After the club closed Nick and AJ headed back to Nick’s house in Tampa sober and tired. The next day everyone was meeting there for a cookout and lounge-by-the-pool day. They were on I-4 not even 10 miles or so NE of Ybor City when Nick slammed on his brakes.

“Holy shit, Bone, hold on! Hold on! Damn! Damn! Damn!” Nick managed to barely steer his Mercedes to the side of the road and away from the accident that had happened literally right in front of him. Before both of them had time to register what had happened they were out of the car and running.

“Nick, What happened?” AJ was screaming.

“That truck just jumped the lane and slammed into the car in front of us. I barely got us clear. Call an ambulance, man. I’ll see what I can do.” With that Nick headed to the smaller car. He realized that the person driving the big dually sustained the least amount of damage. The little Civic on the other hand was totaled. “God, please let them be alive.” He sent out a small prayer.

When he got to the car his stomach lurched. Inside there was a woman, a man, and a small child in the back. “Damn!” There was glass and blood everywhere. He mentally started going through the basic first aid he had taken for his diving re-certification. He reached the driver’s side first and felt for a pulse. “Oh, thank God,” he exhaled. The guy had a huge bump on his head with glass in his skin. His seatbelt was on and he was breathing but unconscious. “Shit, I can’t move them. What if there is spinal damage.” Running to the passenger side he felt for the pulse in the woman. Again he thanked God for small favors. Then he heard the child crying.

“Mommy? Mommy? My head hurts. Mommy, I’m scared.”

“Hey there. What’s your name?” Nick tried to talk to her.

“I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.” She replied quietly. Then a little louder, “Mommy, Daddy, what happened?”

“Well, I’m Nick, see. And I saw that you needed some help, so my friend and I stopped.”

“What happened to my Mommy?”

“Well sweetie, some other car lost control and hit your car. But don’t you worry, everything’s gonna be ok.” And he prayed that it would be. ‘Damn! When would the ambulance be here.’ About that time he heard sirens coming up the interstate. “See sweetie, here come the good guys to help you.”

“I’m scared. My head hurts and I feel sick to my stomach, my stomach hurts and I am so cold.” Her head started to roll back against the seat.

“No, no, no sweetie. Look at me. You have to stay awake. What is your name? I told you mine. Can you tell me yours? “

“Ashley. Nick, I’m scared.” She began to cry.

“Ashley. That is a pretty name. Do you know your Momma and Daddy’s names? That way I can tell the police when they get here?” He was trying to keep her awake even though he knew shock was setting in.

“Nick, man they’re on their way. I mean, they’re practically here. I mean, is everyone ok?”

“I don’t know AJ. The little girl says her head and stomach hurts but her parents are out cold. Did you check on the truck?”

“Yeah, the bastard is out cold. I could smell the beer on him!” AJ Spat.

“Nick, I’m so cold,” Ashley whimpered.

“Hold on sweetheart. Just hold on. Can you tell me your parents’ names.” God he wished he could get to the backseat and get her out. But to do that he would have to move either the father or mother from the front seat. ‘That is the bad thing about 2-door cars’ he thought.

“Umm, Mary and Scott, but everyone calls him Scottie.”

“Scottie, huh. What about your last name? Do you know that Ashley?”

“I, umm, my, oh, my head hurts so much.” She started to cry again.

“It’s ok, Ashley. I’m here. I’ll make sure you’re ok.”

“Nick, man, you can’t be promising that. You don’t know.” AJ whispered.

“Shh, AJ. I’m just trying to calm her. Trying to keep her talking and from going unconscious. “Ashley hun, what grade are you in? Huh? Do you go to school?”

“I am in 4th grade. I love school.” She managed weakly.

“Wow! You are a big girl huh. And you love school. That is so good. What do you like to do for fun?”

“Nick my stomach hurts so much. I don’t wanna talk anymore, I just wanna go to sleep.”

‘Damn! What IS taking them so long!’ “Ashley, no sweetie, you gotta stay awake. Talk to me, baby. Did you go to the beach today? Go swimming maybe?”

Before she could answer her head fell to her chest.

“NO DAMMIT! ASHLEY WAKE UP! GOD DAMMIT!” The rest was drowned out in the sirens and lights that had finally made it across the median.

Nick was jumping up and down, swearing, and didn’t even realize he had tears streaming down his face. He nearly fell over when he felt someone tap his shoulder. Turning he realized it was the Paramedics and Fire Rescue.

“Do you know what happened?” She asked.

“Yeah, that truck over there jumped the lane and slammed into this car. The driver is obviously drunk, you can smell it. Listen, the little girl in the back just passed out. She was complaining of her head and stomach hurting, being cold, and being tired. Her name is Ashley. I tried to keep her talking as long as I could. But, I was afraid to move her parents from the front seat.”

“Thanks. What’s your name?”

“Nick. I wanna help.”

“Right now, the biggest help will be to step out of the way. We need to get them out of the car and to the hospital. Oh. Wait. What about the parents?”

“They were unconscious as soon as I ran up to the car.”

The paramedic he was talking to nodded her head and started giving orders both to those around her and into a radio at her shoulder. Soon, there was motion everywhere. Nick and AJ watched as the police directed traffic, the Fire Rescue started with the Jaws of Life and the Paramedics prepared to care for the family being removed from the car. Nick remembered watching all of this practically in shock while another police officer took statements from both himself and AJ. Nick kept thinking this couldn’t be happening. Not to that little girl. It wasn’t fair. Especially when he saw the guy driving the dually walk to the paramedics to be checked over while the family in the car was fighting for their lives. That’s when he lost it.

“You son of a bitch!” He took off towards the drunk driver. “You might have killed them! Do you even care.” All Nick could think about was getting his hands on the drunk. But, AJ and the officer caught up with him and held him back.

“Nicky, it’s not worth it man. Let it go. He’ll get his. You don’t need to end up in jail for assault.” AJ persuaded.

The officer agreed and tried to calm the larger man. “Listen, he is fixing to be arrested anyway. Let it go.”

Just then Nick heard yelling. “We got them, we got her. Lets go!” Turning around he saw the 2 adults and small child being strapped onto back boards while others started IV’s and still others tried to stop bleeding. “Lets move it! Now!” He ran to the stretcher with Ashley.

“I’m going with her.” He told the head paramedic.

“No, that’s ok. Thank you, though.” The paramedic tried to reassure him.

“No, you don’t understand. She’s scared and she knows me. If she wakes up I can talk to her, help calm her. I am going and that is final!”

She saw the set of his jaw and tone in his voice and knew he would not be persuaded. “Fine, just keep out of the way.”

Tossing his keys to AJ, “Take the car man. I’m riding with them.” To the paramedic, “Which hospital?”

“Tampa General”

“I’ll meet you there.” AJ responded to Nick’s back.


<~Chapter 5 or Chapter 7~>

Karina 2003