The Fallen

Kat

The screams are the first thing that I hear in between the loud music coming from my earphones.

    I quickly take off my earphones and listen if the screams that I heard were true. Almost immediately, a crowd starts to rush towards a group that has formed. I follow the crowd and tip toe trying to catch a glimpse of the scene. Some girls on the side cry, "Help him! He needs help!"

    I push through the crowd and end up in the front of the circle. A gasp escapes my lips when I see a boy laying on the floor with a pool of blood around him. He gasps for air and holds on tight to his side. A black hooded person has started running off in the hallway. Students get out of his way as he runs up the stairs and jumps off from the side to land at the bottom floor of the building. Everything is done with easy and swift movements.

Without thinking, my feet take me towards the blonde boy on the floor. Ignoring the blood, I kneel next to him and lightly take his hand off his side. I observe the gashing hole on his side. I quickly take off my sweater and push it on the open wound. My mind instantly tells me that it's a stabbing wound. I look at the amount of blood around me and guess about a minute or two that this boy has been bleeding out. With this, I lightly hold on harder onto his side.

My heart and mind race all at the same pace. The adrenaline runs through my veins sending the rapid movements in my hands that I don't even seem to notice. My hands go to work almost as if I've done this kind of help before.

The boy tries to say something but his strength fails him. I quickly hold his head slightly at an angle as I notice blood starting to fill his mouth. He starts to cough and I say, "Hey. It's okay. Stay with me." I hold tighter as I watch my sweater soak with blood. "Stay with me." I look into his eyes and the boy from the library instantly fills my memory. I feel my blood fall to my feet as I recognize this boy.

"My father-" The boy coughs blood and gasps for air.

"Hey. Don't talk. You're going to lose strength. Hey." I raise my voice as I watch him close his eyes. His tense muscles start to relax under my touch.

"Hey. No, stay awake." I shake his head lightly and he slowly opens his eyes. "Look at me. Stay with me. Help!" I look out at the large crowd that has formed around me. My blood boils as I watch these people do nothing but stare. My eyes fall on Emms in between the front observers. The panic in my eyes makes her nod in understanding, and she runs off for help.

Nikki runs up to me this time; pushing strongly through the crowd. Relief fills my heart as she kneels beside me. Her frantic eyes start studying every inch of the scenario. She takes off her favorite sweater and places it near the open wound. "Here. Take this. Replace your sweater with mine."

I follow her orders all in one quick movement. My hand immediately starts getting wet as blood quickly escapes the wound.

I watch as Nikki puts two fingers on his neck. "How long has he been like this?!"

"About five minutes now. I think it's a stabbing wound."

"I barely feel a pulse. Keep him awake." Nikki  watches as the crowd makes a hole and several men and women in blue uniforms run up to us.

I look down at the boy. His greenish blue eyes study every aspect of my face trying hard to stay awake. My nerves are on point and my heart races with fear for this boy, but the only thing I can do is smile. Whether it's fake or genuine, this seems to wake the boy and a new shine comes back to his dull eyes.

Emms comes from behind this group of blue uniformed people. She watches with awe as they kneel beside me. Each one with quick movements they perform a process with their equipment. They put a light on his eyes and say a series of observations I barely understand. I hold the boy's head close. He has closed his eyes now and the skin on his neck has started to turn cold. His beautifully peached skin slowly turning pale, and his blonde hair is now wet and messy with his sweat.

"Do you think you can hold onto him for a while longer?" One of the women comes closer to me. Her wide brown eyes show a hint of kindness behind her panic.

I nod and she immediately helps a man with a stretcher. Several guards in white start to push students away from the scene. Emms becomes part of the crowd that's pushed away. She gives me one more look and walks away from the scene; trying hard to run away from the yells of the soldiers.

"Okay. On three, stand up at the same time we lift him up." This time a man looks into my eyes. "Once he's on the stretcher and we take out the wheels, you need to jump on the bed also and in however you feel comfortable, keep those hands firm on his wound. Try to make this quick!" He looks at his team. Without looking back at me, he holds the boy's legs and another man has taken a hold of his head and shoulders from me.

On a loud count of three, I get my legs ready and my muscles start to tense. Every muscle in my body is alert and ready for action. Luckily, I stand at the same time with the men holding the boy. My legs burn as they start to wake from their numbness. Everything in a quick movement, they take hold of metallic legs underneath the stretcher.

Wheels jump out of these legs and they put the boy on the bed. With my hands still on his side, I find all the strength in my legs and jump on the bed. Off they run with me on top of the boy. They put on an oxygen mask after using a tube that sucks up the blood that fills his mouth. I watch as Nikki is left behind with a woman in blue; explaining today's scene.

I look back at the boy. He is special. The way they treat him in panic and direct concentration shows that he is not just a normal boy. Erik's body comes back to memory. The way he suffered and the amount of time he went through that suffering. I look at the medical team as they all work together to pull up the bed and into the back of an ambulance.

One of the men gives me a small smile. "Hang in there, kid. Just a little bit more. What's your name?"

"Kat." Shivers run down my body as I respond back.

This time the man gives me a crooked smile. "Thank you for your help, kid. You won't regret this. Trust me." And he goes back to his tablet.

This time, my usual smile does not come on my face. I watch the pale boy. I'm eager to see his survival, but a single thought sends shivers down my spine and forms goose bumps on my arms.

No one was there for Erik.