Long-Leggedy Beasties…
By Rona
Okay, it wasn’t technically a ‘long-leggedy beastie’, but from where he sat, frozen on the floor, Johnny Gage didn’t think the distinction was really worth mentioning. He kept his eyes glued to the scorpion on the floor beside him and knew that if he moved at all, it would sting him. The tail was curled up over the small creature’s back. Stillness was Johnny’s only hope of survival – and even that wasn’t assured.
This was the second rescue that had gone awry in a remarkably short space of time. During the first, Johnny had been held hostage by a bank robber while Roy DeSoto, his partner, had been forced to treat the man’s injured partner. Things had all gone horribly wrong then and Johnny, newly back to work after that injury, hoped that this one would work out better.
“What d’ya think of that, fireman?” cried their victim. He was stoned, his eyes glazed and unfocused, his hands trembling.
“Don’t move, Johnny!” Roy urged quietly, his tone urgent. He had watched with horror as the man had pushed Johnny to the ground and then thrown something at him. The something had proven to be the scorpion and it was not happy at the rough handling. It crouched on the floor by Johnny, its tail curled over its back, ready to strike.
Johnny didn’t reply. He kept his eyes fixed on the small creature in front of him, willing his body not to move, trying to quell the tremble that wanted to start in his limbs as his muscles protested the position he was forced to remain in. Johnny knew that, sooner or later, he would have to move, as one of his arms gave up supporting his weight. He hoped that, by then, Roy might have managed to figure out a way to get him out of this predicament.
As it was, Roy had his hands full dealing with the drugged man. The man was combative, swinging his arms around, stamping his feet, shouting; in fact, doing everything possible to annoy the already irate scorpion. Roy ducked a punch and snatched up the HT. “LA, squad 51,” he panted. “Respond Engine 51 and a sheriff’s deputy to this location immediately. Respond another squad and ambulance, too.”
Dropping the HT, he made a grab for the patient and caught one arm, dragging the man forcibly away from Johnny. He never heard the confirmation of his requests. Nor could he spare a glance to see how Johnny was doing. His hands were full, just trying to stop the crazed man from harming himself or Roy.
Frozen in place, his arms now shaking at the effort of keeping his body supported in such an unnatural position, Johnny could hear Roy struggling with the patient. But he couldn’t spare a second to look and make sure that his partner was all right. The scorpion was, if anything, curling its tail more, obviously angered by the noise. It was uncomfortably close to Johnny’s hand. He desperately wished he had on his turnout coat. It might protect him if the creature decided to sting.
There was a sudden, unexpected, crash from the other side of the room and Johnny flinched. His eyes flew to his partner and as they did so, the scorpion struck. Johnny felt a stinging sensation in his hand, not once, but twice. His hand began to tingle immediately and as Johnny looked down in disbelief, he saw some blood on the back of his hand.
On the other side of the room, Roy made a grab to prevent their patient from hitting his head as he tripped and fell, but he failed. Roy stumbled to his knees as the other man went down and out. Instantly, Roy was checking the patient out, checking for fluid in the ears and nose, looking at the pupil responses.
“Roy.” The single word was said in a voice so constricted that Roy barely recognised Johnny’s voice.
Turning his head, Roy knew at once what had happened. He saw the blood on Johnny’s hand and his eyes flew to the scorpion, which still sat by his partner, but no longer was ready to strike. Its deadly venom was now coursing through Johnny’s veins.
Before either man could react further, the door to the apartment was suddenly filled with bodies. Roy held up his hand to stop them instantly. He hadn’t heard the sirens approaching, but he was more than relieved that his crewmates had arrived.
“There’s a scorpion over by Johnny,” he cried. “It’s stung him. We need to catch it first – alive – before we can get to Johnny. Someone get the biophone ready.”
It didn’t take long for the crew of Engine 51 to get the scorpion rounded up. Roy abandoned his first patient to the other squad as he scrambled across the floor to Johnny. “How’re you doing?” he asked, taking his partner’s pulse.
“My arm’s tingling,” Johnny reported. He was now lying flat on his back, very still.
“Give me a tourniquet,” Roy ordered no one in particular, and wasn’t surprised when one appeared in his hand. He tightened it around Johnny’s slender wrist, slowing the blood flow. He took Johnny’s blood pressure, calling the numbers out to the person on the biophone to Rampart. “Take it easy, Junior,” he soothed, seeing Johnny gritting his teeth. “Just relax.”
“Easy for you to say,” Johnny muttered, but there was no rancour in his tone.
“Roy, Rampart says to start an IV with Ringers,” Chet reported, “and immobilise the limb with the sting below the level of the heart.”
“10-4,” Roy acknowledged. “Get me some Kerlex?” he requested. He leaned over Johnny and started the IV in his partner’s right arm. That done, he wrapped the Kerlex around Johnny’s wrist, securing his partner’s arm to his side, with the hand hanging down. Johnny was then loaded onto the stretcher and carried out to the ambulance.
