Voices
of
Conflict
by GCS & LK
Chapter Thirteen
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
Dixie moved back away from Jimmy and returned to her seat next to Johnny.
"She was a beautiful woman." Johnny picked at a callous on his thumb. He could feel the tough skin without looking. "Your wife."
"So you do remember her." Jimmy said gruffly. 'Of course he does. He let her die. It's time for you to make him pay.' Jimmy's eyes looked from side to side as if he looked for the source of the noises in his head. "Well you won't have to worry about thinking about her anymore." He raised his gun and pointed it at Johnny's chest. "I'm going to make sure you are not here to remember her. You don't deserve to live." His hands trembled as he held the gun in his outstretched hand. He lifted his other hand to help steady his aim.
"She told me she was worried about you and what would happen to you when she was gone." Johnny said softly not deterred by the gun.
"You're lying. She didn't talk to you." He shook his head from side to side.
"She knew she didn't have much time. She asked me to be sure you were all right. That's why I asked Dr. Brackett if I could see you…after." Johnny lifted his face toward Jimmy careful not to direct his eyes to him. He didn't want Jimmy to think he could see him clearly.
"Liar." Jimmy waved the gun toward Dixie. "She's in on this too isn't she? She wants me locked up."
"NO!" Johnny shot a glance toward Dixie. "No, she's just a nurse." He looked into her eyes hoping she understood that he needed to downplay her importance. "She just follows directions from the doctors or us, the paramedics." He knew that wasn't true, in fact the paramedics had to follow the directions of the nurses, but he needed Jimmy to think she was not important enough to hurt. He needed to get Jimmy to stop pointing the gun at Dixie. He needed to be the center of Jimmy's attention.
"Yeah, I can see that, but she didn't help my Amber." He moved the gun back toward Johnny. "No matter anyway, you're the one that has to pay. Your partner has a wife and kids. I can't take him away from them, but you…you're going to be the payment for my Amber. Your life isn't worth anything. You don't have anyone to take care of, to provide for. You're alone, just like me."
"He's not alone." Dixie whispered. "He has plenty of family, people who need him."
Johnny closed his eyes, lowered his chin to his chest and tried to contain his disappointment that Dixie had again gained Jimmy's attention.
'She's trying to confuse us, Jimmy, don't listen to her.' Jimmy shook his head to clear the static.
Lightning streaked across the night sky and the lights flickered. Thunder rolled a few seconds later. The storm was close and sounded like it was going to be a big one.
Johnny tensed as the lightning made the lights flicker again. Maybe the storm would give him enough distraction to get the gun away from the crazed man.
The flashes of light reflected off the barrel of the gun Jimmy waved in the air. 'Now Jimmy, the thunder will muffle the sound of the gun. The neighbors will think the noise is just from the storm. Do it now!' The screams in his head rattled Jimmy. "Stop! I can't concentrate on what I'm doing here if you keep bothering me. I can handle this!"
Dixie could see that Jimmy was losing more of his touch with reality. He now openly spoke to the voices he had in his head. She had seen this type of behavior before in psych patients. The more they talked aloud to the voices from within, the more they conflicted with what the voices were telling them, the more agitated they would become. She had to do something before Jimmy lost complete control and hurt Johnny more than he already had.
A brilliant flash of light illuminated the entire room, and the power went out plunging them into total blackness. Thunder rumbled so close and strong it rocked the entire house.
Dixie could hear shuffling noises mixed with the continuous thumping of rain as it pelted the roof and a gasp of pain from Johnny, who was suddenly closer to her whispering in her ear. "You have to get out of here. Go to the cellar. Lock the door. There's a locked door that leads to the back yard. Key's on the nail beside the door. Go Now!" She felt Johnny turn her in the direction of the cellar and give her a gentle nudge. "Go Dixie, call for help." She started feeling her way along the wall.
Lightning flashed revealing the three occupants of the darkened house. Eerie shadows danced along the walls where each stood in the room.
Johnny swayed on his broken leg. Dixie froze in her movement toward the cellar, her hand rose to her mouth; she held her breath and fear shown in her eyes. How was Johnny able to move so quickly with a casted leg? The pain had to be excruciating. Jimmy swung the gun toward where he had seen Johnny and fired.
Darkness enveloped the scene. A loud pinging noise could be heard. The bullet hit and ricocheted into something making a soft impacting noise.
Dixie gasped. "Johnny!"
"GO!" He yelled back at her from somewhere on the other side of the room. His voice was laced with pain.
"Don't move!" Jimmy yelled. "Or I'll shoot." Dixie hesitated, afraid to move.
