Please...

The concern Wyatt feels intensifies. “This isn’t like her. Nothing’s happened the last few days?”

“Nothing suspicious, if that’s what you mean.” Jason gets to his feet, now his own worry starting to form. “What do you think…” His phone interrupts him. “Go tell your dad and see if he wants us to do anything yet.” When Wyatt is gone, Jason is quick to snatch the phone up. Answering, the strange voice catches him off guard. “What do you…what is…” His eyes widen at the exploding sound. “No! Katie!” The line is dead, and the blood drains from Jason’s face. He knows in his gut that this call was no joke.

He dials 911 immediately. “Look I need an ambulance right NOW dispatched to Route…” he cringes, trying to remember. “103, right outside town. ….I’m not sure…no, that’s not where I am, just…. Someone is hurt, so get a squad out there NOW! This is not a prank!” Satisfied that someone actually took him seriously, Jason hangs up. Not even thinking, he exits his office and sprints down the hall, passing Hal’s desk on his way. “I need to borrow your truck.”

Hal sees Jason’s panic and simply holds out the keys lamely. “Is something….wrong…?” His voice trails off as Jason takes off again.

“Tell Reese to call the hospital in an hour!” Jason yells over his shoulder. Once outside, he makes a mad dash for Hal’s truck, not even thinking about the screaming pain in his knee. Kicking the vehicle into drive, he burns rubber on the way out of the parking lot, ignoring the speed limit out of town.

Once on Route 103, he pushes the truck as fast as it will go, trying to keep a level head. Katie was hurt…he could feel it. What had been the explosion he’d heard? What was really going on? There were so many questions. “Oh, Katie where are you?” Jason keeps his eyes on the road. It’s not long before he seeks the smoke and his heart leaps into his throat. Coming upon the scene, he slams on the breaks, barely pulling off onto the shoulder.

He spots a form lying on the side of the road and his stomach lurches. “No, no, no, Katie!” He runs toward her, sliding down on his knees beside her, not even thinking about how she’d ended up so far from the car that’s now just a ball of flames. Nothing else in the world matters. Tears sting his eyes as he sees her battered form. Bloody, burned and twisted, he’s afraid to see if she’s even still alive. Fighting the urge to move her, he puts a finger to her throat, checking for a pulse. Relief sweeps over him. It was weak, but she was alive.

“Oh, Katie what happened?” he whispers. He gently takes her hand in his, and wipes some soot and blood from her face. “It’ll be okay…help is coming…you’ll be okay….” He lifts his head to the sky, taking a deep breath to hold in his frantic emotions. “Oh, please let her be okay.”

Sirens are heard in the distance, and it’s within moments that the ambulance arrives.