New
PATHS
by GCS
Chapter Three
Johnny sat in total shock staring at the TV screen and pictures of the crew from the downed plane were shown. When Camille Lawson's picture came on the screen he gasped. "No, no, no." he spoke to the empty room. He threw the covers off and turned to get out of the hospital bed. His quick movement caused a wave of dizziness and nausea.
"Where do you think you're going?" Roy asked entering the doorway and then he moved to the bed to keep Johnny from falling.
"She…um..Cammie…th…they…cr…cras…crashed," he stuttered. He looked pale and unsteady.
"I know Johnny. Cap called me. They were called to join the search party. He told me to get over here and make sure you stayed put. Neither you nor I are in any condition to be out there. He said if he saw either of us any where near the area he would put us on formal reprimand, and possibly even a suspension. Now you are going to get back into bed," Roy moved to help Johnny settle back down in the bed. "Cap also said to tell you he would call or get word to you as soon as he had any information."
Johnny's shoulders slumped. He swayed and began to fall forward as Roy supported his weight. Truthfully the attempt to get out of bed had overwhelmed him and he felt like he was going to pass out. Dixie came rushing into the room just in time to see Roy trying to get Johnny back in the bed.
"What may I ask is going on here?" She knew what had happened. That is why she was here in Johnny's room, but she decided to play ignorant and keep the mood light as long as possible. "John Gage you get back in that bed this instant!" She moved to the other side of the bed to help Roy get Johnny settled. "Where were you thinking on going Tiger?"
"Cammie…..Oh God Dixie she was on that plane," he pointed to the TV screen.
"I know Johnny, but I'm sure she's okay. She is a resourceful woman. She has medical training. Remember she is a nurse. She has worked trauma before." Dixie smoothed Johnny's untamed hair from his face. "Don't borrow trouble Johnny."
Just as Dixie was smoothing the covers back across Johnny's chest Dr. Brackett came into the room. "Well I have good news," he spoke without knowing what had just transposed. "The board has given me the funding to hire the additional staff we need in the ER. I guess I don't have to tell any of you who my first new employee will be." He looked over at the disheveled group before him. "What's going on here?"
Johnny glared at the doctor. "Well since you didn't hire her before now you may not get the opportunity."
"Excuse me?" Dr. Brackett did not understand the anger presented at him by his patient.
"Just look at that and maybe you can figure it out," Johnny pointed at the news cast. "If you had hired her three weeks ago she might not have been on that crashed plane!" He yelled at Dr. Brackett.
"Now wait just a minute Johnny you know I have to go through the hospital red tape. Wait are you saying she's….."
"No Kel," Dixie broke in before Dr. Brackett could ask if Cammie had perished in the crash. "The plane went down and a search party has been dispatched. Station 51 is there. They will keep us posted."
Dr. Brackett paled at the news. He looked over at Johnny and noticed his strained appearance. Johnny was sitting perched on his elbows with a fixed stare at the TV. "Oh God," Johnny said looking shell shocked.
"Dixie I think we need to get things set up downstairs in the event that some of the injured are brought here, but first I think," he picked up Johnny's chart and made a few notes in it for a light sedative. They did not need the strain from this news to send Johnny into a relapse. "Roy I think it would be a good idea for you to keep our friend company for a little while. Dixie isn't it time for his meds?"
Dixie and Dr. Brackett went into the hall where he explained his notes and how he wanted her to give Johnny a mild sedative to relax him. "It may help him to get some needed sleep. It isn't very strong, but he is already weak. Just give it to him. Don't tell him what you are doing. I'll speak to Roy to let him know the plan. Johnny does not need to get overly excited or stressed right now."
"You're right Kel. I'll take care of it right away and meet you downstairs."
Stepping back into Johnny's room Dr. Brackett walked right up to Johnny's bed and spoke to him, "Johnny I am truly sorry all of this has happened. I do want you to know that if I could have hired her sooner then I certainly would have. Don't lose faith Johnny. She will need all of us to be strong for her when she gets home. I don't know if she told you this or not, but Camille's parents are deceased. She will need the support and care of her friends. I'll let you know if we get any news from the crash site. Okay? Now I need you to try to remain calm. I'll check on you later. Roy, can I speak with you a minute? Besides I think there is a fresh pot of coffee at the nurse's desk. I think Johnny could use some too."