"GO DIXIE! He can't see you until the lightning flashes. Go!" Johnny moved carefully behind the chair making his way around the room behind Jimmy, every movement sending jolts of white hot pain from his leg riveting through his body. Jimmy spun around trying to determine where Johnny was in the room. Dixie dropped to her knees and crawled toward the cellar door.
Jimmy turned from side to side. He could tell that Johnny had moved. 'Shoot her. He'll try to help her. Then you can get him. Shoot her Jimmy.' Jimmy shook his head. "No I can't hurt Amber." He stumbled and turned trying to determine where Johnny was. 'She's not Amber. Shoot her.' He turned toward the last place he saw Dixie, raised the gun and fired into the darkness.
Lightning flashed again and Jimmy saw Johnny right next to him. Then darkness settled on the room again as quickly as it had been light. Johnny grabbed for the gun.
Dixie reached the door to the cellar. Her hand gripped the handle. She opened the door and hesitated for a second. She didn't want to leave Johnny, but they needed help. Johnny needed help. He was injured and weak. The drugs Jimmy had given him earlier were still in his system. He had to be functioning on pure adrenalin right now and that couldn't last long.
Lightning flashed again and thunder rolled at the same time making the pictures on the wall rattle against the nails holding them in place. The door to the cellar stood open and Dixie was gone.
Now that he thought Dixie was safe, Johnny felt as if he didn't have to be as careful. He jerked Jimmy's hand trying to dislodge the gun and pushed against his face with his other elbow. Jimmy lashed out at Johnny's broken casted leg with his foot trying to knock the man down. Pain radiated throughout Johnny's body. His eyes stung and watered. His breaths came in short pants. They struggled for a long time until a shot rang out.
Lightning flashed again. The struggle became a little less intense as the two men slid to the floor.
Thunder rumbled across the sky.
Another shot flashed across the room landing in a thud. It must have hit something soft.
Muffled moans mixed with the rumbling thunder that seemed to be further in the distance.
The storm rolled past as quickly as it had come.
A final shot…and then it grew very quiet.
The lightning gone off somewhere in the distance no longer provided flashes of clarity for the room's occupants and left them in total darkness.
Dixie moved back away from Jimmy and returned to her seat next to Johnny.
"She was a beautiful woman." Johnny picked at a callous on his thumb. He could feel the tough skin without looking. "Your wife."
"So you do remember her." Jimmy said gruffly. 'Of course he does. He let her die. It's time for you to make him pay.' Jimmy's eyes looked from side to side as if he looked for the source of the noises in his head. "Well you won't have to worry about thinking about her anymore." He raised his gun and pointed it at Johnny's chest. "I'm going to make sure you are not here to remember her. You don't deserve to live." His hands trembled as he held the gun in his outstretched hand. He lifted his other hand to help steady his aim.
"She told me she was worried about you and what would happen to you when she was gone." Johnny said softly not deterred by the gun.
"You're lying. She didn't talk to you." He shook his head from side to side.
"She knew she didn't have much time. She asked me to be sure you were all right. That's why I asked Dr. Brackett if I could see you…after." Johnny lifted his face toward Jimmy careful not to direct his eyes to him. He didn't want Jimmy to think he could see him clearly.
"Liar." Jimmy waved the gun toward Dixie. "She's in on this too isn't she? She wants me locked up."
"NO!" Johnny shot a glance toward Dixie. "No, she's just a nurse." He looked into her eyes hoping she understood that he needed to downplay her importance. "She just follows directions from the doctors or us, the paramedics." He knew that wasn't true, in fact the paramedics had to follow the directions of the nurses, but he needed Jimmy to think she was not important enough to hurt. He needed to get Jimmy to stop pointing the gun at Dixie. He needed to be the center of Jimmy's attention.
"Yeah, I can see that, but she didn't help my Amber." He moved the gun back toward Johnny. "No matter anyway, you're the one that has to pay. Your partner has a wife and kids. I can't take him away from them, but you…you're going to be the payment for my Amber. Your life isn't worth anything. You don't have anyone to take care of, to provide for. You're alone, just like me."
"He's not alone." Dixie whispered. "He has plenty of family, people who need him."
Johnny closed his eyes, lowered his chin to his chest and tried to contain his disappointment that Dixie had again gained Jimmy's attention.
'She's trying to confuse us, Jimmy, don't listen to her.' Jimmy shook his head to clear the static.
Lightning streaked across the night sky and the lights flickered. Thunder rolled a few seconds later. The storm was close and sounded like it was going to be a big one.
Johnny tensed as the lightning made the lights flicker again. Maybe the storm would give him enough distraction to get the gun away from the crazed man.
