Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 105398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 527(@200wpm)___ 422(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 527(@200wpm)___ 422(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
“Cheyenne, I have an IUD. I’ve had one for three years. Aren’t those dangerous things to have when you’re pregnant?”
A look of fear flashed through her eyes before she squelched it and said, “Let’s ask the doctor when he comes in.”
Someone knocked on the door two raps, and entered a few minutes later. It was Cheyenne’s doctor, and a man I knew.
“Dr. Robinson!” I said before giving him a big hug.
“You two know each other?” Cheyenne asked.
“Yep. His wife had a climbing accident when I was in school. She was my first solo patient during clinicals. He’d said he was a doctor, but I never knew what kind. How is your wife?” I asked.
“She’s doing well. She doesn’t climb anymore, and that chaps her ass, but she’s still very active outdoors. How are you doing today, Mrs. Mackenzie?” Dr. Robertson asked.
“I’m doing okay. No morning sickness this time.” She answered.
“That’s good. The heartbeat was strong, and from what I saw on the ultrasound, the baby looked great. Measuring in right at 22 weeks. You’re looking good. This is the time when you get your second wind blah blah blah blah.”
He lost me after that. My mind had slipped back into freak out mode. Part of it was excitement, but the other part was fear. I didn’t know how to handle a baby. I wasn’t married. I had an IUD somewhere in me that could possibly kill the baby, and I had to tell Gabe.
Worst of all, I wanted my mother, and that was the one thing I couldn’t have.
Ω
“Thanks for coming, James.” I said to him as we walked into the training room.
He parked himself to the side of the door and took in the chaos. The room was a flippin’ mess. A table was over turned; gauze strewn all over the floor and a bucket of ice sat leaking all over the floor at the center of the room. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many people in the training room at once. The rest of the tables were occupied, as well as two of the chairs that lined the back wall.
“What the hell is going on, June?” I asked.
“That would be our lovely football coach. He got upset when they called practice on him. One of the players came up here to talk to you, but the only one here was Adrian and I. I called the athletic director while Adrian went to speak with the coach. The coach then came here looking for the player, but I’d already sent him home before he got here. Adrian went to the ER with a broken nose thanks to the lovely coach, and here I am by myself with a shitload to do, hints why I called you.”
“Alright, let’s get started.”
We worked in companionable silence for the next hour wrapping sprains, splinting arms, and giving one boy an ice bath. James watched from his perch. His eyes never stopped scanning the area. He looked like he was lazily leaning against a wall, but I knew he could be lethal instantaneously if need be.
“Alright, anyone need some ice?” I asked.
Five hands went up, so I went to the far wall and filled up five ice bags. Just as I slammed the ice door down a commotion started up in the hall. I sighed, thinking at first it was just another fight that had broken out, but then there was the sound of gunfire and my blood ran cold. My eyes sought out James, but he was already gone, closing the door silently behind him.
My heart was pounding, but a sudden rush of calm washed over me and I knew what I had to do. I heard another two bursts and cringed at the thought of James being out there by himself, but I knew if I’d had gone out there that I would have just been a distraction.
“Everyone, I need you to get into the storage closet. I’ll be right behind you.”
How we fit five injured people, June and I into that 6X6 storage closet, I don’t know. There was tons of junk piled into the corners, but I left them there because I didn’t want anybody to see the stuff lying outside and know that we had people in the closet. Once situated, I locked the door from the outside and closed myself in with the rest of the group.
Pulling out my phone, I dialed 911.
“911, what’s your emergency.” A brisk woman answered.
“I am at Kilgore College. I’m an athletic trainer, and in the training room. There have been shots fired, but I have no clue how many are out there nor what’s going on. Five students, my assistant and I are locked in the supply closet in the training room.” I informed her.
“Okay, stay where you are.”
Duh. I wasn’t a dumbass.
“My friend is in the gym. He just got out of the army, so he knows what he’s doing. I don’t know what he’s doing either, I just know that he was in here when the shooting started and isn’t now. His name is James Allen.”
“Okay ma’am. Stay on the line.” I agreed but didn’t mean it.
Ignoring her while hanging up, I quickly dialed Gabe’s number and listened to it ring three times before he answered.
“Hey, baby.”
“Gabe, someone’s shooting in the gym.” I said without preamble.
“Get into that supply closet-” He said before I interrupted him.
“I’m already there. I have six other people with me. James went out the door and I haven’t seen him since. I’ve heard a total of four shots so far. It’s been seven minutes.”
“Okay. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Stay where you are. Turn your phones on silent. Don’t come out no matter what; I’ll let you know when it’s safe.”
“Okay. I love you.” I whispered.
“Love you too, baby.” He said gruffly.
I had a bad feeling about this. Super bad. Nothing good was going to come out of this, I just knew it.
Ω
Gabe
“Listen to me!” I roared at the dumbasses who were about to go into the gym without having the first clue on how to handle it. “I’ve been in that gym hundreds of times. There are over ten hallways. It’s a fucking maze. You won’t be able to just bust in there like bulls in a china shop. You need more of a plan than what you have. I have a man inside; I also have my fiancé inside. This is not going to happen.” I fumed.