Crushing Emeralds

Chapter Eight

Evan waits with the gloves. He’s accompanied by two people with some of my demanded supplies. I put the gloves on and began digging in the kit for a antiseptic wipe to sterilize her neck. I disassemble the pen taking the plastic shell. “Are your hands clean?” I ask Evan, who nods meekly. “Hold this.” I hand the emptied pen to him.

My fingers massage Marley’s neck finding the exact spot I need, right around where an adam’s apple would be. Holding my fingers on the spot, I fumble for the knife. A small trickle of blood seeps from the blood before I take the plastic pen shell back and insert it into the hole. The gurgling in her breathing lessons, but it's still raspy.

“Towels.” I blurt out and several people toss them in my direction. I take a few to soak up the blood that pools on the floor. “You,” I say to a boy that’s sitting there rocking himself back and forth staring right at Marley. I grab a small towel, wet it and fold it, “Take this. Put it on her forehead and keep it damp at all times.” He nods and grabs the towel.

My heart races as I thread the needle, my fingers shake with nerves I didn’t think I had.

Evan’s hand gently lays on top of mine. “Let me.” He takes the needle, quickly threading it.

All I can do is give him a sheepish grin before I straighten my back and get back to work. I designate another person to wet a towel and be ready to blot up blood. “Dab.” I instruct.

The boy gently dabs the blood up that oozes from the s***h wounds and I immediately begin to sew up Marley’s wounds. Marley’s only screamed the first couple times before she passed out only to come to again before I finished. She passed out three times and came to all three times before I could finish. It was the longest minutes of both of our lives.

“Give her some pillows and watch over.” I dunk my bloody gloved hands in a the dirty bucket before peeling them off requesting a new pair from Evan.

He follows me to the next body. This time people part for me right away and they’re ready with towels, desperation in their eyes. I barely looked down at the boy that lay at my feet before forcing down a lump that gets stuck in my throat.

His arm is gone, from the elbow down there’s nothing. The edge is jagged and some spots the missing flesh was inches higher than other spots. I tear my eyes away from the gruesomeness to the victim’s face.

Tears begin to run down my cheeks blurring my vision when I see Jason Breakers, the school mascot. Jason’s part of most of the broadcasts playing a key role in school spirit. We went to school together since kindergarten.

“I need rope or twine” I said faintly but when people scattered I knew they heard me.

Within seconds, somebody’s holding rope in front of me. I grab it along with two towels and fold them over the mutilated limb, tied the rope around the arm to secure it to reduce blood flow. He’s losing too much blood. “You.” I holler not bothering with names. “I need you to tie this rope as tight as you can get, no matter how hard he may scream, it needs to be tight.” I grab a couple more towels, “Keep these over the wound to catch the blood. don’t squeeze it too much.”

Once both people were taken care of and looked after, I was numb, unsure of what’s next.

I sneak away to the kitchen, snapping my gloves off and aggressively tossing them into the garbage. I lean up against the counter top, put my head in my hands, and...cry. Tears come automatically even though my brain couldn’t comprehend emotions. I slowly begin to sink toward the ground until I’m sitting with my head in my blood stained lap.

I feel the blood soaking into my pajama pants all the way through to my bare skin, touching my arms and face, but I don’t care. I can’t pull myself together enough to care.

I whisper to myself, “What else is there to do?” repetitively as if the answer will come to me.

“Well, first is to get yourself together Emerald.” Evan says walking up to me. He sits down beside me putting his arm around my shoulders like old times. Without looking at him, I gradually begin to slide down his chest until my head is in his lap trying to gain my breath back, trying to clear my head of the doubt that clouds it.

He strokes my hair trying to comfort me, “You can do this, and you already did most of it. There are people that care about Marley and Jason that are continuing what you started. You have to be strong for them.”

“You’re right.” I jump to my feet. “You’re right.” I leave him on the floor as I go to the sink to wash up.

We walk back into the Common Room hand in hand. The first thing I notice is several people are finishing in cleaning up the blood that covers the floor. I sigh in relief, but its short lived. I follow the panicked voice across the room.

“Sh-sh-she won’t stop bleeding.” The boy that had been dabbing Marley’s chest stutters.

I collapse beside her and gather some towels that weren’t being used and placed them over her chest pressing down with all my might. I silently pray my homemade stitches hold.

“Pressure, she needs pressure on the wounds.” The boy joins me in putting out weight down on Markey’s chest. It seems like eternity before we get the bleeding under control. By the paleness of Marley’s face, I’m not sure if it is under control or she just doesn’t have that much left.

I check on Jason just to make sure. “How is he?” I ask, but I only get a sluggish nod of a head. “You can let go now. As long as it's not profusely bleeding let the rope do the work. Get some rest. We may need it.”

I don’t address the room. I just go on the hunt for Kordie and Jordan. The room isn’t that big so it doesn’t take long to find them. She’s fast asleep in a heap next to Jordan, his hand rest on her back. We exchange smiles.

I tip toe away making my way back to Marley. “You should get some sleep. We’ll take turns okay?”

He nods in agreement before grabbing an extra blanket for himself. He stays right next to her, laying at her side.

Evan settles next to me. “You should rest too.” I insist. His lips twist in defiance and he shakes back and forth with stubbornness. “It’s not a idea, its a request.”

“How about I guard the door instead. Let me know when you decide to rest.” He doesn’t wait for a nod or a vocalized yes before he leaves me.