The flashes of light reflected off the barrel of the gun Jimmy waved in the air. 'Now Jimmy, the thunder will muffle the sound of the gun. The neighbors will think the noise is just from the storm. Do it now!' The screams in his head rattled Jimmy. "Stop! I can't concentrate on what I'm doing here if you keep bothering me. I can handle this!"
Dixie could see that Jimmy was losing more of his touch with reality. He now openly spoke to the voices he had in his head. She had seen this type of behavior before in psych patients. The more they talked aloud to the voices from within, the more they conflicted with what the voices were telling them, the more agitated they would become. She had to do something before Jimmy lost complete control and hurt Johnny more than he already had.
A brilliant flash of light illuminated the entire room, and the power went out plunging them into total blackness. Thunder rumbled so close and strong it rocked the entire house.
Dixie could hear shuffling noises mixed with the continuous thumping of rain as it pelted the roof and a gasp of pain from Johnny, who was suddenly closer to her whispering in her ear. "You have to get out of here. Go to the cellar. Lock the door. There's a locked door that leads to the back yard. Key's on the nail beside the door. Go Now!" She felt Johnny turn her in the direction of the cellar and give her a gentle nudge. "Go Dixie, call for help." She started feeling her way along the wall.
Lightning flashed revealing the three occupants of the darkened house. Eerie shadows danced along the walls where each stood in the room.
Johnny swayed on his broken leg. Dixie froze in her movement toward the cellar, her hand rose to her mouth; she held her breath and fear shown in her eyes. How was Johnny able to move so quickly with a casted leg? The pain had to be excruciating. Jimmy swung the gun toward where he had seen Johnny and fired.
Darkness enveloped the scene. A loud pinging noise could be heard. The bullet hit and ricocheted into something making a soft impacting noise.
Dixie gasped. "Johnny!"
"GO!" He yelled back at her from somewhere on the other side of the room. His voice was laced with pain.
"Don't move!" Jimmy yelled. "Or I'll shoot." Dixie hesitated, afraid to move.
"GO DIXIE! He can't see you until the lightning flashes. Go!" Johnny moved carefully behind the chair making his way around the room behind Jimmy, every movement sending jolts of white hot pain from his leg riveting through his body. Jimmy spun around trying to determine where Johnny was in the room. Dixie dropped to her knees and crawled toward the cellar door.
Jimmy turned from side to side. He could tell that Johnny had moved. 'Shoot her. He'll try to help her. Then you can get him. Shoot her Jimmy.' Jimmy shook his head. "No I can't hurt Amber." He stumbled and turned trying to determine where Johnny was. 'She's not Amber. Shoot her.' He turned toward the last place he saw Dixie, raised the gun and fired into the darkness.
Lightning flashed again and Jimmy saw Johnny right next to him. Then darkness settled on the room again as quickly as it had been light. Johnny grabbed for the gun.
Dixie reached the door to the cellar. Her hand gripped the handle. She opened the door and hesitated for a second. She didn't want to leave Johnny, but they needed help. Johnny needed help. He was injured and weak. The drugs Jimmy had given him earlier were still in his system. He had to be functioning on pure adrenalin right now and that couldn't last long.
Lightning flashed again and thunder rolled at the same time making the pictures on the wall rattle against the nails holding them in place. The door to the cellar stood open and Dixie was gone.
Now that he thought Dixie was safe, Johnny felt as if he didn't have to be as careful. He jerked Jimmy's hand trying to dislodge the gun and pushed against his face with his other elbow. Jimmy lashed out at Johnny's broken casted leg with his foot trying to knock the man down. Pain radiated throughout Johnny's body. His eyes stung and watered. His breaths came in short pants. They struggled for a long time until a shot rang out.
Lightning flashed again. The struggle became a little less intense as the two men slid to the floor.
Thunder rumbled across the sky.
Another shot flashed across the room landing in a thud. It must have hit something soft.
Muffled moans mixed with the rumbling thunder that seemed to be further in the distance.
The storm rolled past as quickly as it had come.
A final shot…and then it grew very quiet.
The lightning gone off somewhere in the distance no longer provided flashes of clarity for the room's occupants and left them in total darkness.
Chapter Fourteen
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
Roy could no longer resist the urge to head over to Johnny's ranch.
When he ran to his truck in the middle of the severe thunderstorm, he wondered to himself how wise that decision was, but his experience in the squad driving in bad conditions helped him to shrug off his concern.
Lightning streaked across the night sky. Thunder rolled a few seconds later. The storm was close and sounded like it was going to be a big one.
