Visit to the ER: In the Aftermath

Posted on Thu Jul 25th, 2024 @ 4:40am by Ethan Thompson & Lydia Dunham & Hale Stratton & Timothy Reynolds & Timothy Cotton & Serena Reynolds M.D. & Chloé Rouen & Kimberley Hathaway & Joshua MacCallan
Edited on on Sat Aug 3rd, 2024 @ 3:03pm

2,148 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Winter is Coming
Location: Maine General Medical Center, Augusta, Maine
Timeline: September 7, 2010 - 8:15 a.m.

[Back with the Group]

Kimberly slowed her SUV as she came up to where TJ had told them the safe location was. She could see two Vehicles parked just outside the medical area, and people gathered around.

Lydia slowed as Kimberly did, taking in the group of people standing around, and pulled to a stop where she was, signalling for Josh, who was following to stop as well. She sat there for a moment, taking the last sip of tea and wondered if this was the queue for entering whatever safe zone they had set up here. "No time like the present to find out, I guess," she said quietly.

Joshua parked behind Lydia and climbed out. He looked around and froze when he heard gunshots. The he heard a voice, the word was indistinct but there was panic there. He moved up to the group at the two vehicles and stared at one. "Blazer.." he moved to the passenger seat and looked into it. There in the backseat was a child seat. And there on the floor behind the passenger seat, was a medical bag with the initials S.M.R. He cursed. He had purchased that bag for her when she had married Timothy. He knew the truck looked familiar. He looked at the group. "Where is the owner of this truck?"

Ragnar emerged from the back of the vehicle, a bastard sword in hand that he had pulled from his duffel and he motioned toward the hospital before securing the blade across his back, hilt protruding over one shoulder. “She went up that way.”

Joshua nodded. He looked to TJ "TJ, come with me?" He suggested as he hefted his bat.

TJ nodded, "Sure thing," He answered as he grabbed his rifle to accompany Joshua as they moved toward the hospital.

Josh nodded and glanced towards Lydia and Kimberly, gave them a confident nod and headed down the drive.

Serena ran first into Ethan as he came down. She grabbed him. "Ethan! Its okay ... Let's go back up. Hale and Tim are working on clearing the building." She didn't want Ethan getting into trouble from Hale or hurt.

Ethan nodded and followed her back, happy that everyone was safe.

As they turned back to where they had left the cars, Serena froze at the sight of two men walking down the drive towards them.

Joshua was concentrating as they moved down the drive and froze when he saw the woman with the teenager. The woman, he had not see in months, not since he had made it to Clarksville for his nephew's birth.

Serena stared her mind trying to figure out the man she knew, she had not expected to see him. Then she was running up the drive and her voice was shouting "JOSHUA!"

She didn't have far to run, because Josh was running towards her, TJ forgotten behind him, and the teenage boy behind her ignored as Josh slammed into his sister and the pair tumbled to the ground hugging each other, just repeating each others names.

"Can you two, you know, keep it down a bit," Ethan said as he watched the surroundings nervously. "It's not exactly safe here and we don't want to a ... crowd?"

That cleared Josh's mind first as he sat up, his sister in his lap. He hugged her tight. "Sorry" he said softly.

Serena wiped her face, clearing the tears that had spilled when she had seen him. "Yea sorry Ethan." She said. Then she climbed out of Josh's lap and helped him to his feet. "Josh, this is Ethan. Ethan, this is my brother Josh."

Josh held out a hand to Ethan. "Nice to meet you. This is TJ," he said indicating the man with the rifle. "He and I met outside of Boston with two others."

TJ lowered his rifle and stuck his hand out to first Serena and then Ethan, "A pleasure to meet you Serena, Ethan. As Josh as said I'm TJ, Sergeant TJ Cotton, United States Marines."

Serena shook his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you both," Ethan said as he shook first one man's hand and then the other. "Hale and Mr. Reynolds are both in the Army. Or were, I guess. Not sure if we have a military anymore."

"Where is Tim," Josh suddenly asked her. "And my namesake?"

Serena rolled her eyes. "PJ, who is only half your namesake, brother, is safe, with the rest of our group. And Tim is down in the centre with Hale Sutton, I don't think you met him.. he is Tim's commanding officer. They are clearing the rest of the medical centre. Sounds like they found some supplies." She gathered Ethan with a look and said, "We are to wait up there, then we can see what is to happen."

Josh nodded and with his arm around her shoulders, and TJ and Ethan with them, moved back to where there was now 5 vehicles parked.

Serena looked around the now amassed group. She took a breath. "Okay can I get everyone's attention?"

"For those who do not know me, I am Serena Reynolds, I am a trauma doctor from Tennessee. We have two military personnel clearing the medical centre. They are Hale Sutton and Timothy Reynolds. I know everything is chaos. But we have a group that is looking to head to Wisconsin. You are welcome to join us, Hale has a place out there we think can be safe. The military has pulled out, Cities bombed. I know its not ideal. But this place is not safe."

"Three military personnel ma'am." TJ gently corrected Serena. " I should report to them and introduce myself, see where I can help."

Serena shook her head. “Please wait we do not want to startle them.” She said not wanting them to shot first.

Chloé gave a shy wave to the group. “Chloe Rouen.” She didn’t want to speak more.

"I'm a second-year resident in Emergency Medicine," Roman said. "And Vienna's older brother. Totally agree on this place not being safe and, if there's room, I'd love to come along. Now that I've found her again, don't want to separate any time soon."