“How’re ya doin’?” Roy asked, busying himself taking a new set of vitals. Johnny was strapped down to the stretcher to minimise his movements. But it seemed unnecessary. Johnny was unnaturally still.
“All right,” Johnny replied quietly. He met Roy’s eyes and it was all the older man could do to hide his shock. Johnny’s pupils were very dilated. “My arm’s still tingling,” he reported. “How’re my vitals?”
“Your blood pressure is a bit high,” Roy replied. “Just try and stay calm.”
“I’m glad you’re here,” Johnny mumbled. “I wouldn’t wanna do this alone again.” His eyes closed against the brightness of the lights. Roy winced. He had hoped Johnny wouldn’t see the similarities between this and the time he received the snakebite.
“I just wish I could’ve stopped it stinging you,” Roy replied.
“No guilt, Pally,” Johnny instructed. “There wasn’t anything you could do.” He swallowed and opened his eyes for a moment. “I’m findin’ it difficult to swallow,” he admitted.
“We’re nearly there,” Roy soothed. His heart rate had just increased dramatically. He hoped Johnny’s wasn’t doing the same thing. “They’ll be waiting with the antivenin.” He just hoped that they had got Johnny there in time.
*******************************
They were waiting for Johnny at the doors and he was whisked away into treatment three. Dr Brackett leaned over the young paramedic and smiled reassuringly. “The antivenin just arrived before you did, Johnny,” he smiled.
“Good deal,” Johnny mumbled. He was finding it increasingly difficult to swallow and the lights seemed to be far brighter than normal.
“Skin test,” Dixie murmured, handing Kel a vial.
“No time for that,” Kel replied. “He had the skin test for the snakebite antivenin, and that was fine. So we’re just going to go with this one – they aren’t that different. Have epinephrine standing by, just in case, but I don’t think we’ll need it.” He patted Johnny’s shoulder before bending to have a closer look at the sting area. “All right, Johnny, we’re going to give you the antivenin now.”
“Just do it,” Johnny slurred. He hoped he wasn’t drooling but he was too drowsy to do anything about checking. He felt the antivenin entering his blood stream. It stung and for a moment his eyes popped open, but the light was too bright for him to bear. The world seemed to be very far away, the voices swirling in his consciousness, but he didn’t listen to them. He slid away into welcome slumber.
************************************
“It was too close,” Roy told Cap and the others. They were gathered in the doctors’ lounge. “But Johnny’s going to be okay.” He sank into a seat, exhausted now that the crisis was over. He had no idea how he was going to manage to finish out the rest of the shift.
“That’s good news, pal,” Cap agreed. He rested a hand comfortingly on Roy’s shoulder for a moment. They had all been worried, but Roy had had to deal with the crisis right from the word go, never mind deal with the drugged up man they had first been called out to. “The squad has been stood down until we can find a replacement for Johnny, so why don’t you take the chance to catch forty winks?”
“Sounds good,” Roy agreed. “But I want to see Johnny once he’s settled in his room.” He yawned widely. “Then I could sleep for a week!”
***************************************
Although pale and still drowsy, Johnny looked a lot better. His crew mates shuffled into his room looking awkward. No matter how many times they had done this, it never seemed to get any easier for them and seeing all the equipment that still surrounded Johnny was disconcerting.
“How’re ya feeling, pal?” Cap asked kindly.
“Tired,” Johnny admitted. “But I’m fine.”
Frowning, Stanley teased, “Fine is when you’ve got rid of all this paraphernalia.” He pointed to the heart monitor, IV and soft leather cuff that restrained Johnny’s left wrist to the bed. The head of the bed was slightly raised, so that Johnny’s hand was still below the level of his heart. The medical staff knew that there was always a chance that the patient could have a relapse – it was quite common with scorpion bites. A ventilator was standing by, just in case it was needed.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to go now,” the nurse told them. “We’re a bit over the limit for ICU visitors.” She smiled to take any sting out of her words and crossed to Johnny’s side, making sure he was comfortable.
Pausing before he left the room, Roy looked back. Johnny’s eyes were half closed, but his famous crooked grin was firmly in place as the infamous ‘Gage charm’ went into action. Smiling, Roy slipped out to join his crew mates.
“What?” Chet demanded, seeing the smile.
“Johnny’s gonna be okay,” Roy proclaimed.
“We knew that,” Chet reminded him. “The docs said so.”
“I’ve just had incontrovertible proof,” Roy countered. He started walking towards the elevator, the rest of the crew following behind, intrigued.
“Yeah?” Chet was looking puzzled.
“Uh-huh,” Roy nodded, knowing full well how infuriating he was being.
“Well spill the beans, pal,” Stanley ordered. “I’d like to know what makes you surer now.” He knew it couldn’t have just been seeing Johnny that had done the trick. Roy had still looked a bit worried as he watched Johnny.
“Easy, Cap,” Roy grinned. The elevator doors opened and they all trooped in.
“Tell us!” Mike growled, exasperated.
Rolling his eyes, Roy replied, “He’s flirting…”
The End
Stories by Rona March Picture Stories