The beating of the windshield wipers in fast mode served to heighten his awareness and kept him from dwelling too much on what he might find when he got to Johnny's.
The lightning streaked across the sky and thunder rumbled even before the darkness returned. The storm was right on top of him, shaking the truck with every crack.
At one point he thought he might have to pull over, but then the storm rumbled on as fast as it had come up.
Before Roy got to Johnny's ranch he knew the power in the area was out. All of the houses along the winding roadway were completely dark.
The first streams of breaking dawn lit the sky poking through the dark storm clouds along the horizon, but it was still, mostly dark.
He just couldn't get past that uneasy feeling that something was wrong. He hoped the feelings were a false alarm and that he would be making coffee for them all in a few minutes, but just in case, he had called his and Johnny's policeman friend, Vince Howard.
Vince had agreed to meet him at Johnny's.
Pulling into the long gravel drive, Roy noticed that the yard light by the barn stood dark. That light usually lit most of the yard between the barn and the house.
Looking over at the house he noticed that all of the windows were pitch black.
Knowing Johnny would have his camping lanterns handy in the event of a blackout, and that the loud thunder and lightning always woke Johnny up, the fact that the house loomed in front of him totally dark made his sense of unease grow stronger.
He pulled his truck over by Johnny's Rover. At least, it appeared that they were still there. Roy sighed a sigh of relief.
Vince's squad car pulled in behind him.
"Hey Vince, thanks for coming out here this early. I hope it's just for some fresh coffee." Roy reached out and shook Vince's hand. "I'm sorry you had to drive out here in that storm."
"No problem Roy, I can always use some good strong coffee." He chuckled. "But first, let's check things out." Vince walked around to the back of his squad car and opened the trunk. "Here's a flashlight." He handed one to Roy and took one out for himself.
The two men turned and walked over to the long front porch to the ranch style home. They flicked on their flashlights and climbed the steps.
"Seems quiet." Roy looked over at Vince.
"I'll look in the window first Roy, just in case."
The thought that Vince was shining his flashlight in the window "in case" there might be something wrong inside made Roy nervous…very nervous.
Vince flashed his light into the dark room. He scanned it along the floor and walls. The furniture blocked much of his view. Then he saw the wheel chair toppled over on the far side of the room. The cellar door stood open, and there was a dark smudge on the wall just to the right of the door. It was hard to tell, but it looked like blood.
"Roy…I'm going to need to call for back up. It looks like there may have been a struggle."
Roy immediately dug into his pocket for his keys.
Vince walked over and put a restraining hand on his arm. "We need to wait, Roy. We don't know what we are walking into."
"I know that my best friend is in there. He may be hurt. I understand that you think we need to wait, but I'm not going to stand out here if he or Dixie are in need of medical attention." He stepped over to the door. "You can come with me, or you can wait for back up. I don't care either way…I'm going in." He hesitated long enough for Vince to answer.
"Okay. They're my friends too. Just let me make the call for back up, and we'll go in on one condition." Vince looked hard into Roy's eyes. "I go first." He tapped the gun holstered on his hip.
"Make the call." Roy stepped back from the door showing Vince his agreement. "I'll get Johnny's first aid kit." He turned and jogged over to the Rover to get the kit he knew Johnny always kept in the Rover for when he went on camping trips. Ever since they had ran up on that woman and her son whose station wagon was hit head on by a truck on the highway, while the two of them had gone camping and fishing with Chet, Johnny always had a well stocked first aid kit in the Rover.
He returned to the porch, "Are you ready?"
"Let's go." Vince held his hand out for Roy's keys. "First sign of trouble, you get out and wait for back up. Got it!"
Roy nodded.
Vince slowly unlocked the door trying to be very quiet. He inched the heavy oak door open a crack and shined his flashlight through the small opening checking for movement; when he saw none he pushed it a little further allowing him to do a visual sweep of the immediate area. He looked over his shoulder at Roy and held his finger to his mouth in a shushing motion, and then he stepped across the threshold.
Roy followed right on his heels.
The first place Vince scanned his light was the smudge on the wall beside the open cellar door. It looked like a hand print that slid down the wall.
Roy scanned his light on the other side of the room.
He stopped and gasped when he saw Johnny crumpled on the floor and another man beside him. "Vince." He whispered and pointed to the prone bodies.
"Careful Roy. There may be others." Vince moved over toward the blood smear. Dixie was still unaccounted for.
Roy moved the light down the length of Johnny's body and noticed the cracks in the cast on his leg.
Neither he nor the man lying next to him seemed to be moving. They were either unconscious or…
Roy couldn't bring himself to think that.
Roy couldn't tell if either man were breathing. His own heartbeat thudded in his ears blocking out any sound.
