Leaving the cotton batting, Dr. Fullerton flushed more saline into the opening. As the clear flow turned back to red, Dr. Warner laid another piece of cotton over the suspected area. Both doctors watched intently.
Suddenly, the cotton batting began to change to red. Dr. Fullerton poured more saline over the area to flush the cotton clear. Again, the cotton turned a bright shade of red.
Using his forceps, Dr. Warner picked up the end of the cotton batting. Instantly, a tiny stream of blood erupted from a large vein. Dr. Fullerton pointed the saline over the area, then pulled it away. Again, a tiny stream of blood began to flow.
“Got it… there’s the bleeder,” Dr. Warner shouted excitedly.
“Good work,” Nurse Booker responded instantly.
“I need the bipolar Bovie, stat,” Dr. Warner said anxiously.
Nurse Booker handed him the cauterizing instrument, shaped like a pair of large tweezers. Quickly, he moved them to the opening and placed the two front points on each side of the bleeding vein. He energized the tip and instantly cauterized it. Dr. Fullerton flushed saline over the area once more. Moments later, the area flushed clear.
“I think we got it,” Dr. Warner shouted excitedly.
“Great job, doctor,” Dr. Fullerton responded.
Loud and disturbing, the unmistakable sound of flat-line sounded from the cardiac monitor.
“Shit, flatline!” Dr. Warner shouted. “Push another amp of epinephrine. Charge the paddles to fifteen.”
Nurse Holder rushed to the defibrillator and set the charge to fifteen joules. Handing the paddles to Dr. Warner, he positioned them on Bobby’s chest.
“Clear!” he shouted.
He depressed the buttons and instantly sent a charge across his heart. Bobby convulsed on the table, then lay flat.
“Still in v-fib,” Dr. Fullerton shouted.
“Charge to twenty,” Dr. Warner ordered. “Clear.”
Again, he depressed the buttons on the paddles and instantly, Bobby’s body convulsed on the table once more.
“V-fib,” Dr. Fullerton shouted simply.
“Dammit,” Dr. Warner shouted angrily. “Charge to forty.”
He replaced the paddles and called “clear” again. Like the two times before it, Bobby convulsed, then lay still as the cardiac monitor blared “flat-line”.
“Charge the paddles to fifty,” Dr. Warner shouted frantically. “Push another amp of epi.”
He slapped the paddles to Bobby’s chest and depressed the button. Again, his body heaved and contracted, then lay flat as the cardiac monitor reminded all of their failure.
“God Dammit,” Dr. Warner shouted loudly, his emotional state now slowly unraveling.
His mind raced as he considered his options. Desperate for a solution, he stared at the patient, trying to force a moment of clarity… but there was none to be found. Looking around the room, he searched the eyes of his colleagues hoping for answer, but he received only blank stares in return.
“Charge the paddles to sixty,” he demanded. “Push an amp of atropine.”
“Doctor?” Dr. Johnson shouted.
Placing the paddles once again, he called “clear”.
“Doctor?” Dr. Johnson shouted louder.
“I’m a little busy right now?” he shouted back in frustration.
“David, it’s no use. He’s gone,” Dr. Johnson responded, his tone now steady and sympathetic. “There was just too much damage.”
“No, I won’t accept that. There’s still time. I can save him.”
“No David, you can’t,” Dr. Johnson responded resolutely. “All you’re doing is frying this poor boy. It’s time to stop.”
Dr. Warner stood with paddles in hand and thought about his colleagues words. He looked to the patient, then to the monitors. The hard truth of the doctor’s words finally registered within him. He looked around the room and nodded in simple resignation.
“Call it,” he said, his tone barely audible.
The Waiting Room:
Time: 10:13pm
The Robbins family sat quietly as they waited for news of Bobby’s condition. As the TV broadcast its endless barrage of commercial advertisements, their minds slipped in and out of focus.
Geoff stared through the TV, the sound barely detectable and only registering in his subconscious. At the forefront of his mind was the fate of his brother. He replayed the events of the evening, considering his role in his brother’s tragedy.
“I should have waited for him,” he blurted out, breaking the silence between the three.
“What?” his mother asked, unsure of his statement as her mind was pulled from its own random thoughts and force to focus.
“I should have waited for him, earlier... If I had, we would have ridden together and none of this would have happened,” he replied in solemn tone. “Why didn’t I wait for him?” he spat angrily.
“Geoffrey, don’t you do that! This isn’t your fault,” she shot back instantly. “It’s no one’s fault. It’s just bad luck.”
“The hell it is,” Geoff’s father retorted angrily. “It’s that stupid redneck’s fault. When this is all over, I’m going to sue his ass for so much, his damn grandchildren will be paying.”
“Dad, Arles is dead. He died in the crash.”
