“What about the girl?” Someone yelled back
“We’re getting to her!” Someone yelled.
A.J. tried to talk but only a moan came out. He heard a familiar voice, “A.J. are you okay, A.J. can you hear me?” Megan asked
“Megan?” He asked hoarsely
“Yes, I’m here.”
“Stephanie…is she alright?”
Megan gripped A.J.’s hand as a paramedic put him into the ambulance, “I don’t know.” She whispered. The paramedic shut the door and the ambulance left, sirens blaring, headed for the nearest hospital.
They had gotten Howie and Brandi out of the jumble of metal first. Brandi was shaken and had some cuts and bruises. Howie was hurt bad, and Nick was able to walk away with only a few scratches.
Megan now turned to look at the wreck, knowing that her best friend was still inside, and possibly dead. She saw the men moving a piece of the car and she ran towards it, “Is she alright?”
A man stepped in her way, “Please stay back miss.”
“She’s my best friend!”
“Let the paramedics get her.”
Brian appeared out of no where and wrapped his arms around her. Megan collapsed against him and started to cry. Brian looked up as the paramedics pulled Stephanie from the car, he didn’t think she was alive.
**
A.J. sat on the side of a hospital bed while the doctors wrapped his abdominal tight, “Just a view broken ribs, you should be alright in a few weeks.” The nurse reassured him
A.J.’s head was still spinning and he grimaced in pain, “What about my friends? Are they alright?”
The nurse glanced at the doctors, “I will go check on them for you.”
The doctor finished the wrap and looked at A.J., “No activity, rest. You have been through quite a bit Mr. McLean, so take it easy.”
A.J. nodded, “Can I leave now?”
The doctor nodded, “Check out at the front desk.”
A.J. made his way off the bed painfully. He started down the hall, every step hurting his side. He saw Brian and he looked around for the others, “Brian, where is everyone?”
Brian turned around, his face pale, and saw A.J., “We haven’t found Brandi and Howie yet..”
“What about Stephanie?”
Brian looked at A.J. hard, “She’s…she’s..”
“What?” A.J. asked solemnly
“She’s not doing to good A.J.”
“Where is she?”
“In there,” Brian said pointing towards a door, “Megan is in there with her right now.”
A.J. looked at the door for a moment before walking over and opening it slowly. What he saw made his heart almost stop. Stephanie was in a hospital bed, she was hooked up to several machines that were beeping, and tubes were hooked up everywhere. Megan turned as he made his way towards the bed, “She’s been coming in and out of consciousness.” Megan got up and let A.J. sit down next to Stephanie, “I’ll be right outside.”
A.J. stared at Stephanie, not really seeing her, not knowing what to do. Several moments passed and then she began to move. A.J. sat up starter, “Stephanie? Can you hear me baby?”
“hmm…A.J.?”
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“Where’s Megan? I thought I heard her voice.”
“Megan’s right outside. I’ll get her.”
A.J. hurried to the door as fast as his injured side would allow, “Megan, she’s awake.”
Megan hurried in right behind A.J. and went to the side of the bed, “Hey girl, how do you feel?”
Stephanie attempted a smile, “Weak…and it hurts..a lot.”
“Shhhh. Just rest, you’ll be better in no time.” Megan said a tear escaping. She looked up at A.J. and stepped back, “I need to go talk to Brian for a minute, I’ll be right back.”
Stephanie nodded as Megan turned to walk out. “Hey babe.” A.J. said smiling
Stephanie noticed the look of pain that appeared as he moved closer, “What’s wrong?” she asked the concerned vivid in her voice.
“Just a few broken ribs, I’ll be fine.”
“What did the doctors say?” Stephanie asked not believing him
“They said I’d be fine.” He picked up her hand and kissed it, “You’re going to be fine.”
Stephanie gave him a faint smile, “I’m tired.”
“Okay, you rest, and I will be right here.”
“Okay…A.J.?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
A.J. gave her a million dollar grin, “I love you too, always have, always will.”
“You better.” Stephanie said with a smile
A.J. walked out into the hall, “She’s asleep. What do the doctors say?”
The question made Megan burst into tears, and Brian looked down at the floor, “She’s bleeding internally. There is nothing they can do.”
“You mean…...?”
Before Brian could answer, a loud noise pierced the air. Several nurses and a doctor rushed into Stephanie’s room. A.J., Megan and Brian watched in horror as the doctors worked to get Stephanie’s heart started again. After several moments of flat line, the doctor called the time of death. A.J. stood frozen as Megan began to cry, Stephanie was gone.
