They Left Us For Dead

Swamp Fever: Plank Country

My head felt like it had been battered, it was severely aching. I couldn't move most of my body, only turning my head to the side to see what everyone was doing, or if they were even alive.

I could see Nick, and Coach picking up rubble to get Ellis out. Nick looked like he hadn't even been with us. He only had a single patch of blood on his head. Coach, looked like he was limping, and Ellis had blood running out of his arms. My vision was going blurry, and I could feel myself losing consciousness once again. 

"Oh no, Kelsey!" Nick's voice was barely audible, but I could still hear him. I felt myself waking up, and tried to speak.

"Y-you're head..."

"Kel, can you hear me?" Nick place his hands under my neck, checking for any severe injuries. I tried to sit up, but the searing pain in my left shoulder, caused by the protruding shard of metal in my shoulder.

"Oh my God, I-"

"Listen, you have to stay awake. Let me help you." Ellis came over to me, looking concerned and tried to pull the shard out. I yelled before he could even touch it. 

"Stop! If you pull it out, I could bleed out." I explain, and tried leaning against the rubble behind me, but it only causes me more pain. It felt like someone was sawing through my shoulder, and I let out a scream. It hit me like a ton of bricks. It went in my shoulder and was out of the other side.

"Holy shit..." I hear Coach mutter, as I was heavily breathing. I felt like crying, and let my head hit the back of the rubble. I was going to have to get it out, before any other nerve damage was done. I needed my supplies and the cooperation of my teammates.

"Okay, this is how this has to go. Coach, get in my backpack and get towels, bandages, alcohol, and wipes. Rochelle, I need you to keep Coach safe, go with him." With that, Rochelle followed Coach with her gun at the ready.

"You two are the strongest, so I need one of you to pull the metal out." Nick and Ellis looked at each other, worriedly. They weren't surgeons. But they were going to have to do.

"One of you need to keep me from knocking the other out." Ellis laughs, and bends down to see me. I look him in the eye, and he speaks.

"I'll do the honors. Kel, just know it's going to hurt like a bitch." Nick scoffs, and then gets adjusted for yanking  it out. I was counting and distracting myself from the situation. I thought about my future, about getting my degree, my graduation, and my boyfriend.  All things that I had lost, will never have, and won't ever be attending.

"1...2...3!" Ellis counted down, grabbing my hand. I took a deep breath, and got ready. Nick jerked as hard as he could, I could tell he was trying to be gentle. I gritted my teeth, hoping to forget about the surge of pain running through my shoulder. I could feel every sharp edge, curve, and slit as it came out, slowly. It was agonizing, and I was screaming. The type of scream that would make you think about someone dying.

"It's not budging, Kel." Nick said softly, and stops pulling out. I was crying, and I'm sure it wasn't pretty. The pain was searing through me, like my internal organs were lit on fire and burnt to a crisp.

"J-just get it out. P-please. I can't do it anymore, Nick." I was sobbing, looking at the half protruding end of the metal rubble. Nick, took a deep breath and tore the metal out.

"Nick, thank you." Ellis had came to apply pressure to the area, making the bleeding come to a halt. I could hear the group chatting, something about moving and to just put me on something that could roll. I rolled my eyes, and let Ellis help me stand up. He was pulling most of my weight, in fear I might not have control of my body.