The shock of Geoff’s words took a moment to register in his parents minds. With the chaos of the evening, he had forgotten to mention the death of Arles and now, hearing it for the first time, his parents had mixed feelings.
“Damn, I didn’t know that,” his father responded, using his simple words as an apologetic gesture, then added, “But nonetheless, that damn kid’s stupidity caused this whole mess.”
“My god, his poor parents. They must be heartbroken,” his mother responded, sympathetically. “There’s no greater tragedy for a parent than the loss of a child.”
The three sat quietly for a moment and thought about her last statement. With Bobby’s grave condition, each speculated whether her words would prove prophetic. As the thoughts of Bobby’s mortality raced through their minds, denial pushed the ugly idea deep into their subconscious, replaced only by positive conclusions.
Geoff noticed movement in his peripheral vision and quickly glanced in that direction. Instantly, he recognized the face. He smiled instinctively in greeting, but received a saddened nod in return.
“Mr. and Mrs. Robbins… I’m Dr. David Warner,” he said in a low, solemn tone.
“I’m Jim Robbins and this is my wife, Nancy,” he responded, both parents quickly coming to their feet.
The look on the doctor’s face sent a shiver through both parents and they braced themselves for the update.
“Is he ok?” Nancy Robbins asked directly, her voice now quivering with fear.
“I’m sorry… we did all we could.”
Three hearts raced. Blood rushed through their bodies. Each became momentarily light-headed and disorientated. Words suddenly felt distant and unrecognizable.
“Will he recover?” came the tragic words of a mother in denial.
Jim stared at his wife momentarily. Her confusing reply marked the beginning of her unraveling emotional state. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.
“I’m sorry. We did everything we could… but he didn’t make it,” Dr. Warner said, sympathetically.
Tragedy and reality had now become one.
Nancy’s knees buckled and she collapse back into her chair. She let out a guttural cry of angst and wailed sorrowfully into her trembling hands.
“Oh God NO!,” she cried out. “Please don’t take my boy. Please God, don’t take my boy.”
Jim sat next to his wife and hugged her tightly, tears streamed from his face.
“I’m sorry honey… I’m so sorry,” he said softly over and over, sympathizing with her pain while ignoring his own.
Geoff leaned over and consoled his parents. Tears ran freely down his face at the shocking news. Listening to his mother’s anguish, he wished s
omehow he could take his brother’s place.
“I’m so sorry. His injuries were just too extensive. If there’s anything I can do…”
Geoff stood up and stared coldly back at Dr. Warner. The words penetrated his mind, yet seemed illogical. He felt desperate and angry.
“Yeah there’s something you can do… you can bring my brother back,” Geoff spat acidly.
“Son, I’m sorry… I did all I could,” Dr. Warner responded sympathetically once more.
“BULLSHIT! There’s still time. This is a big fancy hospital. You could do some transplants or something,” he shot back, now growing more irrational by the second. “You go back up there and save him. I know you can do it. I know you can.”
“Geoffrey, he’s done all he could. I’m sorry. Your brother’s gone,” Jim Robbins said, now reaching up and rubbing his son’s arm.
“No Dad!” he snapped angrily, pulling his arm from his father’s touch. “He’s still up there. He can save him. I know he can.”
“No son, I can’t. I tried, but his injuries were just too extensive,” Dr. Warner cut in.
“You can’t… or you won’t?” Geoff asked in insulting tone.
“Son, I’m really sorry… truly I am.”
“The great Dr. Warner… Hmm. Those EMS guys were really full of shit, weren’t they? You’re not great… you suck!” he shouted angrily.
Dr. Warner stared back at Geoff. He felt torn about how to respond.
“That’s right Doc. I read all about you from the plaques on the walls. Civil War hero… Great Surgeon…” he mocked. “What a crock of shit!”
“Geoffrey, I know you’re angry, but it’s not the doctor’s fault. Maybe if circumstances were different somehow… maybe if it weren’t raining; maybe if that boy hadn’t lost control of his vehicle… Your brother needed a miracle today, but unfortunately, he didn’t get one. It’s just fate,” his father reasoned.
“That stupid redneck!” Geoff shouted, bursting in anger.
He stood for a moment, tormented by sadness, consumed by anger. His mind raced as he tried to make sense of something so senseless. Suddenly, his mind conceived an idea.
“No Dad, you’re wrong. He is going to get a miracle,” he said assuredly.
He bent over and hugged his parents.
“I love you guys,” he said, his voice now growing bolder by the second.
He turned and hurried across the waiting room.
“Geoffrey! STOP!” his father yelled. “Where’re you going?”
He stopped in his tracks, turned and faced the doctor and his parents.
“Bobby needs a miracle… and I know right were to find it,” he said, then added cryptically, “…or should I say, right when to find it.”