Roy and Dr. Brackett left the room just as Dixie came back in. Johnny was still staring at the TV screen even though the show he had been watching earlier was back on. It was a medical show called Marcus Welby and this episode was about a young couple that had gotten pregnant and the girl did not want to keep the baby, but her boyfriend did. He couldn't watch it anymore, but did not want to miss any news updates, so he just stared at the screen.
"Here you go Tiger. Let me just give you these meds," Dixie hated tricking him with the sedative, but she knew that Dr. Brackett was right about Johnny not needing stress to overcome him right now.
"Hey!" Johnny noticed the extra shot. "What's that?"
"Your meds Johnny." Dixie had to turn away from him. She could not look him in the eye right now knowing that she had just injected a sedative that he did not know he was getting.
"But there were three. Dixie why the extra….." He didn't finish the question, because he immediately began to feel the relaxing effects of the shot. "Dixie?"
"Johnny you have to calm down. I hated to give you that shot, but Kel thinks you needed it and well I agree. You won't be any help to Cammie if you make yourself sick again. Just relax. It was not a very strong sedative, just to help take the edge off. Please do not be angry. You know I would never do anything to hurt you right?" She stroked his hair as he looked up at her. He did know how much she cared. He just could not be angry at her.
"Okay Dixie, but I need to know what's happening. I mean I think she may be the one. You know? I really feel good when I am with her. It was just like that from the first time I met her. We like the same things, she has about the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. Oh God Dixie what if?"
"No what ifs John Roderick Gage. No what ifs. She will be found. She will be okay. We have to believe that. Do you understand me?" She needed to be sure he understood. She needed him to keep the faith.
Roy came back in the room with two cups of coffee. He could tell the conversation had been tense. "Here you go Johnny. This is some really good coffee." Dixie raised the head of the bed so Johnny could sip his coffee. He again began staring at the TV screen.
"Okay, I'll be back to check on you boys in a little while." Dixie bent down and kissed Johnny on his forehead in a very sisterly fashion. "I love you John Gage. I promise to be here for you and for Cammie."
"Thanks Dix."
The nurse stood and watched him for a few more minutes. Johnny's eyelids grew heavy and he slipped into a restless sleep.
Almost immediately Johnny began dreaming about the time he and Cammie had together at his ranch. He dreamt of how he told her about the work he needed to do on the barn and stables in order to get it ready for horses. He had shared his dream of making it a working ranch that would at some point pay for itself through the breeding of fine horses. She had been very interested in the way his father had taught him the Lakota ways with horses. He had shared some of the Lakota language. She had tried unsuccessfully to pronounce some of the phrases. They had laughed together and he had encouraged her to keep trying. Someday she would get the hang of it. He didn't have the heart to tell her that the way she pronounced some of the words made them come out as insults.
Roy noticed that Johnny had a pleasant look on his face as he slept. "I hope you are having a good dream Johnny. I hope we get good news soon. I don't think you could take it if Cammie is not okay."
Johnny's dream shifted to his describing some of the foods his mother learned to cook from the women on the Lakota Reservation. One of his favorites was Buffalo wasna which was a type of pancake made with dried buffalo, dried berries, and fat or bone marrow. He had explained that Buffalo wasna is an ideal food for nourishment because of its high quality and quantity of protein from the buffalo meat. He explained that it was a very traditional type of food for the Lakota. If you did not want to use Buffalo meat the wasna could also be made with corn. The corn was roasted and ground into meal then mixed with fat and berries. He explained that when his mother made the corn wasna she used sugar, berries, and butter instead of fat. The Lakota tribe considered the corn wasna as a type of candy because it was sweet. He also described the kinds of berries his mother preferred to use which included chokecherries, raisins, blueberries, and cranberries. Johnny had also explained to her that wasna was considered "spirit food" because it was eaten by their ancestors, and was commonly shared during tribal ceremonies. She was very interested in his stories about his parents. He promised to make her some wasna the next time she came to the ranch. He had also told her about Buffalo stew which was called "timtsila" by his people. She had not been as impressed with that particular dish made with turnips, hominy and buffalo and served with fried bread. She had scrunched her nose at the idea. He had laughed at her and told her that she would be pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted if she would just give it a try. He told her he could make her some using beef instead of the Buffalo. After playfully arguing over whether or not she would give it a try sometime, Johnny had won her over. He smiled broadly at her and gave her a big goofy playful hug.
He shifted in the bed and seemed to become a bit restless. Roy wondered if he was still having a good dream.
