“Mr Stone? Mr Stone? Can you hear me, sir?”
The voice was unfamiliar. Confused, he wasn’t sure how to respond.
“Mr Stone? Can you open your eyes for me? Mr Stone?”
Slowly, unbearable pain began to filter into Gabriel’s awareness. As if through a filter, he heard the racket around him, but the distinct sound of flames was now missing. Had they managed to put the blaze out? Why did he hurt so badly? Had he been shot? Where were his parents, his siblings?
“Mr Stone?”
He couldn’t hold back the groan of pain as consciousness flooded his mind.
“There he is. Can you open your eyes, Mr Stone?”
Cracking an eyelid, he stared at the unfamiliar face.
“Welcome back, Mr Stone. We were getting concerned,” the paramedic said.
“Where’s my mother? Is she okay?” Gabriel whispered, his voice hoarse.
“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t recall a Mrs Stone being listed amongst the passengers accounted for. Was your mother on the bus with you?”
“Bus? What bus?” He frowned. Nothing made sense. “Is the house still burning? I can’t hear the flames anymore.”
The EMT looked over at his partner. She nodded and wheeled the gurney closer. Removing the backboard, she placed it down beside Gabriel, and together, they moved him onto it as carefully as they could. Despite the care with which they worked, Gabriel couldn’t bite back a low moan as agony washed through him. Once the straps were secured, they lifted him up onto the gurney and wheeled him over to the ambulance.
Ready to leave, the paramedic went over to speak to a police officer while his partner hopped in with Gabriel to monitor him en route.
“We’ve got a Mr Gabriel Stone loaded, and we’re taking him to St Marks Hospital.”
The officer acknowledged him, making a note of it on his pad.
About to turn away, he stopped. “Was there perhaps a Mrs Stone on the passenger list?”
The policeman consulted a piece of paper on his clipboard. “No, noMrsStone. Only a Mr Gabriel Stone.”
“Thanks.”
Returning to his vehicle, the paramedic carefully negotiated through the chaos before pointing it in the direction of the hospital.
