AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Moments later, Frank and Enigma returned, loaded down with everything, as Pyro took a heating blanket and threw it over us before handing his wife the cord. “Plug it in, baby.”
“We have to warm them gradually,” Gunner advised, walking over with a stethoscope, leaning over her to listen to her heart. As the cold weather paramedic specialist of the group, we all knew Gunner was in charge.
“Shit, it’s slow. Okay, folks, this is how this is going to go. We can’t warm them too fast or it will cause cardiac arrest. Frank, see if you can get through to Claudia, while I start Henley’s IV. Pyro, please tell me you have warm saline ready.”
“Yeah, it’s in the garage,” He confirmed, running from the room.
“What do you need us to do?” King asked.
“Search numbnuts from head to toe. Make sure he doesn’t have frostbite. If he does, handle it.”
Groaning, I looked at King and Priest, who said, “Fifty bucks his dick is the size of a Tic Tac?”
“I h-h-a-t-e y-o-u-u.”
“What would you like me to do, Gunner?” Skylar asked.
“Chicken broth, lukewarm.”
Minutes turned into hours and in that time, my whole body felt like it had just been in the ring with Mike Tyson. There wasn’t a spot on my body that didn’t hurt, but the worst was when the feeling started to come back. I’d never felt such pain before.
It felt like thousands of bees were stinging my body.
Moaning, I rolled over to snuggle closer to Henley, only to shiver once more.
She was still cold as ice.
Opening my eyes, I looked at Gunner, who was standing next to her IV pole, changing out an empty saline bag for another.
“How is she?” I moaned, grimacing as I tried to move closer to her.
While I was still cold myself, my body heat would help warm her.
“Core temp is 91°F.”
“Gunner, that’s not what I asked.”
My brother sighed, sitting in the chair next to her. “She’s a fighter, Scribe, but I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t worried. She was out there in a blizzard without proper gear on. She was more than likely already fighting the beginning stages of hypothermia when she left the safety of the truck. But to fall into the icy water, that just sent her body straight into shock. As you already know, when you’re exposed to cold, frigid temperatures, it’s hard to keep your body temperature regulated, which results in hypothermia. What I’m worried about are the other signs, like labored breathing and irregular heart rate. If that happens, then we’re in trouble.”
Nodding, I wrapped my arm around her. “She’ll make it. She has to.”
“Just so you know. King is furious with you. Pyro and Priest narked on you. Told King what you did. Hate to say it, brother, but I fear your cleaning days aren’t over.”
I didn’t care.
All I wanted was for Henley to open her eyes and tell me she was okay. Until that happened, I didn’t give a fuck what anyone thought.
“Gunner?”
“Yeah?”
“I need to tell you something.”
“What?”
Looking at my brother, I told him the rest of the story, right before I jumped into the freezing water.
“I ought to kick your ass!” King roared while some of my brothers snickered, hiding their glee. The others just openly laughed or nodded, agreeing with King.
