Читать книгу After You Fell - J.S. Lark - Страница 7

‘Is there a heartbeat?’

Something presses into my neck.

‘Barely and it is weakening.’

A gurgling rumble struggles against the pressure on my throat.

‘Get back. Stay back, please.’ A distant, dominant voice.

There are lots of people here, talking in different tones. Some whispering.

‘Have some respect. The medical team need space. A woman is injured. This is not a circus. Move on.’

‘She’s losing a lot of blood.’

‘I’ll treat her head injury, you find out what else is going on.’

Hands touch my head and leg.

‘This is a nasty break.’

Another breath drags into my lungs. My eyes are open but I can’t see.

‘How bad is it? The woman’s husband is in the car park. He’s asking.’ Another voice.

‘It’s bad. We’ll be lucky if she’s alive when we reach the hospital. Cross your fingers or pray, whichever is your thing.’

‘I’ll keep her breathing.’ A mask presses down and the air is cleaner and colder but the pain of breathing is an excruciating shout.

‘Give her some morphine and get a splint for her leg.’

Where is he?

The air chokes me, as if I am a mile underwater, the weight filling up and crushing my lungs from the inside out.

‘Her airway is constricted. Get me a scalpel. I’ll try a tracheostomy.’

‘She has broken ribs. She may have punctured both lungs.’

I try to speak. My lips will not say a word.

The world is white.

‘Her pulse is fading.’

A siren wails in the distance as the white gradually darkens and becomes black.