullets. We had just landed when the gunshot rang out in the compound and my blood ran cold.

I ran in the direction of the sound and came to a halt outside an open cell.

Inside on the cold concrete floor laid a volunteer worker and Gracie. She looked at me and then her eyes closed.

I kneel down beside her and apply pressure to the bullet wound, not seeing an exit for the bullet I shout for help.

"She's been shot! No exit wound. Cat A! Urgent medevac required." My hands are shaking, and they're covered in my little sisters blood.

Charlie runs past and shouts for two other members of 2 Section.

"Is she breathing?" Charlie asks. He is trying his best to hold it together but I know he's finding it hard. I am too.

I put my ear to her mouth and let out a sigh of relief when I feel her breath in my ear.

"Yes but barely and there's no exit wound for the bullet. Tell your guys to find a door, something we can use as a makeshift stretcher. We need to move her." I say still applying heavy pressure on her wound.

I didn't even notice the tears that were falling down my face. Everyone saw me as a tough Special Forces captain who was all for enforcement and no messing around but underneath I was just as sensitive as anyone else.

The next 4-5 hours were a blur. After Gracie was airlifted to hospital I sat in the waiting room with Allie, Elvis and Charlie.

Gracie was in surgery to have the bullet removed, she was severely dehydrated and she hadn't eaten in the whole time she'd been held hostage. I swore to myself that if any of the tossers had survived I'd make them pay.

"Ollie, she's tough, she's going to make it." Allie reassured me and I simply nodded.

A doctor walked out in scrubs.

"Family of Gracelynn McClyde?" He asked.

I shot up and walked over to him. Impatience and worrying had been settling in for the past few hours and now I was at breaking point and dreading the words that were about to exit the doctors mouth.

"Yes, I'm her brother, is she okay?!" I can feel my hands shaking.

"We removed the bullet from her chest but it fractured her ribs, she lost a lot of blood but the operation was successful, she's in the ICU but only until the anaesthetic wears off. She'll be on a drip to replace the fluids she lost and she'll be in a lot of pain because of her ribs but we can't do much about that apart from pain relief. I suggest that she takes it very easy for the next couple of months, rehabilitating and getting herself better, once she's off the sedative she'll be flown back to the UK as soon as we know she's stable enough. Two people can come with me to see her, so when she wakes up she's not alone." The doctor looks behind me.

"Charlie?" I say and he's by my side. He was always there for Gracie, and I knew that she saw him as her father.

"I'll come and get you lot when she's awake. I'm sure the rules can be bent." I say and follow the doctor. I just want to see my little sister.

We reach the ICU and I already hate the atmosphere. I pull at my dog tags that hang around my neck. I'm still in my military uniform and although I'd shed my bullet proof vest I still felt a weight on my chest.

We're taken to a bed and I see my sister lying there. Immediately I'm by her side and I take her hand. She looks so frail. Bags were ever prominent under her eyes and she looked so pale and vulnerable.