As he walked closer he noticed that the stranger had been injured, and Johnny's hand was pressed against the man's side as if he had tried to stop the bleeding.
He stepped a little closer and shined the light on Johnny's face. What he saw frightened him. Johnny's eyes were open, staring lifeless.
Roy could no longer resist the urge to head over to Johnny's ranch.
When he ran to his truck in the middle of the severe thunderstorm, he wondered to himself how wise that decision was, but his experience in the squad driving in bad conditions helped him to shrug off his concern.
Lightning streaked across the night sky. Thunder rolled a few seconds later. The storm was close and sounded like it was going to be a big one.
The beating of the windshield wipers in fast mode served to heighten his awareness and kept him from dwelling too much on what he might find when he got to Johnny's.
The lightning streaked across the sky and thunder rumbled even before the darkness returned. The storm was right on top of him, shaking the truck with every crack.
At one point he thought he might have to pull over, but then the storm rumbled on as fast as it had come up.
Before Roy got to Johnny's ranch he knew the power in the area was out. All of the houses along the winding roadway were completely dark.
The first streams of breaking dawn lit the sky poking through the dark storm clouds along the horizon, but it was still, mostly dark.
He just couldn't get past that uneasy feeling that something was wrong. He hoped the feelings were a false alarm and that he would be making coffee for them all in a few minutes, but just in case, he had called his and Johnny's policeman friend, Vince Howard.
Vince had agreed to meet him at Johnny's.
Pulling into the long gravel drive, Roy noticed that the yard light by the barn stood dark. That light usually lit most of the yard between the barn and the house.
Looking over at the house he noticed that all of the windows were pitch black.
Knowing Johnny would have his camping lanterns handy in the event of a blackout, and that the loud thunder and lightning always woke Johnny up, the fact that the house loomed in front of him totally dark made his sense of unease grow stronger.
He pulled his truck over by Johnny's Rover. At least, it appeared that they were still there. Roy sighed a sigh of relief.
Vince's squad car pulled in behind him.
"Hey Vince, thanks for coming out here this early. I hope it's just for some fresh coffee." Roy reached out and shook Vince's hand. "I'm sorry you had to drive out here in that storm."
"No problem Roy, I can always use some good strong coffee." He chuckled. "But first, let's check things out." Vince walked around to the back of his squad car and opened the trunk. "Here's a flashlight." He handed one to Roy and took one out for himself.
The two men turned and walked over to the long front porch to the ranch style home. They flicked on their flashlights and climbed the steps.
"Seems quiet." Roy looked over at Vince.
"I'll look in the window first Roy, just in case."
The thought that Vince was shining his flashlight in the window "in case" there might be something wrong inside made Roy nervous…very nervous.
Vince flashed his light into the dark room. He scanned it along the floor and walls. The furniture blocked much of his view. Then he saw the wheel chair toppled over on the far side of the room. The cellar door stood open, and there was a dark smudge on the wall just to the right of the door. It was hard to tell, but it looked like blood.
"Roy…I'm going to need to call for back up. It looks like there may have been a struggle."
Roy immediately dug into his pocket for his keys.
Vince walked over and put a restraining hand on his arm. "We need to wait, Roy. We don't know what we are walking into."
"I know that my best friend is in there. He may be hurt. I understand that you think we need to wait, but I'm not going to stand out here if he or Dixie are in need of medical attention." He stepped over to the door. "You can come with me, or you can wait for back up. I don't care either way…I'm going in." He hesitated long enough for Vince to answer.
"Okay. They're my friends too. Just let me make the call for back up, and we'll go in on one condition." Vince looked hard into Roy's eyes. "I go first." He tapped the gun holstered on his hip.
"Make the call." Roy stepped back from the door showing Vince his agreement. "I'll get Johnny's first aid kit." He turned and jogged over to the Rover to get the kit he knew Johnny always kept in the Rover for when he went on camping trips. Ever since they had ran up on that woman and her son whose station wagon was hit head on by a truck on the highway, while the two of them had gone camping and fishing with Chet, Johnny always had a well stocked first aid kit in the Rover.
He returned to the porch, "Are you ready?"
"Let's go." Vince held his hand out for Roy's keys. "First sign of trouble, you get out and wait for back up. Got it!"
Roy nodded.
Vince slowly unlocked the door trying to be very quiet. He inched the heavy oak door open a crack and shined his flashlight through the small opening checking for movement; when he saw none he pushed it a little further allowing him to do a visual sweep of the immediate area. He looked over his shoulder at Roy and held his finger to his mouth in a shushing motion, and then he stepped across the threshold.
