Stay For Me - Megan Smith Page 0,71

the blood is coming from on Layla but there is so much of it I don’t know even know where to start. “I don’t see anything, can’t tell. I mean her face is badly busted up I don’t even know where to look.”

“What about the other person? Can you see where the blood is coming from?”

I scramble back over to Eli. “He’s got a gash on the back of his head and his nose is bleeding.”

“Okay, just make sure the airway stays open. I’ve dispatched emergency vehicles.”

We aren’t far from the fire house and the second the words leave her mouth I hear their sirens.

I leave Eli and go back over to Layla. She looks so much worse; her long blonde hair now tainted red. “Oh my God.” I say shaking my head. Her eyes are so swollen I can hardly make them out. A few of her teeth are missing, her jaw is at an odd angle, her nose is crooked and there is a slash across her forehead. Layla’s shirt is ripped, her bra cut in half and I can’t force myself to look down any further.

A cop car is the first to pull in, his lights lighting up the alley. I’m not able to see so much more with the headlights. A crack, bigger than Eli’s, along Layla’s skull has me crawling away just before I throw up. I bring my hand up to wipe my mouth and then puke all over again when I see all the blood.

The ambulance pulls down the alley from the other direction of the cops. I stay where I am so I’m not in the way. Plus, I don’t know if I’ll throw up again. One EMT comes over and asks if I’m okay. I can’t even open my mouth to answer him, afraid I’ll puke, so I just shake my head.

Another paramedic rushes over with a gurney. He removes the bag and board from it and lays it on the ground next to him. The guy who asked if I’m okay goes over to help his partner.

He checks for Layla’s pulse after a few long seconds, he nods his head.

Everything fades.

Both men begin to work as quickly as possible. They roll Layla on a board, and then both transfer her up on the gurney. One leans over and starts compressions.

Layla’s heart has stopped.

“No, no, no.” I shake my head back and forth.

They load Layla in the back and are taking off in the next second.

Another set of paramedics rush over to Eli. They check all the same things they did with Layla. They turn him over, secure his neck, place him on the backboard and are running back to the ambulance with him.

“Sir, we’d like to ask you some questions.” An officer says.

I look up and he’s standing there with his thumbs hooked in the belt loops on his pants. I take a couple of deep breaths trying to steady my rolling stomach.

I answer all the questions the officer asks me. Can I tell him what happened, can he see some ID, he needs a statements, yada, yada, fucking yada. Every time I blink all I see is Layla’s bloody face and Eli laying there helplessly.

When he’s done with his questioning he tells me I’m free to go. They have blocked off the alley way with crime scene tape while the detectives do their work. I glance back to the spot I found Layla and Eli laying. Blood is smeared down the wall just near the door and the door is splattered with blood, and supplies left from the EMTs are the only remnants of two lives hanging in the balance right now. My stomach rolls again as tears spring to my eyes. I’ve got to get the hell out of here.

I walk back to my car, stripping my shirt off and wipe my hands on it. I toss the shirt in the backseat and grab another shirt from my gym bag. Looking down, my jeans are covered in blood too. “Fuck.” I slam my hands on the roof of my car.

I reach in my pocket for my phone to call Jaylinn. It rings four times before she answers.

“Coop? Where did you go?”

“I’ll explain later. Can you meet me at Community Medical Center?”

“Oh my God, are you alright?” She’s more alert now.

“Um…yeah. It’s Layla and Eli.”

“I’m on my way.”

“Jay?”

“Yeah? I need you to bring me new clothes.”

“Got it.”

I start my car up and make my way towards the hospital. Hoping