Geoff spun on his heels and ran down the corridor, disappearing from sight. Dr. Warner thought about Geoff’s words, trying to make sense of the hidden meaning. Suddenly, his face dropped and his stomach churned.
“Oh no,” he said aloud.
“What is it?” Jim Robbins asked, now concerned by the doctor’s tone.
“Oh no… he read all the information about me. He knows about the time portal.”
“You don’t think…”
“Oh no…” Dr. Warner said once more, still in disbelief.
Dr. Warner shot the Robbins’ a worried glance. He looked back at the corridor that Geoff had disappeared around. In a moment of clarity, he sprinted down the hall.
-----*-----*-----*-----
Geoff rounded a corner and ran toward the far end of the hallway. As the corridor came to an end, it intersected another. He looked toward his right and saw rooms marked with various signs. He glanced left and found his destination. Quickly, he darted left down the hallway and stopped at a service elevator. He took a deep breath and pushed the button. Staring at the floor numbers above the elevator doorway, he watched each numbers light up as the elevator passed through that floor.
With two levels to go, he heard the sound of distant running from the hallway off to his right. He listened intently, then frantically pushed the elevator button several more times.
“Come on,” he said under his breath in frustration.
Looking back to the hallway, the running footsteps grew louder. Again, he pushed the elevator button several more times, hoping to speed its return.
“Come on you pile of crap. Let’s go,” he shouted in frustration.
Standing impatiently in the hallway, he heard a loud tone sound out as the elevator stopped on his floor. Looking up, he saw his floor number brightly lit. He glanced back at the corridor, then to the elevator button. Waiting for the doors to open, he pushed the button several more times.
Looking to his right, he heard the running steps grow loud and distinct. Suddenly, from around the corner, he watched in shock as Dr. Warner banked into the turn at nearly full speed. Seeing Geoff at the elevator, he sprinted harder. As the elevator doors finally opened, he came to a stop and partially blocked the entrance.
“Son, I know what you’re up to. It won’t work,” Dr. Warner said directly, getting straight to the point.
“First of all, I’m not you’re son. The name’s Geoff,” he responded bluntly. “Second, you have no idea what my plans are.”
“I think I do Geoff. I know you’re desperate to save your brother and I think you intend to go back in time to save him.”
“So what if I do. It’s none of your business anyway,” he responded defiantly, then added, “What’s the matter… you couldn’t save my brother and now that someone else is trying to save him, you’re jealous?”
“No, it’s nothing like that…”
“That’s really messed up, dude. You’re a real tool, you know that?”
“Geoff, you have to trust me on this. It has nothing to do with jealousy. I’m trying to save you from doing something you’ll regret for the rest of your life.”
“Save me? Like you saved my brother? No thanks. I’ll take my chances doing it myself,”
“Geoff, listen to me. Your plan won’t work. The time portal doesn’t work anymore.”
“Then why are you trying to stop me?”
“I’m not trying to stop you. I’m trying to help you work through your brother’s death. I know if you don’t get a hold of this right now, you’re going to do something that could affect you for the rest of your life.”
“I don’t believe you. I think this thing works and you just don’t want me to save my brother ‘cuz it might make you look bad.”
“Geoff, think about it. If the time portal really did work, do you really think the government would just leave it here, unguarded?”
Geoff thought about the doctor’s words. They made sense. For a moment, he began to reconsider his plan.
Dr. Warner could see the change in his eyes and continued with his plea.
“Trust me Geoff, I’m just trying to help you through your difficult time. One terrible tragedy has happened tonight. Let’s not make it two.”
“Terrible tragedy… terrible tragedy…” Geoff muttered to himself over and over.
His mind began to think about those terrible words. He thought about his brother’s broken body pinned inside his crushed car. He though about his mother’s grief and how she cried out in agony. But mostly he thought about the pain of never seeing his brother again. Tears welled in his eyes. He felt a gaping hole in his heart that he knew would never fill.
Geoff stiffened in his resolve. Staring back at Dr. Warner, he said, “I have to try.”
“Geoff, traveling back in time may not save him and in fact, could possibly void your own existence in its entirety.”
“I don’t care. I have to try.”
Geoff, you’re not thinking rationally.
“If your brother died and you knew the secret to bringing him back, what would you do?” Geoff asked.
“Knowing what I know now, I’d accept his death and move on… and that’s exactly what you should do.”
“Well I’m not. Ju
st because you gave up, doesn’t mean I should too. I’m going to save my brother… which is more than I can say for you,” Geoff spat angrily.
Dr. Warner moved his body in front of Geoff’s, blocking his entry into the elevator. Previously, Geoff saw Dr. Warner’s presence as a nuisance; someone who was merely delaying him from his purpose. But now, he saw Dr. Warner’s move as an act of aggression; someone who was deliberately causing him harm. He was now the enemy.
Prisoner in Time (Time travel) Page 7