Roy followed right on his heels.
The first place Vince scanned his light was the smudge on the wall beside the open cellar door. It looked like a hand print that slid down the wall.
Roy scanned his light on the other side of the room.
He stopped and gasped when he saw Johnny crumpled on the floor and another man beside him. "Vince." He whispered and pointed to the prone bodies.
"Careful Roy. There may be others." Vince moved over toward the blood smear. Dixie was still unaccounted for.
Roy moved the light down the length of Johnny's body and noticed the cracks in the cast on his leg.
Neither he nor the man lying next to him seemed to be moving. They were either unconscious or…
Roy couldn't bring himself to think that.
Roy couldn't tell if either man were breathing. His own heartbeat thudded in his ears blocking out any sound.
As he walked closer he noticed that the stranger had been injured, and Johnny's hand was pressed against the man's side as if he had tried to stop the bleeding.
He stepped a little closer and shined the light on Johnny's face. What he saw frightened him. Johnny's eyes were open, staring lifeless.
Chapter Fifteen
Roy dropped to his knees beside his best friend.
He reached his hand out to check for a pulse, but he couldn't make it move against Johnny's neck.
His hand trembled as he held it out.
Sweat beaded on his forehead.
He couldn't bring himself to complete the simplest task.
The first thing a paramedic was instructed to do upon arrival at a scene is check for life, for a pulse.
He froze.
'God Johnny…please…'
For the first time in his career as a first responder…he froze.
His couldn't breathe; he was barely keeping hold of his emotions.
His heart pounded in his ears.
Grayness lingered around the edges of his vision.
He didn't want to feel for Johnny's pulse if it wasn't there.
Blood pooled on the floor between the two men.
It was splattered on both of their clothing.
It was impossible to tell who was bleeding or if it was both of them.
'Please let me find a pulse.'
He didn't want to be a paramedic right now.
This was his best friend, his brother.
He wished he didn't have the skills necessary to check for a pulse.
'What if….
No…no what ifs…'
His hand stretched inches further toward the goal.
He had to know. He had to try.
Then he thought he saw the slightest twitch in Johnny's eyes.
Reality slammed into him. 'He's alive.'
"Johnny?"
Johnny's eyes closed ever so slowly. "You're here."
The air rushed from Roy's lungs and he swayed. "Your alive! Thank God!"
"Knew you'd come."
Johnny's confidence in him gave Roy the push he needed to move into action, and he reached toward Johnny's wrist.
"No…I have to keep pressure. He's bleeding. Shot." Johnny's concentration was etched on his face.
"I need to check you out." Roy sat back on his heels and laid his hands on his knees. "I need…."
"Roy?" Johnny could barely speak. "D-did D-Dixie call?"
"Dixie, Isn't she here?" Roy looked around the darkened room and remembered the smudge on the wall.
Johnny stirred and tried to raise his head and look toward the cellar. "She didn't get out? God Roy you have to find her! There were so many shots." His head fell back against the floor.
"Okay Johnny. Let me look at you." Roy leaned forward reaching again for Johnny's wrist. "Vince is looking for Dixie."
Exhaustion got its hold on Johnny. "The v-victim first, Roy, y-you know th-that." He slurred. His eyes slid closed again.
Roy sighed. But he knew Johnny would not allow him to work on him first. Even though they were not on duty. Roy checked Jimmy's neck for a pulse. He found it very weak, barely there. He saw Johnny's eyes close. "Stay with me Junior. Let me take a look at that wound." He pulled Johnny's hand away from Jimmy's side. When he did he noticed the slight tremors Johnny was having.
He palpated the gunshot to Jimmy's side and gently rolled him looking for an exit wound. "There's no exit."
"I know." Johnny whispered.
"Did you get shot?" Roy had been reaching over Johnny to check on Jimmy. Somehow having his body hovering over Johnny's gave him a sense of providing comfort for his friend. It was all he could give him until help arrived. His professionalism kicked into high gear. He moved trained hands down Jimmy's arms and legs checking for injury. He didn't find anything wrong with the man except the gunshot.
"N-no-I-I d-don't I don't know."
"Where do you hurt?" Roy could see a new set of bruises along the side of Johnny's face and has seen the cracks in his cast earlier.
"I-I don't f-feel so g-good."
Roy knew Johnny was going into shock. He needed an IV and fast. 'Where is that squad?' He began running his hands down the lengths of Johnny's arms. "Who is that guy?"
"Woman down," was all that Johnny could choke out. He was struggling to keep his nausea at bay.
"What?"
"His wife…cancer."