Johnny's mind wandered to the possibilities that revolved around a plane crash. He and Roy had some experience with small crashes. Some had not turned out very well. He could see Cammie laying on the ground bleeding and still. In his dream she did not survive. He bolted up in the bed breathless. He had a glazed terrified look in his eyes. Roy knew that he was not fully awake, but he had to try to sooth his friend. "Johnny. Wake up buddy. It was just a dream, a very bad dream. Johnny are you with me?"
Johnny trembled beneath his friend's hands. He slowly focused on Roy. "I um yeah. I'm okay. Roy have you heard from the guys?"
"No Johnny not yet." Roy eased Johnny back into the bed. "Why don't you try to get some more sleep. I'll wake you if we hear anything new."
"Okay," Johnny said as his eyelids again grew heavy.
While Johnny slept his friends from station 51 along with Roy and Johnny's paramedic replacements had joined the search party. The plane had gone down in a heavily wooded area. There was nowhere for the plane to have landed. There were a few clearings but not long enough for a landing. It most certainly had crashed into the trees. Never the less it was their job to find it. Half of the Los Angeles County Fire Department was dispatched to join the search. The men were spread out on foot in a wide grid search pattern. Communication was kept at a minimum to keep the radio channels open for updates. The crew from Station 51 had been hiking for about an hour when they heard shouts from somewhere just to the left and ahead of them. Then Captain Stanley's HT cracked and it was announced that some wreckage had been found. All searchers were directed to turn towards that direction. As they approached closer to the main crash site debris was everywhere. Chet looked over at Marco and without words they both knew that the other was thinking that there could not possibly have been survivors. The plane parts were everywhere. There were bodies intermingled with the wreckage. It appeared that no one had survived, until shouts were heard from the other side of the clearing. Could it be possible that someone had survived? The many firemen on the scene descended on a section of the fuselage that was somewhat intact. The men began the work of extracting the victims from the mangled section of the aircraft. It appeared to be part of the tail section. Although they were injured, some severely, there were survivors. Mike and Hank watched carefully each victim as they were brought out of the wreckage. Chet and Marco were inside helping hand the victims out as they were splinted, bandaged and placed on back boards as best as the paramedics could in the cramped space. So far none of the crew from 51's had seen their friend. They began fearing that she was not among the survivors. Each man wondered how they would face Johnny with the news that Cammie had not survived. They wondered if he would ever forgive them for not bringing her back.
"Where do you think you're going?" Roy asked entering the doorway and then he moved to the bed to keep Johnny from falling.
"She…um..Cammie…th…they…cr…cras…crashed," he stuttered. He looked pale and unsteady.
"I know Johnny. Cap called me. They were called to join the search party. He told me to get over here and make sure you stayed put. Neither you nor I are in any condition to be out there. He said if he saw either of us any where near the area he would put us on formal reprimand, and possibly even a suspension. Now you are going to get back into bed," Roy moved to help Johnny settle back down in the bed. "Cap also said to tell you he would call or get word to you as soon as he had any information."
Johnny's shoulders slumped. He swayed and began to fall forward as Roy supported his weight. Truthfully the attempt to get out of bed had overwhelmed him and he felt like he was going to pass out. Dixie came rushing into the room just in time to see Roy trying to get Johnny back in the bed.
"What may I ask is going on here?" She knew what had happened. That is why she was here in Johnny's room, but she decided to play ignorant and keep the mood light as long as possible. "John Gage you get back in that bed this instant!" She moved to the other side of the bed to help Roy get Johnny settled. "Where were you thinking on going Tiger?"
"Cammie…..Oh God Dixie she was on that plane," he pointed to the TV screen.
"I know Johnny, but I'm sure she's okay. She is a resourceful woman. She has medical training. Remember she is a nurse. She has worked trauma before." Dixie smoothed Johnny's untamed hair from his face. "Don't borrow trouble Johnny."
Just as Dixie was smoothing the covers back across Johnny's chest Dr. Brackett came into the room. "Well I have good news," he spoke without knowing what had just transposed. "The board has given me the funding to hire the additional staff we need in the ER. I guess I don't have to tell any of you who my first new employee will be." He looked over at the disheveled group before him. "What's going on here?"
Johnny glared at the doctor. "Well since you didn't hire her before now you may not get the opportunity."
"Excuse me?" Dr. Brackett did not understand the anger presented at him by his patient.
