The Tangled Rose (Book One in the Tangled Series) (Editing)

Chapter 24

Eric'POV

It has now been a month and Rose seems to be doing better over there but it seems like she is hiding something. Ever since she left I have started going back to work and somehow Oliver finally became a resident at the hospital and I became a well respected member of the rescue team. I did take tonight off work so I could come pick Rose up from the airport at 8 PM and it's almost 6pm so I just got off work and I'm heading over to my house to get out of my work clothes and changed into casual clothing.

About an hour and a half later, I wake up from my nap to the sound of my phone ringing. I sit up looking at the caller ID and it shows Oliver's name along with 3 missed calls. Answering the phone he practically cries out over the phone.

"Its Rose! H-her flight! Damn it why didn't you answer! Turn on the news!" He yells out. I rush stumbling out of bed and into the living room turning on the TV. It is the one thing that seems to be on every news channel in New York headlining "Worst Plane Crash since 9/11: Hundreds dead" no please no. It cant be her. Getting caught in this moment I hear Oliver shouting through the phone and I realize its away from my ear.

"I-I need to go." I say breathlessly into the phone before hanging up and slipping on my uniform as fast as my body can, I head out the door getting into my truck. I wade through traffic as the cars slowly move beside me.

About 5 minutes later I finally get there and there are about two dozen police cars ambulances and a few fire trucks. They are cording off the area. It is a Boeing 737 MAX. You can see the smoke from the plane from about 5 miles away maybe more. The plane is still on fire as I pull to a stop and get out of my truck running towards my team before getting stopped by a police officer and I hurriedly point to my team.

Kevin, one of the EMT's come up to me with a look of horror on his face and blood drips from his hands. He is just a bit younger than I am probably around the same age as Kyle would be now.

"I-its bad..." he cries out softly. My hands are shaking. This whole thing is unbeliveable.

"There were 226 people on that plane and we were only able to pull out 38 people." The last of the ambulances finally leave. "There was no one else left. All the ones we took had serious injuries some wont even make it to the hospital. "
He trails off looking down and I can see his body shaking. I cant speak I'm am standing there frozen. How did something so horrible happen? Staggering backwards slightly I try to regain my composure. God what am I thinking?! Rose. What about her. Something inside me doesn't want to ask. God with those odds I'm terrified I cant loose her! I haven't even had a chance to tell her how I feel.

I can feel the emptiness in my eyes and the quiver of my lips. I don't want to ask for fear of the worst but I have to. "Rose." Is the only thing that comes out of my mouth. I sound so rediculous.

He gives me a look of confusion. "Eric what are you talking about? Almost all the accident victims have been transported to the medical center of queens. The last couple people I'm transporting with right now." He says pointing over to the ambulance flashing.

"Go now! I'll meet you there." The fire team finished putting the fire out. Kevin runs back over to the ambulance addressing the needs of the patient along with another EMT named Rachael. They are both really well at their job. I run back to my truck, getting back inside I head to the hospital parking beside the ambulance entrance and run inside. There are so many people rushing around and just glancing over some of the victims being brought in is terrifying. Some have 3rd degree burns and others have broken limbs. There are a few that are covered with cloths and I know that they didn't make it. I also know if I have any chance of finding Rose it will be here.

Walking up to one of the nurses I reach out grabbing her arm and she turns to me slightly annoyed that I have pulled her away from talking to another nurse but then she looks me over and straightens up.