"Okay, well," Lydia said as she jammed her hands into her jeans pockets. "I'm an artist from New York City and no relation to anyone here. I met Josh. T.J. and Kimberly a day or so ago and we've been traveling together, hoping to find somewhere safe. If you have a place that's safe, I'm in. Oh ..." She blushed, a light spray of color coming into her cheeks as she added, "sorry. I'm Lydia. Lydia Dunham."

Kimberly stepped up beside Lydia. “Kimberly Hathaway. From Lincoln Maine.” She said softly. “Where can we go if the safe zones have collapsed?” She asked softly.

Serena took a breath. “Load up into the Vehicles. When Hale and Tim come back, we need to go as soon as possible. We have a safe local for the night, where the rest of our group is. Hale is currently the leader of this group, we are following his lead.”

Josh looked at Serena. He stepped close to his sister. “Are you sure?”

“We cannot leave people behind.” She replied. She refused to.

A county ambulance came down the drive and pulled to a stop before the group. Two soldiers, carrying the weight of their jobs with them, climbed out and approached the group.

"The E.R. is clear," Hale said. "But I don't want to spend the time clearing the entire hospital so we should get mov...ing..." His voice trailed off as he saw the size of the group assembled. "I'm ... uh ... I'm Hale Stratton and this is Tim Reynolds. I know some of you but not everyone. What's going on here?"

Serena, a tall man with black hair in tow stepped around the group. "Hale, this is Joshua, my brother, he and this gentleman, TJ, just arrived here with these two ladies, Lydia and Kimberly. The others," she indicated, "Roman, Vienna's Brother, Ragnar and Henri and Chloe, all came up from the medical centre before you cleared it."

Josh gave Hale a nod and then moved to give Timothy a hug. "Tim" He said.

Timothy closed the distance quickly, embracing his brother-in-law. "Josh! I can't tell you how great it is to see you!"

Josh hugged him back. "Good to see you too." He replied as they pulled back.

Serena looked at Hale. "Chloe and Henri are Rene's family." She said in a soft tone. "We have enough vehicles to get them back to the cabin."

TJ stood quietly and waited for the reunions and explanations to be over with. When they were he stepped forward and addressed Hale. "Sergeant TJ Cotton, United States Marines."

Hale nodded. "I'm Major Hale Stratton, Army Ranger out of 5th Special Forces at Fort Campbell. Welcome to the group. We can talk more back at the cabin but for now, I'd like to get out of here. Any objections?"

"A pleasure to meet you sir. I was a Scout/Sniper with the 8th Rifles, 2nt Battalion, Alpha Company, Camp LeJeune, North Carolina and no objections, Sir," TJ answered crisply.

"Good," Hale said. "Consider yourself part of the security detail along with myself and Tim. Until we get the civilians trained anyway. We're going to make a stop at the cabin to get the rest of the group and some supplies, then we'll head out. Sooner we get to Wisconsin, the better. We have a lot of work to do before winter hits."

"Yes sir. I think that makes sense to train the civilians as well to get moving." TJ cast an eye skyward, "Winter is coming sir and we best all be ready for it." TJ answered.

While they talked, Serena was organising the rest. She considered the ambulance and turned to Roman. "Roman, that ambulance is full of supplies, are you good to drive it?"

"Sure," Roman said eying the elderly ambulance as he spoke. "Had to do more than one ride-along but never got to drive. Been wanting my chance at it."

Nodding Serena moved to Josh, Lydia and Kimberly. "Our temporary base is only a short distance away, a hunting cabin. If you are wanting to come with us?"

"I'm assuming you meant Kimberly and I, what with Josh being your brother. And how weird is that? Of all the places to run into each other ... anyways. Sure. As I said, the idea of being some place safe is good by me."

Serena nodded "Some people have different plans that is okay. Just making sure you know it's an offer not a demand. Hale has some rules but right now it's mainly, children and pregnant women are to stay out of combat where possible. As a group when we get to Wisconsin we will.come up with more community rules. Basic rules apply though."

Josh nodded. "All fine with me" he said.

Kimberley nodded. "I am not good at fighting but I can cook and such."

Serena smiled "Good cause right now we need that sort of thing. They had to suffer my cooking last night. If you get into your vehicles we can head out."

Josh grinned at his sister and headed for the truck.

Kimberley also headed for her SUV.

Lydia turned toward Gloria and as she climbed into the driver's seat, got settled, and took a sip of the tea which was now cold -- but how wonderful was it that it tasted just as cold as hot. Time was, being the heir to the third largest privately held corporation in the world, afforded her some sense of security. That meant nothing now and so, security meant Gloria. Something she wasn't ready to share. It was her home as much as her transportation and after him, she wasn't ready to let anyone in. Not yet.

Serena headed for the Blazer and got into the driver's seat.

Tim watched as everyone loaded up. As before, they would be tail vehicle, for security. He climbed in removing the new pistol from his back as he did so. He then grabbed a couple more shells and reloaded the shotgun. He looked over and smiled at his beautiful wife. The simple fact of finding Josh had seemed to raise her spirits immensely.

One by one the vehicles pulled out onto the road. There would be a quick stop at the cabin, to pick up supplies and get the entire group together and then, they'd leaving Maine and their first exposure to the Wildfire Virus. No one knew what to expect or what dangers they might face. But at the end of the trip, was wilderness and maybe a start on building a sense of safety in what was left of the world.

 

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