"Just look at that and maybe you can figure it out," Johnny pointed at the news cast. "If you had hired her three weeks ago she might not have been on that crashed plane!" He yelled at Dr. Brackett.
"Now wait just a minute Johnny you know I have to go through the hospital red tape. Wait are you saying she's….."
"No Kel," Dixie broke in before Dr. Brackett could ask if Cammie had perished in the crash. "The plane went down and a search party has been dispatched. Station 51 is there. They will keep us posted."
Dr. Brackett paled at the news. He looked over at Johnny and noticed his strained appearance. Johnny was sitting perched on his elbows with a fixed stare at the TV. "Oh God," Johnny said looking shell shocked.
"Dixie I think we need to get things set up downstairs in the event that some of the injured are brought here, but first I think," he picked up Johnny's chart and made a few notes in it for a light sedative. They did not need the strain from this news to send Johnny into a relapse. "Roy I think it would be a good idea for you to keep our friend company for a little while. Dixie isn't it time for his meds?"
Dixie and Dr. Brackett went into the hall where he explained his notes and how he wanted her to give Johnny a mild sedative to relax him. "It may help him to get some needed sleep. It isn't very strong, but he is already weak. Just give it to him. Don't tell him what you are doing. I'll speak to Roy to let him know the plan. Johnny does not need to get overly excited or stressed right now."
"You're right Kel. I'll take care of it right away and meet you downstairs."
Stepping back into Johnny's room Dr. Brackett walked right up to Johnny's bed and spoke to him, "Johnny I am truly sorry all of this has happened. I do want you to know that if I could have hired her sooner then I certainly would have. Don't lose faith Johnny. She will need all of us to be strong for her when she gets home. I don't know if she told you this or not, but Camille's parents are deceased. She will need the support and care of her friends. I'll let you know if we get any news from the crash site. Okay? Now I need you to try to remain calm. I'll check on you later. Roy, can I speak with you a minute? Besides I think there is a fresh pot of coffee at the nurse's desk. I think Johnny could use some too."
Roy and Dr. Brackett left the room just as Dixie came back in. Johnny was still staring at the TV screen even though the show he had been watching earlier was back on. It was a medical show called Marcus Welby and this episode was about a young couple that had gotten pregnant and the girl did not want to keep the baby, but her boyfriend did. He couldn't watch it anymore, but did not want to miss any news updates, so he just stared at the screen.
"Here you go Tiger. Let me just give you these meds," Dixie hated tricking him with the sedative, but she knew that Dr. Brackett was right about Johnny not needing stress to overcome him right now.
"Hey!" Johnny noticed the extra shot. "What's that?"
"Your meds Johnny." Dixie had to turn away from him. She could not look him in the eye right now knowing that she had just injected a sedative that he did not know he was getting.
"But there were three. Dixie why the extra….." He didn't finish the question, because he immediately began to feel the relaxing effects of the shot. "Dixie?"
"Johnny you have to calm down. I hated to give you that shot, but Kel thinks you needed it and well I agree. You won't be any help to Cammie if you make yourself sick again. Just relax. It was not a very strong sedative, just to help take the edge off. Please do not be angry. You know I would never do anything to hurt you right?" She stroked his hair as he looked up at her. He did know how much she cared. He just could not be angry at her.
"Okay Dixie, but I need to know what's happening. I mean I think she may be the one. You know? I really feel good when I am with her. It was just like that from the first time I met her. We like the same things, she has about the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. Oh God Dixie what if?"
"No what ifs John Roderick Gage. No what ifs. She will be found. She will be okay. We have to believe that. Do you understand me?" She needed to be sure he understood. She needed him to keep the faith.
Roy came back in the room with two cups of coffee. He could tell the conversation had been tense. "Here you go Johnny. This is some really good coffee." Dixie raised the head of the bed so Johnny could sip his coffee. He again began staring at the TV screen.
"Okay, I'll be back to check on you boys in a little while." Dixie bent down and kissed Johnny on his forehead in a very sisterly fashion. "I love you John Gage. I promise to be here for you and for Cammie."
"Thanks Dix."
The nurse stood and watched him for a few more minutes. Johnny's eyelids grew heavy and he slipped into a restless sleep.
