The Protector

CHAPTER 1

Alessa stood there staring at the clock. This has been the longest shift of her life and this final one minute was going by just as slow! It seemed to be taking this minute an hour to pass. Freedom was just on the other side of 6:59.

"Rough shift?" Bob, a small middle aged man asked her breaking her from her staring contest with the clock.

"Hmm?" She shook the cob webs from her brain and tried to process the information coming in.

"Rough shift?" He repeated.

"Oh yes! We put 400 miles on the truck today."

"Anything good?"

"We had a few MICU patient transfers down to University that got a little dicey but not quiet a pucker level of 10." They shared a small chuckle. "Oh, the truck is good, you are down one portable oxygen but the other two are full everything else has been restocked, you're refueled, washed, tons of linens and that's about it. Oh the pulse ox is dead, no batteries, Leo says they are on order."

"Well I'm glad yall ran your butts off because that means we will get to rest!" He let out a small sarcastic chuckle as Alessa's hand quickly moved to the punch her employee number into the time clock. Ah, freedom.

"Well I am officially out of here, if you need something," she bent down to pick up her bags, "don't call me" She winked and wearily spirited for the door.

She loved her job as an EMT and helping people has been the thing she has wanted to do for as long as she could remember but, sometimes it gets old. The people that really need the help are always so grateful but those people seem to be few and far between. If she gets waken up at 3am for altered mental status one more time she just might strangle somebody. Its 3am, who doesn't have altered mental status at 3 Am.?

Ugh why do I park so far away she asked herself? After working for 24 hours last thing she wants to do is walk what feels like a mile to her car. And why does she take so much junk with her? I mean really how often does she use her spare uniform? Of course though the one time she leaves it at home will be the day she needs it.

Finally she reached her vehicle, a 1990 Ford F250. She wasn't the prettiest or newest truck on the lot but it got the job done every time. She couldn't count how many times she has gone to go jump a buddy or stopped to help a stranger changing a tire on the side of the road. It was just in her nature to lookout for others.

Just as she was tossing her bags into ol' faithful she heard somebody call her.

"Hey Ale! Where are you heading?" A balding man asked her as he walked to his car.

Really where am I going? She thought to herself. I just spent the last twelve hours being ran ragged by you the last thing I want to do is spend another 12 seconds on you. Where do you think I am going clubbing? It is 7am and I just go t off of work, you surely can't be that stupid.

"Ooh, hi Ed. I am just headed home after an AWESOME shift." She said as she turned and got into her truck. Times like this she wish she had never put the lift kit on her truck.

"Well you know our motto: when the hospital is your last resort make us your first choice."

"Yea," she started the emerald green beast, "well I have to go."

"Sure thing, see you Tuesday!"

She hurried up and put ol' faithful into gear before he could utter another useless sentence. That man was the source of her anger twice a week for 12 hours at a time. The less time she is around him the better chance he has of seeing another sunrise.