I rewet the towel on her forehead. She doesn’t stir as I place the cold cloth on her skin. I sit there void of thought, just a lump on the floor...waiting. I almost start to dose off as I here a mutter of my name.

“Emerald.”

I rush over to Jason, his eyes follow me. He even tries to mutter my name again.

“Sssshhhh. Do you want some water?” I ask.

When he nods, I run to the kitchen and got a glass and fill a glass with ice cold water and a straw. I lower the cup down as much as possible so he can take a sip. He pushes the straw out with his tongue after he nearly drinks the whole glass.

“Thank you.” He whispers.

“No need.”

“Can I sleep too?” His voice is still hoarse and dry.

He’s so pale and clammy already from the blood loss. I know that the moment he falls asleep he would take his last breaths, but I couldn’t force him to stay awake.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore.” He says cutting off my train of thought.

“If you need to, whatever makes you comfortable. I’m going to go check on Marley okay.” My voice cracks at the end.

I stand up and walk the short distance wiping tears off my checks as they fall. I go back to Marley’s side for the rest of the night. I change her towels once more and check on my homemade stitches. Most were ripped out from the bleeding earlier.

I placed a newly wet towel on her forehead. I stare down at her when I see her lips move, all that comes out is a wheeze.

“It’s okay. You can’t talk, but its okay. I’m here.” I whisper.

Her eyes flicker closed. At first I thought she died right there. I put my ear as close to her as I can without getting blood on me. I Still breathing. I slide backwards on my butt until I’m against something, a table...a chair. My eyes go back and forth between Jason and Marley.

It isn’t too long before my own eyes get heavy with sleep. The shuffles of Jason restlessly moving under his blanket tells me he didn’t fall asleep yet and the rough exhale of breath from Marley I know she didn’t fall to sleep yet either. I’m startled when a hand touches my cheek; I look up with red rimmed, glazed eyes.

“Can I be your pillow?” Evan asks. He doesn’t wait for an answer before he sits next to me wrapping his arms around my shoulders once again.

Mere minutes go by before Evan falls asleep gently leaning against my shoulder. I shift my gaze from Marley to Jason, listening carefully to their raspy breathing and fidgety movements.

I’m jolted awake as Evan elbows me in the back. I stretch my stiff limbs, eyes squinting open. I curse under my breath. I fell asleep. Light is starting to seep in through the dark curtains even though everybody is still fast sleep.

I crawl on my hands and knees to Marley. I move my ear to her mouth. Nothing. I check for a pulse, but when my fingers touch her ice cold skin I know. I bite my bottom lip holding back a sob as pull one of the many blankets on her over her head.

I rush over to Jason, surprised to see his eyes still open with a slight smile across his white, chapped lips. I bend down next to him and began to apologize.

He shakes his head, cutting me off. “I want to say thank you.”

“You’re welcome” I can’t bring myself to say any more. I watch, frozen as his eyes close and his chest stills. Rooted in place, horrified, crying like a fool unable to do anything else.

It doesn’t take long before people start to wake. They discover the two bodies that are covered and motionless with me hovering over Jason sobbing like an i***t.

As soon as people swarm in, I sneak out. Finding seclusion in the kitchen.

Evan however knows exactly where to find me. “They’re in a better place.”

“Are they?”

“Come on.” He bends out and grabs my hands pulling me to my feet. “You have to face them sooner or later.”

As soon as we enter the Common Room, we enter in on a conversation. “What do we do next?” Someone says. Murmurs of confusion sound throughout the room. Several glances fall in my direction.

Just because I took charge of the medical emergencies doesn’t mean I offer anything more.

“We need to find Mrs. Claire and Neil. The food ladies should be back soon too.” I took a deep breath and continue, eyes still on me, “Has anyone tried to call 9-1-1? Or maybe I should ask if anyone has their phone?”

I get a bunch of shaking heads, empty hands.

“Well, we need to get our hands on a phone.”

I go up to one of the windows on the backside of the room and climb onto a chair to peer outside. Nothing. The illusion of peacefulness. But we have to make sure before we open that door or there will be more casualties.

I hop down and grab the closest thing I see. I climb back onto the chair and c***k the window tossing the bottle out the window. I wait...and wait, listening for something to attack. Minutes pass, nothing.

“I think it's clear.”

“You think?” A person blurts out.

“We have to try or we’re stuck here for who knows how the hell long.” Kordie snaps as she comes to my side.

Some people hunker down refusing to leave while some start moving the furniture away from the door, but nobody wants to be the first person to go out even though the doors are wide open. So I put on a brave face and walk out first.

Sunlight warms my body. After several steps out into the open and nothing to happening others soon follow, the doors closing behind them. Several students stare with open mouths at the deep s***h marks carved into the wood of the building. Paw prints circle the entire Common Room. Everyone that is brave enough to venture outside scatters.

“Jordan go with Kordie to gather out things and meet us back in the Common Room. Evan and me are going to find Neil.”

His cabin is the most obvious place. We nearly run to cabin, but stop short only to stare at the building. I mumble inaudible words to myself as I stare ahead. I’m not even sure what it is I wanted to say.

The entrance door is missing leaving. Only splinters of wood remain, they litter the porch. We stop and stare at the same large paw prints that come out the front door, down the two steps and disappear into the surrounding woods. Paw prints made in blood.