Almost immediately Johnny began dreaming about the time he and Cammie had together at his ranch. He dreamt of how he told her about the work he needed to do on the barn and stables in order to get it ready for horses. He had shared his dream of making it a working ranch that would at some point pay for itself through the breeding of fine horses. She had been very interested in the way his father had taught him the Lakota ways with horses. He had shared some of the Lakota language. She had tried unsuccessfully to pronounce some of the phrases. They had laughed together and he had encouraged her to keep trying. Someday she would get the hang of it. He didn't have the heart to tell her that the way she pronounced some of the words made them come out as insults.
Roy noticed that Johnny had a pleasant look on his face as he slept. "I hope you are having a good dream Johnny. I hope we get good news soon. I don't think you could take it if Cammie is not okay."
Johnny's dream shifted to his describing some of the foods his mother learned to cook from the women on the Lakota Reservation. One of his favorites was Buffalo wasna which was a type of pancake made with dried buffalo, dried berries, and fat or bone marrow. He had explained that Buffalo wasna is an ideal food for nourishment because of its high quality and quantity of protein from the buffalo meat. He explained that it was a very traditional type of food for the Lakota. If you did not want to use Buffalo meat the wasna could also be made with corn. The corn was roasted and ground into meal then mixed with fat and berries. He explained that when his mother made the corn wasna she used sugar, berries, and butter instead of fat. The Lakota tribe considered the corn wasna as a type of candy because it was sweet. He also described the kinds of berries his mother preferred to use which included chokecherries, raisins, blueberries, and cranberries. Johnny had also explained to her that wasna was considered "spirit food" because it was eaten by their ancestors, and was commonly shared during tribal ceremonies. She was very interested in his stories about his parents. He promised to make her some wasna the next time she came to the ranch. He had also told her about Buffalo stew which was called "timtsila" by his people. She had not been as impressed with that particular dish made with turnips, hominy and buffalo and served with fried bread. She had scrunched her nose at the idea. He had laughed at her and told her that she would be pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted if she would just give it a try. He told her he could make her some using beef instead of the Buffalo. After playfully arguing over whether or not she would give it a try sometime, Johnny had won her over. He smiled broadly at her and gave her a big goofy playful hug.
He shifted in the bed and seemed to become a bit restless. Roy wondered if he was still having a good dream.
Johnny's mind wandered to the possibilities that revolved around a plane crash. He and Roy had some experience with small crashes. Some had not turned out very well. He could see Cammie laying on the ground bleeding and still. In his dream she did not survive. He bolted up in the bed breathless. He had a glazed terrified look in his eyes. Roy knew that he was not fully awake, but he had to try to sooth his friend. "Johnny. Wake up buddy. It was just a dream, a very bad dream. Johnny are you with me?"
Johnny trembled beneath his friend's hands. He slowly focused on Roy. "I um yeah. I'm okay. Roy have you heard from the guys?"
"No Johnny not yet." Roy eased Johnny back into the bed. "Why don't you try to get some more sleep. I'll wake you if we hear anything new."
"Okay," Johnny said as his eyelids again grew heavy.
While Johnny slept his friends from station 51 along with Roy and Johnny's paramedic replacements had joined the search party. The plane had gone down in a heavily wooded area. There was nowhere for the plane to have landed. There were a few clearings but not long enough for a landing. It most certainly had crashed into the trees. Never the less it was their job to find it. Half of the Los Angeles County Fire Department was dispatched to join the search. The men were spread out on foot in a wide grid search pattern. Communication was kept at a minimum to keep the radio channels open for updates. The crew from Station 51 had been hiking for about an hour when they heard shouts from somewhere just to the left and ahead of them. Then Captain Stanley's HT cracked and it was announced that some wreckage had been found. All searchers were directed to turn towards that direction. As they approached closer to the main crash site debris was everywhere. Chet looked over at Marco and without words they both knew that the other was thinking that there could not possibly have been survivors. The plane parts were everywhere. There were bodies intermingled with the wreckage. It appeared that no one had survived, until shouts were heard from the other side of the clearing. Could it be possible that someone had survived? The many firemen on the scene descended on a section of the fuselage that was somewhat intact. The men began the work of extracting the victims from the mangled section of the aircraft. It appeared to be part of the tail section. Although they were injured, some severely, there were survivors. Mike and Hank watched carefully each victim as they were brought out of the wreckage. Chet and Marco were inside helping hand the victims out as they were splinted, bandaged and placed on back boards as best as the paramedics could in the cramped space. So far none of the crew from 51's had seen their friend. They began fearing that she was not among the survivors. Each man wondered how they would face Johnny with the news that Cammie had not survived. They wondered if he would ever forgive them for not bringing her back.