Roy looked at the man, studied his face. Memories of that rescue flooded back to him. "Oh my God." Roy's head hung. This man had attacked Johnny and Dixie because his wife had died of cancer. He remembered the call and the man's anguished screams at the two paramedics the day they brought his gravely ill wife into the ER. She held on as long as she could, but the cancer took her life. Johnny had ridden in the ambulance on that call. He did everything he could for the woman to make her comfortable. They both had known as soon as they arrived on the scene that she was terminal.
Her skin was gray. Her hair, all but, gone. Her face was drawn, and pain filled her sad eyes. She had begged Johnny to look out for her husband, to make sure someone was called to help him through the loss she knew her death would bring him. It was evident that she dearly loved her husband.
Her husband had fallen apart as soon as they walked out of the treatment room. He had lashed out at the two men, screaming obscenities and threats. He had promised to make them pay.
Roy closed his eyes. He knew the man in the trees yesterday, the man Chris had heard by the barn, the man everyone saw, but no one could place had been there just as Johnny had said…watching him. Roy looked at the man a little more closely. 'It's the man at Rampart in the courtyard. God, why didn't I remember him? Why didn't I believe Johnny yesterday or Chris this morning? This is my fault. I should have known. I saw him just sitting there.'
"Roy?" Dixie bent down next to Roy.
Roy reached out for her. "God Dixie." His relief at seeing her alive was written all over his face. Tears welled in his eyes. "I'm sorry Dix." He moved to wrap his arms around her.
She backed away. "Careful. He nicked me in the arm, and what are you sorry for?" She winked at Roy and moved in place to assist with Johnny's care.
"I saw him at Rampart. I should have recognized him." Roy dropped his hands to his knees again.
"We all saw him Roy. He was here at the party, but none of us expected this, or did this. He did." She waved her hand at Jimmy. "Now pull yourself together DeSoto. He made Johnny take Haloperidol. It's an anti-psychotic. His leg is most likely broken again. He struck him across the face several times. " She paused and squeezed her eyes shut.
"Dixie?" Roy put his hand on her back to steady her.
"I'm all right." She shook off the dizziness she felt.
"C-c-oncu-cussed." Johnny mumbled out.
"Did you hit your head?" Roy shined his flashlight toward Dixie. He could see the bump on her forehead. He leaned toward her to get a better look. Then he took her wrist in his hand to get a pulse.
"I said I was all right, Roy." She tried to pull away from him. He held fast and counted her heartbeats. She was as bad as Johnny when it came to injuries, always insisting that she was all right.
"The squad is here." Vince told them as he knelt next to them. "How's Johnny?"
"He'll be just fine." Dixie said as she brushed the damp hair from his face. "Won't you sweetheart?"
"I'm tired." Johnny's eyes closed once again.
"I know sweetie, but you need to stay awake a little while longer." Dixie turned to Roy. "When those paramedics get in here tell Rampart we need an IV stat."
He reached his hand out to check for a pulse, but he couldn't make it move against Johnny's neck.
His hand trembled as he held it out.
Sweat beaded on his forehead.
He couldn't bring himself to complete the simplest task.
The first thing a paramedic was instructed to do upon arrival at a scene is check for life, for a pulse.
He froze.
'God Johnny…please…'
For the first time in his career as a first responder…he froze.
His couldn't breathe; he was barely keeping hold of his emotions.
His heart pounded in his ears.
Grayness lingered around the edges of his vision.
He didn't want to feel for Johnny's pulse if it wasn't there.
Blood pooled on the floor between the two men.
It was splattered on both of their clothing.
It was impossible to tell who was bleeding or if it was both of them.
'Please let me find a pulse.'
He didn't want to be a paramedic right now.
This was his best friend, his brother.
He wished he didn't have the skills necessary to check for a pulse.
'What if….
No…no what ifs…'
His hand stretched inches further toward the goal.
He had to know. He had to try.
Then he thought he saw the slightest twitch in Johnny's eyes.
Reality slammed into him. 'He's alive.'
"Johnny?"
Johnny's eyes closed ever so slowly. "You're here."
The air rushed from Roy's lungs and he swayed. "Your alive! Thank God!"
"Knew you'd come."
Johnny's confidence in him gave Roy the push he needed to move into action, and he reached toward Johnny's wrist.
"No…I have to keep pressure. He's bleeding. Shot." Johnny's concentration was etched on his face.
"I need to check you out." Roy sat back on his heels and laid his hands on his knees. "I need…."
"Roy?" Johnny could barely speak. "D-did D-Dixie call?"
"Dixie, Isn't she here?" Roy looked around the darkened room and remembered the smudge on the wall.
