Crisis In Little Rock

    I was walking down the road one summer day on the way to the grocery store.  I looked around to enjoy the scenery. The sky was clear and sunny. The wind was blowing but it was only a small breeze. Carriages rush down the road to take their passengers where ever they may want to go on a Saturday in Little Rock. I just got to the door of the store when I looked down the road and saw my friend Aaron running towards me. When he got to me I said, “Where are you running off to in such a hurry?”

I will never forget what he said to me that day.

Aaron said, “Your wife, she’s been in a horrible accident.” I was speechless. I couldn’t move. It felt like my heart had stopped beating.

    “Did you hear me Ben? Your wife was in a accident!” Aaron shouted at me.
    “I heard what you said! Where is she?” I asked walking to the bar.

Aaron said, “She’s at the bar.” What was she doing at the stupid bar?  

“Why was she there?” I demanded.

“She was just walking down the street when two idiots started shooting at each other. She unfortunately got hit by a stray bullet. Some people brought her into the bar. I saw her and asked what happened, then I came looking for you,” was Aaron’s reply.

I took off running to the bar. Please be alright Eliza.

I went around the corner and started to go by the police station. I saw them bringing in two men, the ones who shot Eliza. I’m going to kill them. I started walking towards them but Aaron stopped me. “We don’t have time to deal with them,” he said, “we have to get to Eliza so you can get the bullet out.” We started off towards the bar again. By the time we got there a lot of people were in the bar and around the door.

I heard people muttering to others, “I don’t think she’s gonna make it,” and “Look there’s Dr.Crane. She’s going to be alright.” I slammed through the doors and frantically started looking for Eliza. Then I saw her sprawled out on the bar. Blood was everywhere. Her hair was matted with blood and her white dress was stained crimson. I rushed over to her.

I asked, “Eliza can you hear me?”

“I’m fine,” she replied weakly. Thank god she’s alive. I tried to find where the blood was coming from but there was to much.

“I need a rag!” I screamed. I was handed a rag and I started wiping all the blood away. I finally figured out that the bullet had hit her in the left side of her chest. Oh no. I screamed, “Aaron go get my supplies now!” I heard the door slam shut as he left. “Eliza please hang on. I will get the bullet out and everything will be fine,” I said cradling her head in my hands.

She replied, “It OK. You don’t have to lie. I love you.” She fell back on the bar unconscious. No she can’t die.

“Eliza, please wake up. Don’t die please,” I said with tears running down my cheeks. I heard someone burst through the doors.

“I got ‘em,” Aaron said rushing towards me, “here you go.”

“Thank you,” I replied without looking at him. I won’t let you die Eliza. “Please get everyone out of here,” I said to Aaron.

He started getting everyone out saying, “Give the man some room to work people.” I got out some scissors and started cutting her white dress so I could get to the wound. I pulled out the disinfectant and started cleaning the wound. I put the stuff down and got the tweezers. I was glad Eliza had been unconscious for this so she didn’t to feel the pain. Please help me do this God. I started to dig the tweezers into the wound trying to get a hold on the bullet. I tried for thirty seconds before I finally got a good grip on it. I slowly extracted the bullet from her chest and threw it as hard as I could towards the wall. I cleaned the wound again just to make sure. I got out the needle and thread and took a deep breath before I started. When I got done I busted into tears.

Aaron came in and said, “Good job. You saved her.”

I snapped back, “We don’t know that yet. It could already be to late. And even if I did she might get an infection and die anyways.” Saying this sent me into another fountain of tears.

“You can’t think like that man. You did the best you could,” Aaron said soothingly.

“I’m sorry I snapped at you,” I said.

He said to me still talking in the soothing voice, “It’s alright. Let’s get her back to your house so both of you can rest.” Half way there she woke up.

She said, “Where am I?”

“We’re on the way to the house,” I answered. “Please stop talking and rest. You’ve been through a lot today,” I said to her failing to hold back the tears of joy. She’s going to make it. She’s going to be alright.