Johnny stirred and tried to raise his head and look toward the cellar. "She didn't get out? God Roy you have to find her! There were so many shots." His head fell back against the floor.
"Okay Johnny. Let me look at you." Roy leaned forward reaching again for Johnny's wrist. "Vince is looking for Dixie."
Exhaustion got its hold on Johnny. "The v-victim first, Roy, y-you know th-that." He slurred. His eyes slid closed again.
Roy sighed. But he knew Johnny would not allow him to work on him first. Even though they were not on duty. Roy checked Jimmy's neck for a pulse. He found it very weak, barely there. He saw Johnny's eyes close. "Stay with me Junior. Let me take a look at that wound." He pulled Johnny's hand away from Jimmy's side. When he did he noticed the slight tremors Johnny was having.
He palpated the gunshot to Jimmy's side and gently rolled him looking for an exit wound. "There's no exit."
"I know." Johnny whispered.
"Did you get shot?" Roy had been reaching over Johnny to check on Jimmy. Somehow having his body hovering over Johnny's gave him a sense of providing comfort for his friend. It was all he could give him until help arrived. His professionalism kicked into high gear. He moved trained hands down Jimmy's arms and legs checking for injury. He didn't find anything wrong with the man except the gunshot.
"N-no-I-I d-don't I don't know."
"Where do you hurt?" Roy could see a new set of bruises along the side of Johnny's face and has seen the cracks in his cast earlier.
"I-I don't f-feel so g-good."
Roy knew Johnny was going into shock. He needed an IV and fast. 'Where is that squad?' He began running his hands down the lengths of Johnny's arms. "Who is that guy?"
"Woman down," was all that Johnny could choke out. He was struggling to keep his nausea at bay.
"What?"
"His wife…cancer."
Roy looked at the man, studied his face. Memories of that rescue flooded back to him. "Oh my God." Roy's head hung. This man had attacked Johnny and Dixie because his wife had died of cancer. He remembered the call and the man's anguished screams at the two paramedics the day they brought his gravely ill wife into the ER. She held on as long as she could, but the cancer took her life. Johnny had ridden in the ambulance on that call. He did everything he could for the woman to make her comfortable. They both had known as soon as they arrived on the scene that she was terminal.
Her skin was gray. Her hair, all but, gone. Her face was drawn, and pain filled her sad eyes. She had begged Johnny to look out for her husband, to make sure someone was called to help him through the loss she knew her death would bring him. It was evident that she dearly loved her husband.
Her husband had fallen apart as soon as they walked out of the treatment room. He had lashed out at the two men, screaming obscenities and threats. He had promised to make them pay.
Roy closed his eyes. He knew the man in the trees yesterday, the man Chris had heard by the barn, the man everyone saw, but no one could place had been there just as Johnny had said…watching him. Roy looked at the man a little more closely. 'It's the man at Rampart in the courtyard. God, why didn't I remember him? Why didn't I believe Johnny yesterday or Chris this morning? This is my fault. I should have known. I saw him just sitting there.'
"Roy?" Dixie bent down next to Roy.
Roy reached out for her. "God Dixie." His relief at seeing her alive was written all over his face. Tears welled in his eyes. "I'm sorry Dix." He moved to wrap his arms around her.
She backed away. "Careful. He nicked me in the arm, and what are you sorry for?" She winked at Roy and moved in place to assist with Johnny's care.
"I saw him at Rampart. I should have recognized him." Roy dropped his hands to his knees again.
"We all saw him Roy. He was here at the party, but none of us expected this, or did this. He did." She waved her hand at Jimmy. "Now pull yourself together DeSoto. He made Johnny take Haloperidol. It's an anti-psychotic. His leg is most likely broken again. He struck him across the face several times. " She paused and squeezed her eyes shut.
"Dixie?" Roy put his hand on her back to steady her.
"I'm all right." She shook off the dizziness she felt.
"C-c-oncu-cussed." Johnny mumbled out.
"Did you hit your head?" Roy shined his flashlight toward Dixie. He could see the bump on her forehead. He leaned toward her to get a better look. Then he took her wrist in his hand to get a pulse.
"I said I was all right, Roy." She tried to pull away from him. He held fast and counted her heartbeats. She was as bad as Johnny when it came to injuries, always insisting that she was all right.
"The squad is here." Vince told them as he knelt next to them. "How's Johnny?"
"He'll be just fine." Dixie said as she brushed the damp hair from his face. "Won't you sweetheart?"
"I'm tired." Johnny's eyes closed once again.
"I know sweetie, but you need to stay awake a little while longer." Dixie turned to Roy. "When those paramedics get in here tell Rampart we need an IV stat."
